austraLasia
#1482
Brothers in
preparation - Blessed Artemides Zatti will be celebrated on 15th
March
MANILA: 8th March 2006 -- The
North Philippines province has one of the largest groups of Salesian Brothers in
the region, 28 in all. Additionally, they have a number of Brothers
studying there from Korea, Vietnam - at least 6 from Vietnam and 3 from
Korea. Towards the end of February this group came together at
Batulao. It was an opportunity to share their vocational story, to reflect
on the documents and other material of the Congregation, and to look into
formation planning as well as vocation promotion for the Brother. It was a
particularly affirming occasion for young Brothers in the group. The FIN
group is planning a further gathering in May, this time inviting Brothers from
FIS as well.
We are but a week from the celebration of the
Feast of Blessed Artemides Zatti on 15th March and only five months away from
the Regional Assembly of Brothers in Cambodia in August. There is any
amount of activity around the region in view of the latter, and hopefully there
is some proximate preparation also for the former. The Assembly will
involve a dynamic of story-reflection-discussion-action guidelines.
Provinces are working on producing a short video clip to represent an
outstanding life: these will be put together and help the 'story' element of the
dynamic. Responses to a questionnaire that went out last year have been
recorded and analysed. It is clear that of the two sets of challenges,
internal and external, those internal are perhaps the most difficult to
confront. These, amongst other issues, will be given due reflection during the
Assembly.
For Wednesday March 15th, there is plentiful
material available. www.sdb.org is featuring both a research item and a
power point series, though the latter is in Italian. Provinces by now
would have (should have) received a copy of the DVD made in India last
year. In the 'prayer' section on www.sdb.org there is a novena to
Zatti. In the 'Animation notes' section of the site there are also, under
'archive 2004', two items on human growth in apostolic life as a Brother, based
on Zatti. Bosconet, as you know, has other resources, especially the
materials in preparation for the assembly. There are very many lives of
outstanding Brothers recorded there.
Which brings us to a
final note: The day before the celebration next week, one of EAO's most
outstanding Brothers, Brother Peter Swain AUL, enters hospital for serious
surgery. It would be wonderful for him to know that he was being
accompanied by his 'Brothers' from around the Region during this difficult
period.
_______________________
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