austraLasia #2906
Rinaldi Builders? Zatti Meds? Zeferin Shoes?
SAMPRAN: 18 August 2011 -- If you thought study days on the first proclamation of Christ might provide a welter of 'in the clouds' theology, think again. The East Asia (soon to be followed by the Oceania) Study Days are anything but. To begin with, participants were asked to begin from "your experience...", then detail "challenges and opportunities", then show what "contribution religious sensitivity and awareness make...what attitudes you encounter amongst the more marginalised". They were also asked to "collect experiences regarding initial proclamation...".
One response to these amongst many at Sampran, indicates how down to earth all this can be. It comes from Fr Pat Villasanta (FIN), assigned to Calauan, Laguna, a 107 hectare community owned by the National Housing Authority and now with 6,400 families plus, most relocated from Metro Manila slums. By the end of this year it is expected to have 10,000 families and 80,000 relocatees all up. "A social volcano", in Pat's terms.
He is one of 3 Salesians assigned to this work since the FIN Provincial Chapter took it on last year. 'First proclamation' starts with where the people are at. They need: clean safe drinking supply; electricity ("are we doomed to perpetual internal darkness and heat"?); hygiene and health care; work. Now one begins to understand why the Salesians have responded with programs and plans in the following areas: nutri-feeding for children and physically-challenged, be they young or old, educational subsidies for college/tech vocational courses, medicines and health care, job placements and entrepreneurial opportunities, donations for upcoming church and school construction. Needless to say they are not doing all this alone.
What they are doing right now is setting up a company called Boscseeds (Bosco Sustainable Enterprise and Economic development Services Inc), they idea being that providing a sense of dignity which is pegged to human and spiritual values integrated with our own Salesian culture and spirituality is the way forward. Under Boscseeds we then find:
- Rinaldi Builders (Construction Work)
- Caravario Agricultural Development (Piggery and Farming)
- Zeferin Shoes (obvious!)
- Savio Fun (Children's Party and Accessories - this is Salesian after all!)
- Cagliero Fudz (Finger Foods)
- Michael Rua Trade (Job Placement/Hiring Office)
- Securo di Magone (Security Agency)
- Pan di Orione (Bread and Pastry).
Let's face it - they are running a city! So now they also need Zatti Meds (Pharmacy), Mamma Margaret's Café (Coffee and Souvenir Shop) and Plana Paints (House Painting Jobs). It is unsure whether they are sticking quite with these names; in another reflection note we see alternative titles all starting with Bosc: BoscTrade, BoscFun, BoscMeds etc.
In his reflections on the third question for participants ( "What contribution of religious awareness and sensitivity, what attitudes amongst the marginalised") Pat points to the sense of God and openness to the Spirit that they find; people's versatility, patience, but also the need to encourage more creativity and enterprise, more generosity in giving and not just receiving.
Nor is Calauan all Catholic. There are Buddhists, Muslims, other Christian denominations. Caritas Manila and San Pablo Diocese introduced faith-sharing initially and this is now good ground for the Salesian efforts, especially in issue and concern-based discussion accompanied by biblical passages, Bible study.
In an article written for the Salesian Bulletin, Fr Pat speaks of the new presence in response especially to the final question about "experience of initial proclamation". He puts it in typical Salesian terms: bread, work and heaven: "As we strive to help provide their basic needs we gradually open them up to experience God through activities ranging from the mundane to the sacred". They have help from the Theologate at Paranaque. "Even movie nights are occasions for fellowship. Three times a night, about 600 of them converge before the Mega Wall (a side of one house we painted white and use as a movie screen). Armed with an LCDC projector and 800 watt speakers we entertain them with a selection of flicks while they line the street - some sitting, some flat on their backs, other craning their necks inches from the screen!".
The entire effort is summed up as creative ministry in alleviating poverty through empowering relocatee families especially the young in the course of education and value formation.
_________________
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 . RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2011 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
Rinaldi Builders? Zatti Meds? Zeferin Shoes?
SAMPRAN: 18 August 2011 -- If you thought study days on the first proclamation of Christ might provide a welter of 'in the clouds' theology, think again. The East Asia (soon to be followed by the Oceania) Study Days are anything but. To begin with, participants were asked to begin from "your experience...", then detail "challenges and opportunities", then show what "contribution religious sensitivity and awareness make...what attitudes you encounter amongst the more marginalised". They were also asked to "collect experiences regarding initial proclamation...".
One response to these amongst many at Sampran, indicates how down to earth all this can be. It comes from Fr Pat Villasanta (FIN), assigned to Calauan, Laguna, a 107 hectare community owned by the National Housing Authority and now with 6,400 families plus, most relocated from Metro Manila slums. By the end of this year it is expected to have 10,000 families and 80,000 relocatees all up. "A social volcano", in Pat's terms.
He is one of 3 Salesians assigned to this work since the FIN Provincial Chapter took it on last year. 'First proclamation' starts with where the people are at. They need: clean safe drinking supply; electricity ("are we doomed to perpetual internal darkness and heat"?); hygiene and health care; work. Now one begins to understand why the Salesians have responded with programs and plans in the following areas: nutri-feeding for children and physically-challenged, be they young or old, educational subsidies for college/tech vocational courses, medicines and health care, job placements and entrepreneurial opportunities, donations for upcoming church and school construction. Needless to say they are not doing all this alone.
What they are doing right now is setting up a company called Boscseeds (Bosco Sustainable Enterprise and Economic development Services Inc), they idea being that providing a sense of dignity which is pegged to human and spiritual values integrated with our own Salesian culture and spirituality is the way forward. Under Boscseeds we then find:
- Rinaldi Builders (Construction Work)
- Caravario Agricultural Development (Piggery and Farming)
- Zeferin Shoes (obvious!)
- Savio Fun (Children's Party and Accessories - this is Salesian after all!)
- Cagliero Fudz (Finger Foods)
- Michael Rua Trade (Job Placement/Hiring Office)
- Securo di Magone (Security Agency)
- Pan di Orione (Bread and Pastry).
Let's face it - they are running a city! So now they also need Zatti Meds (Pharmacy), Mamma Margaret's Café (Coffee and Souvenir Shop) and Plana Paints (House Painting Jobs). It is unsure whether they are sticking quite with these names; in another reflection note we see alternative titles all starting with Bosc: BoscTrade, BoscFun, BoscMeds etc.
In his reflections on the third question for participants ( "What contribution of religious awareness and sensitivity, what attitudes amongst the marginalised") Pat points to the sense of God and openness to the Spirit that they find; people's versatility, patience, but also the need to encourage more creativity and enterprise, more generosity in giving and not just receiving.
Nor is Calauan all Catholic. There are Buddhists, Muslims, other Christian denominations. Caritas Manila and San Pablo Diocese introduced faith-sharing initially and this is now good ground for the Salesian efforts, especially in issue and concern-based discussion accompanied by biblical passages, Bible study.
In an article written for the Salesian Bulletin, Fr Pat speaks of the new presence in response especially to the final question about "experience of initial proclamation". He puts it in typical Salesian terms: bread, work and heaven: "As we strive to help provide their basic needs we gradually open them up to experience God through activities ranging from the mundane to the sacred". They have help from the Theologate at Paranaque. "Even movie nights are occasions for fellowship. Three times a night, about 600 of them converge before the Mega Wall (a side of one house we painted white and use as a movie screen). Armed with an LCDC projector and 800 watt speakers we entertain them with a selection of flicks while they line the street - some sitting, some flat on their backs, other craning their necks inches from the screen!".
The entire effort is summed up as creative ministry in alleviating poverty through empowering relocatee families especially the young in the course of education and value formation.
_________________
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 . RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2011 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
