austraLasia 1481
How they brought the Good News from Ghent to Ranchi*
GENT: 8th March 2006 -- This is not a tale by Robert Browning, nor about 'Aix-la-Chappelle', except to note in passing that precisely this week Belgium is making certain changes to its laws about naming places, returning to the former Flemish names. Aix-la-Chappelle, on that score, will once again be that instead of today's Aachen, one supposes. But no, Browning aside we heard a whisper that Bishop Van Looy was in the South Asia region, the city of Ranchi, to be precise (for Salesians that would be in New Delhi province). So we asked him, as that seemed to be the best way to get the correct info. As usual he replied by return mail to say that Cardinal Telesphore Toppo had invited him to bless a Church that had been constructed with funds from the Gent diocese. It goes further than that, however, since there have been long-standing connections between Ghent and Ranchi. The 'Good News' was indeed brought from Ghent to Ranchi. The first Jesuit missionaries were Flemish, and Fr Constant Lievens is the great missionary of nearby Chotanagpur. His body was brought back there in recent years and is now venerated in the Cathedral in Ranchi, There are still Flemish (and Ghent) Jesuits working in Ranchi, along with two other Congregations which had their origins in Gent: the Brothers of Charity, and the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary. The Ursulines from Tildonk also have a foundation in or around Ranchi. Of course Bishop Luc also took the opportunity to re-establish old ties with Salesians in the area. For those who do not know, he was at one time the Councillor for the Missions, and had visited many of these places before.
Meanwhile, since it is 'Oscar' time, we also hear that Cardinal Rodriguez will be visiting Rome - almost certainly in time for the ceremony installing Cardinal Zen later this March, but he will be visiting the UPS to launch a book published by Ancora and fittingly entitled (in its English translation) The Oscar colour purple, by Enzo Romeo - the story of Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez as the 'voice of Latin America'.
GLOSSARY
* 'How they brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix' [16 - ]: Poem by Robert Browning published 1845 or thereabouts, famous for its onomatopoeic effects
_______________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
How they brought the Good News from Ghent to Ranchi*
GENT: 8th March 2006 -- This is not a tale by Robert Browning, nor about 'Aix-la-Chappelle', except to note in passing that precisely this week Belgium is making certain changes to its laws about naming places, returning to the former Flemish names. Aix-la-Chappelle, on that score, will once again be that instead of today's Aachen, one supposes. But no, Browning aside we heard a whisper that Bishop Van Looy was in the South Asia region, the city of Ranchi, to be precise (for Salesians that would be in New Delhi province). So we asked him, as that seemed to be the best way to get the correct info. As usual he replied by return mail to say that Cardinal Telesphore Toppo had invited him to bless a Church that had been constructed with funds from the Gent diocese. It goes further than that, however, since there have been long-standing connections between Ghent and Ranchi. The 'Good News' was indeed brought from Ghent to Ranchi. The first Jesuit missionaries were Flemish, and Fr Constant Lievens is the great missionary of nearby Chotanagpur. His body was brought back there in recent years and is now venerated in the Cathedral in Ranchi, There are still Flemish (and Ghent) Jesuits working in Ranchi, along with two other Congregations which had their origins in Gent: the Brothers of Charity, and the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary. The Ursulines from Tildonk also have a foundation in or around Ranchi. Of course Bishop Luc also took the opportunity to re-establish old ties with Salesians in the area. For those who do not know, he was at one time the Councillor for the Missions, and had visited many of these places before.
Meanwhile, since it is 'Oscar' time, we also hear that Cardinal Rodriguez will be visiting Rome - almost certainly in time for the ceremony installing Cardinal Zen later this March, but he will be visiting the UPS to launch a book published by Ancora and fittingly entitled (in its English translation) The Oscar colour purple, by Enzo Romeo - the story of Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez as the 'voice of Latin America'.
GLOSSARY
* 'How they brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix' [16 - ]: Poem by Robert Browning published 1845 or thereabouts, famous for its onomatopoeic effects
_______________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
