austraLasia #2107

Which way will tomorrow go?

ROME: 26th March 2008 -- Oh what a day! It had to be so, one surmises.  Everything was running so smoothly, so smoothly - but are Chapters meant to go like that?
    Not that there are insurmountable problems, at least for the Holy Spirit. S/he has already demonstrated a remarkable capacity to trace a way through complications.  And the election of a Brother (the first ever?) to the General Council in no less a role than Economer General was, apart from being virtually unanimous in voting terms, welcomed with great joy.  Bro Claudio Marangio is also very personable. He will do well.
    No, the earlier decision, not in itself momentous, to create a much better defined coordination between what are constantly being referred to as the 'Departments of the Mission', the withdrawal of one or two names from availability for one or other department, threw the cat amongst the pigeons.  But the wise decision of the Fr Arnaiz (guiding discernment) to just let the process take time, and draw up more straw votes, saw a gradual convergence. It's not all over of course - the vote, the real vote, has not happened, and though there are clear indicators for one of the three Departments, two are still too close to call.  Obama and Hilary eat your heart out!
    Tomorrow's (Rome's tomorrow that is) decisions for Missions and Youth Ministry could, just could send EAO into a flurry - except that they are spending tonight in various huddles.  You see, after the 'department' elections are complete, and that should be by tomorrow morning, late, or at least early afternoon, Regions have to be tackled - and we now know that North Europe, West Europe, America South Cone, Italy, India are certainly looking for a Regional, and who knows who else might also be ;-)
    Oh, and one careful observer from last night's party (actually it was billed as an 'academy') informs me that Fr Puppo was actually decked out all à la Vietnam and not Japan at all.  Absolutely correct. It certainly was not a Kimono so I guess it was an Ao Dai or something of the kind.  Very fashionable though!
  _________________
 AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there.  Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org

Title: australasia 2107
Subject and key words: SDB General GC26
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2107