austraLasia #2126

Korea Province has new Provincial; 'departments of the mission'

ROME: 17th April 2008 -- The 'new' General Council under the leadership of the Rector Major has approved the appointment of Fr Stephen Nam Sang Hon as provincial of Korea province to replace Fr Paul Hwang who is concluding his six year term of office.  Fr Nam is 49 years of age and currently the Rector at the House of Formation in Kwangju, as well as being province delegate for formation, a post he has held since 2004.
    Fr Nam holds a doctorate in moral theology from the University of Munich, and he now lectures at the Catholic University of Kwangju in anthropology, philosophy and ethics. Besides his native Korean he speaks English and German.
    Meanwhile, a former provincial of Korea, once Regional for East Asia-Oceania but now Councillor for the Missions, Fr Vaclav Klement, is about to set out for a brief first mission foray, and no second guesses allowed for where he will be heading to!  In a sense it is also an important opportunity to hand over to his successor, Fr Wong, who also needs to return to his point of departure in Manila before taking up his new role fully.  Fr Klement will call through Manila but will also make a quick swing through Korea, China, Mongolia.
    As well as being introduced to the tasks that are specific to their roles as part of the General Council, the three new occupants of the Missions, Youth Ministry and Social Communications sectors, Frs Klement, Attard and Gonzalez respectively, have been meeting separately as a group in what has become termed as the meeting of the 'departments of the mission'.  This 'departments of the mission' is a new item of terminology in the Salesian lexicon (where it will duly find a place) which currently has only the discussions of GC26 behind it.  It will in fact have to be GC27 to give any formal shape to the reality, but the Rector Major and indeed the Chapter made it clear that this new configuration should be given practical shape in the meantime by asking the three Councillors to develop a close working relationship at all levels of their operation.
    The ten points that came through most clearly in the discussions the three councillors had with each region are along the following lines (these come from the writer's attendance at several of these plus some additional information):
    - discover the situation 'in loco': 'come and see', be patient in listening and only then offer some suggestions; come without prejudged schemes, and as often as can be managed between the three, having first worked out some coordinated plans and objectives;
    - help people 'out there' feel they are very much part of the Congregation;
    - coordinate visits with the Regional;
    - foster both the unity and complementary nature of the three sectors, but don't forget the Formation sector either;
    - reduce the number of proposals;
    - stimulate reflection and critical capacity....maybe an 'online' team, a 'virtual team' has a place here;
    - develop a network for sharing the valuable resources that provinces offer;
    - unite around the 'Salesian Mission' rather than fall back on a long-developed bureaucracy;
    - concentrate efforts on the Salesian heart and person as pastor, communicator, missionary;
    - clarify the responsibility for forming lay co-workers.
A demanding ten point plan for six years, indeed!  Let's keep these good men and their single mission in our prayers!

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Title: australasia 2018
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces THA Thailand Tsunami anniversary
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2018