Australian-Pacific Province (AUL)

By Fr Bernie Graham, SDB

Melbourne, Australia -- From 26 to 29 August the young Salesians in the Australia-Pacific Province gathered in Melbourne for the Annual Formation Gathering (Quinqennium). One Priest, three Brothers and six Perpetually Professed Clerics participated in the program – Fr Nuku Lefai (Samoa), Cl Tuia Afoa (Fiji), Brs Thuy Nguyen, Barry Parker and Dat Phung (Australia) and five EAO clerics currently studying Theology in Melbourne – Clerics Anusit Chanphen and Kitichai Saisawang (Thailand), Abilio Guterres and Lourenco Soares (Timor-Leste) and Daniel Rafanomezantsoa (Cambodia).The program was conducted by Br Mon Callo, EAO Regional Coordinator for Formation and the topic was ‘Salesian Spiritual Accompaniment: Accompanied and Accompanying’ in which the participants were guided through a number of sessions regarding their own accompaniment as well as some of the aspects of them being accompaniers of the young.

Fr Phil Gleeson, Delegate for Formation, and Fr Bernie Graham, Delegate for Youth Ministry, also participated in the program. Eucharists were celebrated by Fr Nuku Lefai, our newest priest, Fr Phil Gleeson, on the 23rd anniversary of his priestly ordination and Fr Greg Chambers, Provincial, who participated in the final day of the program.

The program also included time for relaxation, exercise, billiard playing, card playing (‘May I’ is the popular game of the Province), feeding the birds, good food and wine and, of course, sleep!

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