austraLasia #2582
Priests getting some good press and plenty of encouragement!
HONG KONG and ROME: 25th January 2010 -- The priesthood rarely gets a 'fair go' (Aussie expression, but you can guess what it means) in the media, so it is good to see a few signs of positive encouragement coming from different angles, and Salesians in the midst of it one way or another. No doubt you have read Pope Benedict's Message for World Communications Day released on the eve of 24th January. If not you are certainly encouraged to go to this link and check it out. Not that any Salesian wrote his message for him, but we'd like to think we helped contribute!
And keep your eye open for a book that will be published on priesthood shortly - a series of reflections by theology professors teaching at Ratisbonne, in Jerusalem. More on that when it achieves its publication date.
And thirdly, HK Examiner ran the following, showing one of our Region 'in action':
Priests encouraged to embrace spirit of conciliation
Hong Kong (SE): Eighty priests attended a study camp at the Holy Spirit Seminary from January 5 to 7 under the theme, From the role of priest through the role of disciples.
Salesian Father Savio Hon Tai-fai spoke on the role of priests from the theological perspective while Father Lawrence Yiu Shun-kit spoke on the spiritual aspect. Cecilia Chan, a professor and social worker, and Cheung Pow Yee-kam, a doctor, addressed techniques of counselling in pastoral work.
Father Hon, a member of the International Theology Committee, encouraged participants to learn from Christ and also to tap into the experience of their seniors. In analysing the qualities of a priest, Father Hon held up missionary experiences of (St) Don Bosco, the founder of the Salesians, and Jesuit Father Mateo Ricci, as examples to learn from.
He encouraged the participants to respond to God’s love and to make love the core value in the spirit of peace, view others as their friends in their missionary work and study, and get to know the local culture.
Father Yiu, a scholar in the field of spiritual training, said priests need to embrace the Church’s spirit of conciliation in order to maintain it among peoples.
He said that, although a priest has a certain authority, it only carries real weight when it comes from a Christian life and closeness to God. He reminded Church organisations to work together in the spirit of peace and not to succumb to secular values.
Father Yiu, former rector of the seminary, observed that “commercial enterprises require efficiency and their leaders need authority to control their subordinates. This kind of culture can sometimes creep into the work of parishes.”
He cautioned priests to remind the faithful about this danger and help them develop a life in God’s grace, be mutually supportive and complement one another.
Father Yiu said that “a priest should treasure his role and listen to the needs of the faithful. He should have the magnanimity of a missionary and not restrict his perspective to that of the parish only; he must view the needs of Church as a whole.”
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On an entirely different topic:
Several resources you may find of interest and now available on SDL
- RM to General Council in Don Bosco's Rooms on 18th December. (English collection)
- DB Novena prepared by the novices from Bangalore (English collection)
- Haiti resources. A Powerpoint reflection usable in schools or any other setting, really, prepared by Chris Ford SDB AUL (you'll need to scroll down to 'Salesians in Haiti appeal' on that page - it's in the 'Resources' collection.
_________________
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 . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2009 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
Priests getting some good press and plenty of encouragement!
HONG KONG and ROME: 25th January 2010 -- The priesthood rarely gets a 'fair go' (Aussie expression, but you can guess what it means) in the media, so it is good to see a few signs of positive encouragement coming from different angles, and Salesians in the midst of it one way or another. No doubt you have read Pope Benedict's Message for World Communications Day released on the eve of 24th January. If not you are certainly encouraged to go to this link and check it out. Not that any Salesian wrote his message for him, but we'd like to think we helped contribute!
And keep your eye open for a book that will be published on priesthood shortly - a series of reflections by theology professors teaching at Ratisbonne, in Jerusalem. More on that when it achieves its publication date.
And thirdly, HK Examiner ran the following, showing one of our Region 'in action':
Priests encouraged to embrace spirit of conciliation
Hong Kong (SE): Eighty priests attended a study camp at the Holy Spirit Seminary from January 5 to 7 under the theme, From the role of priest through the role of disciples.
Salesian Father Savio Hon Tai-fai spoke on the role of priests from the theological perspective while Father Lawrence Yiu Shun-kit spoke on the spiritual aspect. Cecilia Chan, a professor and social worker, and Cheung Pow Yee-kam, a doctor, addressed techniques of counselling in pastoral work.
Father Hon, a member of the International Theology Committee, encouraged participants to learn from Christ and also to tap into the experience of their seniors. In analysing the qualities of a priest, Father Hon held up missionary experiences of (St) Don Bosco, the founder of the Salesians, and Jesuit Father Mateo Ricci, as examples to learn from.
He encouraged the participants to respond to God’s love and to make love the core value in the spirit of peace, view others as their friends in their missionary work and study, and get to know the local culture.
Father Yiu, a scholar in the field of spiritual training, said priests need to embrace the Church’s spirit of conciliation in order to maintain it among peoples.
He said that, although a priest has a certain authority, it only carries real weight when it comes from a Christian life and closeness to God. He reminded Church organisations to work together in the spirit of peace and not to succumb to secular values.
Father Yiu, former rector of the seminary, observed that “commercial enterprises require efficiency and their leaders need authority to control their subordinates. This kind of culture can sometimes creep into the work of parishes.”
He cautioned priests to remind the faithful about this danger and help them develop a life in God’s grace, be mutually supportive and complement one another.
Father Yiu said that “a priest should treasure his role and listen to the needs of the faithful. He should have the magnanimity of a missionary and not restrict his perspective to that of the parish only; he must view the needs of Church as a whole.”
------------
On an entirely different topic:
Several resources you may find of interest and now available on SDL
- RM to General Council in Don Bosco's Rooms on 18th December. (English collection)
- DB Novena prepared by the novices from Bangalore (English collection)
- Haiti resources. A Powerpoint reflection usable in schools or any other setting, really, prepared by Chris Ford SDB AUL (you'll need to scroll down to 'Salesians in Haiti appeal' on that page - it's in the 'Resources' collection.
_________________
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 . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2009 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
