Salesian Cooperators in Solomon Islands

By Fr. Srimal Priyanga, SDB
PGS Viceprovince ASC Delegate

Honiara, Solomon Islands, 20 April 2017 -- I'm happy to share with you, that two years after the first historical visit of the Rector Major to Solomon Islands we have already two Salesian Cooperators in Formation. Fr. Angel handed over to the SDB Rector on May 4, 2015 the Project of Apostolic Life (PAL) with the wishes to start the formation of the first generation of Salesian Cooperators in our country. The Salesian arrived to Solomon Islands in 1995.

At the moment we have two cooperators having their formation.

We are following the ASC World Council materials: 36 monthly lessons adapted in 2000 by our present provincial Fr. Alfred Maravilla. It consists of 36 lessons and at the time of Fr. Dominic Kachira he finished around 10 lessons. Hope they will be ready within a couple of months time for their Promise.

Md. Camari Bainivalu was our former Don Bosco Technical School Principal, she was with us for 6 years as principal in Henderson - Honiara. So she is familiar with our setting. Instead Md. Bernadette Paranapua is currently working with our FMA sisters and she is the one who is looking after the girls.

I would love to have some more formation materials, so that we will be able to make use of them with our new members.

At the moment I have volunteered myself to take up the responsibility to accompany our first Salesian Cooperators and their formation for both the communities - Tetere and Henderson (SI).

I have already talked to Fr. Albert Lenon (Tetere community) about it and now waiting to give me the names of their first candidates. Former Salesian Brother Francis Tanaka will be part of that group, which we will start within a short time.

I already wrote a letter to all of them and waiting for their response. Hopefully next Wednesday we will be able to start with our new group of 9 candidates for the Salesian Cooperators vocation.

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