austraLasia #1752

Formation looms large in concluding sessions of EAO Provincials' meeting

MELBOURNE: 7th February 2007 -- While the Economer General was shaking hands with a kangaroo* in the country town of Ballarat (and visiting a gold mine where, unfortunately, the gold has now run out!), the EAO Provincials were taking leaps of their own in the direction of a more coordinated regional approach to formation. It was the final day of a long and fruitful gathering in Melbourne, and included some useful reflection on a range of issues, one of them being the constant financial demands on a region that is forced to travel to keep together, and travel across 'lanes' that are amongst the world's most costly. This gives rise to interesting anomalies - it is cheaper to fly Melbourne-Singapore-Perth than it is to fly internally from Melbourne to Perth!
    Given the current meeting in Rome of key formators from a number of Salesian Regions (none from EAO however), it was perhaps most appropriate that this Melbourne meeting set up a regional formation committee for the first time - and elected its first coordinator in Fr Tim Costelloe who presently holds that role for the AUL province. That achieved, a number of details were ironed out for both objectives and procedures for this commission, including times and places for the first meeting. A meeting will be scheduled for later this year, possibly in Jakarta. January of next year is likely to be an opportunity to bring together Rectors of formation communities in the region.
    One other important step taken has been to set up a mobile formation team - a small group of experts who can be available to move around the Region according to need. It is seen as a way to maximise the expertise in a region with limited resources overall. This team, currently with membership suggested from Japan, Australia and Philipppines (N), will meet later this year.
   *The photo is available on www.sdb.org - go 'organization'-'provinces'-Australia' and select 'foto' (yes, sorry - it will be in English shortly); second to the right.
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