News from the Province

Pre-novitiate 2007

On March 17, 2007 , in a Eucharistic celebration in the Dorish Maru College chapel, four new postulants Paulo Vatunitu, Seresio Were, Doan Nguyen and Antonio Koli formally began their pre-novitiate program. The Postulant Director, Boni Buahendri was present to call them forward during the Mass.

 

Renewal of Vows

In the same Eucharistic celebration, on March 17, Ioane Racumu, Alexis Tupun, Hiagi Motofaga, Gabriel Kokon and Linh Nguyen renewed their vows for one more year. The community sang the Mass with great enthusiasm and we consumed a hearty hot breakfast after the ceremony. The rest of the day was spent preparing for the Final Vows ceremony of Darwin Loro that same afternoon.

 

Final Vows Celebration

In an expression of belief in our founder's vision, Darwin Loro made his final vows on March 17 in St Paschal's Chapel Box Hill, Melbourne . Some 200 people gathered to participate in this joy-filled celebration. Darwin 's mother Amparo made a moving speech at the conclusion of the celebration. She said that her family was proud of her son and she implored him to remain faithful to the commitment that he was making that day. We join with Amparo in congratulating Darwin and offering him our unconditional support in his commitment to God as a Divine Word Missionary. In January 2007, Darwin received his mission appointment to ARS (Argentina South). He will move on to his mission at the conclusion of his studies at the end of semester II. Darwin is specialising in advanced counselling.

 

New Students at Dorish Maru College

In January 2007, the Melbourne Community welcomed Sang Bok Song, (Bosco,) who was transferred to our Province from the SVD Korean Region. Bosco was born in 1972 in Wongu, East Korea . He joined the SVD in 2000 and made his first religious profession in 2003. In 2004 Bosco went to Ghana , Africa for two years to take part in the Overseas Training Program, (OTP.) Bosco is presently studying English at Box Hill TAFE, before resuming his theological studies at Yarra Theological Union.

On April 2, two seminarians from Indonesia , Anton Nahak and Kasmir Nema , arrived in Melbourne to continue their theological and priestly training in our Province. Anton, born in Soe, West Timor in 1983 joined the SVD Novitiate in 2002 in Ruteng. Kasmir, born in1980 in West Mangarai , Flores, entered Novitiate the same year, but in Nenuk, Atambua, West Timor . After professing their first vows in 2004, they commenced their studies in philosophy and theology at the SVD Seminary in Ledalero, Flores. Anton and Kasimir will start their English Course at Box Hill TAFE on April 19.

 

SVD-SSpS Retreats

Between March 18 and April 14, 2007 , 107 Divine Word Missionaries and Holy Spirit Sisters in Australia attended one of the 3 retreats offered in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. "Spirituality of Arnold Janssen and Our Founding Generation" was the theme of the retreat. Our Provincial Chapter last year made a clear request that we promote our own spirituality among our confreres. These retreats are a response by the Provincial Council to this request. The Arnold Janssen Spirituality Centre (AJSC) prepared two directors for the AUS and PNG retreats. Mike Somers SVD arrived in Sydney at the beginning of last week. Sadly Sister Emmy Vas SSpS , shortly prior to her departure for Australia , was informed that she would not be granted a visa. That means that Mike is leading the retreats alone. In order to assist him there were five experienced SSpS and SVD spiritual directors in each retreat who were offering spiritual direction to those who requested it. It is with great satisfaction that we share with our SSpS Sisters in the organisation, participation and direction of these retreats. The same shared dynamic will be undertaken in PNG.

 

The Proposed JOHN PAUL II CHAPEL, Alice Springs , Northern    Territory , Australia .

On 29th November 1986 , Pope John Paul II met with and addressed Indigenous Australians in Alice Springs , a town at the heart of Australia , located geographically in the centre of the continent. There he affirmed to Australia 's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ' to become, through and through, Aboriginal Christians. You are part of Australia and Australia is part of you. And the Church herself in Australia will not be fully the Church that Jesus wants her to be until you have made your contribution to her life and until that contribution has been joyfully received by others. Click to read more...