Salesians in Sugar Land (aka
Negros Occidental): a Christmas blessing from Fr Felix
BACOLOD CITY: 24th December 2005 -- Fr Felix Furlan
writes from St. Joseph the Worker Parish amidst the sugarcane fields of
Negros Occidental. It is an upbeat letter, full of information
about the developing Salesian project in those parts. Fr Felix
was there 25 years ago as the parish's first curate - it was the very
first Salesian parish of the then single province of the Philippines on
Negros. Now, this year, the Salesian presence, as part of the
South Philippines Province, has been stepped up 'in number and quality'
to become a fully-fledged Salesian community with a plan, and
completely dedicated to the pastoral care of some 35,000 inhabitants,
most of them sugar cane workers and their families spread over 36
villages or haciendas as they call them there.
The parish area is fortunate in having roads that
connect all the villages, although in the rainy season one might as
well use a boat! Every Sunday, 30 parish special ministers gather
early in the morning for a blessing and to receive their commission and
carry the Eucharist into the villages, while the three priests move
amongst several villages per Sunday, ensuring that the entire area is
covered for Mass at least once every two months.
There are many poor families in the parish, and the
only Church was actually constructed by the Company running the sugar
refinery - unfortunately, despite its title and intent as a gift to the
Madonna, it had become a symbol of the same Company's corruption.
The Bishop has now asked the Salesians to transform it into a shrine to
Mary Help of Christians and a diocesan centre of devotion to her -
something they will do willingly...if they find the equivalent of
850,000 euro to do it! In fact, the locals already call the
Church the 'cathedral' which it isn't, although somewhat larger than
the actual cathedral for the diocese!
Fr Felix then reminds us of Don Bosco's injunction
to the first missionaries: "take special care of the sick, the young,
the elderly and the poor and you will God's blessings". This he
has done since first becoming a missionary 43 years ago. Now St.
Joseph's the Worker Parish has launched two special projects along
these lines: the nurturing and feeding of malnourished children, and
help for the very poorest of families with children of school
age. For the first project, they began with 70 children attending
the nearby school. Every Friday after school they provide the
children with a hot meal of rice, meat, vegetables and bread.
Recently a kind donor gave them ten sacks of rice for the cause. Fr
Felix believes this project is far more important than the construction
of the Church. So too the second project. Because of the
economic downturn, so many children have interrupted the schooling
after 6th class primary, to work in the fields. It's either rice
on the table at night, or school - and rice wins out! The project
to help these families is not a 'handout project'. They have
begun with families who are already involved in parish activities, and
gradually involve the youngsters more in more in groups and activities,
helping them in fact to help others; in return they receive assistance
which helps them further their schooling.
Yet another 'Christmas story', really, like the
previous one from Korea. Jesus came amongst us as one of us, in
fact as one of the poorest amongst us, and taught us to give, as he
gave. Certainly the praiseworthy Salesian presence in Sugar Land
is a sweet one, but not in any saccharine
sense. Fr Felix concludes with a wish that this Christmas -
today, tomorrow, depending when you read this - will be one of joy,
hope, goodness and love. So be it.
VOCABULARY
aka: today's computer language for 'also
known as'
saccharine: sweet, but in the sense of
being over-sweet, cloying in fact.
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