Since June 2009, new members have joined the Staff community. Fr James Meehan (PHI) joined the EAPI to help out with the spiritual accompaniment. Fr Arthur Leger (MIC) to assist in the academics. A Salesian priest, Fr. Dennis Paez, has also joined to be a course co-coordinator and resource person in the Sabbatical Pilgrimage Experience.
Beginning January 4, 2010, the EAPI, in lieu of the usual Effective Steward Leadership course, will be offering a special training course on Biblical Pastoral Training which is in collaboration with the Catholic Biblical Federation (CBF) Southeast Asian Region. This course is especially designed to pastoral workers who are mostly involved in biblical ministry in their respective mission and work posts. It will end on April 2.
Herewith a bit of a report on the last three months or so. In mid-October, Br Ian Cribb joins myself and a Josephite Sister on a five-day visit to homesteads in the Far North, going by four-seater plane to thirteen destinations, spending a half day in each and staying overnight with the families or in the Shearers’ Quarters. People come in from outlying Stations and we meet them and say Mass in some of the homesteads. The Josephite is roving Pastoral Associate, and Ian will reflect on what we might do in the way of the Exercises for such remote people
Fr Philip Heng was the Novice Director of the Loyola Jesuit Novitiate in Singapore. Last April 1, he was installed as the new parish priest of St Ignatius Church. Here he wrote of his first weeks in his new mission.
Fr. Philip Heng (MAS) will assume the post of Parish Priest of the Church of St. Ignatius, King’s Road, Singapore. This appointment had been accepted by His Grace the Archbishop of Singapore, Nicholas Chia,upon the recommendation of Fr Larry Tan.
Fr Philip Heng will take over from Fr Leslie Raj, whose health is of major concern to us as he is suffering from a chronic stomach problem, which requires constant medical monitoring and attention. Please continue to pray for him.
Fr Bong Abad Santos (PHI) continues to dream of making Railaku a full-fledged parish. For this to be possible, one of the things to be done is to have the Railaku church repaired. He is getting in touch with several donors to raise enough funds for this project.
Last October 15, EAPI held its annual, albeit special, alumni homecoming. The attendees strolled down the 42 years of EAPI’s existence, down to its moment of conception. Fr Jose Ma.
Fr Pepe Calle (CHN) gave this talk at EAPI’s 42nd alumni homecoming last October 15.
I feel very grateful to Fr. Jeyaraj and the members of the Staff for giving me this opportunity to be with you today. The last time I gave a lecture here was 20 years ago.
People come to the EAPI to EXPLORE the FUTURE;
I am here today to REMEMBER the PAST.
From November 10 – 14, Ms. Gemma Yecla, will conduct her sessions on Genogram. This will be followed by the sessions on Prayer & Discernment by Sr. Judette Gallares, r.c. from November 17 – 21. Then, from November 24 – 29, it will be a joint session with the other course for the module of Fr John Fuellenbach, SVD on Kingdom of God and Christian Community
On Oct. 7 Cosme Hoang Van Dat, SJ was ordained a bishop and installed as the ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Bac Ninh, Vietnam. The Principal Consecrator was Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Nhon of Dalat, the president of the Vietnam Conference of Catholic Bishops. Twenty-one bishops took part, including Cardinal Paul Joseph Pham Dinh Tung, retired Archbishop of Hanoi; hundreds of priests and religious and over ten thousand faithful joined the ceremony.