austraLasia 1558
PNG's 'Iron Lady' Cooperator leaves wonderful legacy
PORT MORESBY: 11th May 2006 -- When Amy William passed to her eternal reward on 14th April this year, she, who was dubbed by her husband Colonel Bernard William as 'truly an Iron Lady and true Salesian Cooperator' could not have fully appreciated the legacy she would leave - her death wrote a page in the history of the fledgling Salesian Cooperator Movement in PNG. The Association has decided to commemorate the day of her passing, 14th April, as an annual occasion for remembrance of "All Souls of Salesian Cooperators".
Amy Williams and her family's Salesian links were to become very strong by God's design. Her real home is in Alotau, a diocese now led by Salesian Bishop Francis Panfilo. She and her husband were amongst the second batch of enthusiastic aspirant Cooperators who were accepted into formation under the guidance of Fr Albert Lennon, Rector of Don Bosco Gabutu - they made their promise on 15th May last year, Pentecost Sunday at Murray Barracks where they lived. Their eldest son, Fabian, is doing his first year in electronics at Don Bosco Technological Institute PM, while one daughter, Nellie, attends nearby Caritas Technical Secondary School. Two other children, Joseph and Nathan, are doing grades 7 and 8 respectively back in Alotau.
As a Cooperator, Amy was deeply involved in the way a Salesian Cooperator is involved, ideally - with her own family and in apostolic activity. She was Catechist Coordinator of Murray Barracks Chaplaincy, Deputy Catechist Coordinator of the Archdiocese of Port Moresby. On weekdays she found time to volunteer for teaching Religion at nearby Ted Diro Community School. After Sunday Mass she would take classes for pre-sacramental preparation.
One of her hopes was to start up a Don Bosco school back in Alotau. She planned to take steps to realise this dream after her husband would finally be retired from the PNG Defence Force. In her region's matriarchal society, she would have had the power or at least the upper hand in deciding which piece of land would be given to the Bishop for that purpose. She wanted this to be a legacy, but in the end she left another, more precious legacy still....
Her 'Iron Lady' constitution not only gave her the energy for all these tasks, but made the final months of her short illness a demonstration of strength and self-possession. Even when generally bed-ridden she would make the effort to get up, joke, laugh and make tea and coffee for visitors. The Coordinator of the Murray Barracks Unity writes that "Her passing has inspired and given us Salesian Cooperators renewed strength, vigour and vision to promote and ensure that the spirit of Don Bosco will live and grow in our midst because we believe she is now in heaven with St. John Bosco in the Salesian Garden which St. Dominic Savio showed Don Bosco in his vision".
________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please
contact admin@bosconet.aust.com Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml
PNG's 'Iron Lady' Cooperator leaves wonderful legacy
PORT MORESBY: 11th May 2006 -- When Amy William passed to her eternal reward on 14th April this year, she, who was dubbed by her husband Colonel Bernard William as 'truly an Iron Lady and true Salesian Cooperator' could not have fully appreciated the legacy she would leave - her death wrote a page in the history of the fledgling Salesian Cooperator Movement in PNG. The Association has decided to commemorate the day of her passing, 14th April, as an annual occasion for remembrance of "All Souls of Salesian Cooperators".
Amy Williams and her family's Salesian links were to become very strong by God's design. Her real home is in Alotau, a diocese now led by Salesian Bishop Francis Panfilo. She and her husband were amongst the second batch of enthusiastic aspirant Cooperators who were accepted into formation under the guidance of Fr Albert Lennon, Rector of Don Bosco Gabutu - they made their promise on 15th May last year, Pentecost Sunday at Murray Barracks where they lived. Their eldest son, Fabian, is doing his first year in electronics at Don Bosco Technological Institute PM, while one daughter, Nellie, attends nearby Caritas Technical Secondary School. Two other children, Joseph and Nathan, are doing grades 7 and 8 respectively back in Alotau.
As a Cooperator, Amy was deeply involved in the way a Salesian Cooperator is involved, ideally - with her own family and in apostolic activity. She was Catechist Coordinator of Murray Barracks Chaplaincy, Deputy Catechist Coordinator of the Archdiocese of Port Moresby. On weekdays she found time to volunteer for teaching Religion at nearby Ted Diro Community School. After Sunday Mass she would take classes for pre-sacramental preparation.
One of her hopes was to start up a Don Bosco school back in Alotau. She planned to take steps to realise this dream after her husband would finally be retired from the PNG Defence Force. In her region's matriarchal society, she would have had the power or at least the upper hand in deciding which piece of land would be given to the Bishop for that purpose. She wanted this to be a legacy, but in the end she left another, more precious legacy still....
Her 'Iron Lady' constitution not only gave her the energy for all these tasks, but made the final months of her short illness a demonstration of strength and self-possession. Even when generally bed-ridden she would make the effort to get up, joke, laugh and make tea and coffee for visitors. The Coordinator of the Murray Barracks Unity writes that "Her passing has inspired and given us Salesian Cooperators renewed strength, vigour and vision to promote and ensure that the spirit of Don Bosco will live and grow in our midst because we believe she is now in heaven with St. John Bosco in the Salesian Garden which St. Dominic Savio showed Don Bosco in his vision".
________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please
contact admin@bosconet.aust.com Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml
