(ANS – Melbourne) – On the second day in Australia, 15th May, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime SDB, Rector Major, paid a visit to the Archbishop of Melbourne, Most Rev. Denis Hart DD. It was a very pleasant and affirming meeting between two leaders. Archbishop Hart thanked Fr Ángel for his visit, and for the contributions made by the Salesians to the Australian Catholic Church and the society.

Fr Ángel then visited a community of Salesian Sisters in Scoresby.

A group of young people and a number of students from three Salesian schools in Melbourne gathered at St Joseph’s College in Ferntree Gully for a youth forum with the Rector Major in the afternoon. Each group of young people were given an opportunity to spend some time with him for questions and discussions. Fr Ángel then encouraged them to work for a better future of the society.

In the evening, the Regional Superior Fr Václav Klement celebrated a Mass at the Provincial House with many Salesians from Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart. Fr Ángel preached the homily.

Following the Mass, there was a conference with all Salesians present and the Rector Major. The Rector Major spoke about the successful work of the Salesians all around the world, and the challenges they face in a few countries. Fr Ángel was very open, honest and friendly in his presentation.

Third day of Rector’s Major visit in Melbourne was dedicated to the key of Australia – Pacific province future growth: formation of the young Salesians together with joint reflection about main topics at the provincial level.

Don Bosco Formation House at Clifton Hill, Melbourne was at the program in the morning. It’s the youngest community at Australian soil, with four formators of three nationalities and eight young Salesians of six nationalities in the formation house. The Rector is Fr. Phil Gleeson, also a provincial delegate for formation.

The encounter with the Rector Major started with the tour around the whole pastoral-formation setting: Parish Church, Presbytery with an Aspirantate and Formation house for the students of theology. In an open dialogue Fr. Ángel tackled two main topics of Salesian formation today: Personalized formation that is able to transform deeply the hearts of our young Salesians and Intercultural formation that is able to grow in openness in the context of many different cultures.

Three hours long provincial council meeting at Ascot Vale, provincial center was focused on the main topics regarding the future of the Australia – Pacific province, get know the working method of the provincial council and the main strengths, weakness, opportunity of the provincial community in its four countries. Special attention got the path towards the future Delegation of the Pacific (Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand), need of more open formation opportunity for the Pacific Islands Salesians.

Rector Major encouraged the provincial leadership to concentrate the efforts in the new frontiers of the Youth Ministry and Salesian youth movement. The Rector Major highly appreciated also a great contribution to the EAO formation through the service of Clifton Hill Formation house.

Last appointment of the day for the Rector Major was an interview for the “Australian Salesian Bulletin” what celebrates its 60th anniversary.

A large number of Salesians, Salesian Sisters, Salesian Co-operators, young people and parishioners gathered at St Margaret Mary’s church in North Brunswick to celebrate the Ascension of the Lord and to say farewell to Fr Ángel on 17th May 2015. A number of migrants from different countries including Burma, Vietnam, Italy, Latin America were also present at the Eucharist.

In his homily Fr Ángel stressed that the diversity of people in this Eucharist in communion with Jesus Christ is a richness itself.  He invited all people to grow in the richness of God. In the afternoon, Fr Ángel visited Don Bosco Hostel and Youth Centre on Sydney Road in Brunswick, and in the evening Fr Ángel, accompanied by Fr Horacio López, his Secretary, and Fr Klement, left for Rome.

Published 18/05/201