PASPAC e-Newsletter

March 2011

Dear Brothers,

These past few weeks have seen major events in our region – events that came about as a
result of commitments made over three years ago during the course of the Seoul PASPAC
Assembly held in 2007. It is with great joy that I share the following with you all.

PROFESSION OF VOWS - 2011

On February 28, in the Retreat

of Saint Paul of the Cross in
Glen Osmond, Australia, five
young men made their initial
commitment to the Lord and
the Congregation as
Passionists. In the presence of our General Consultor, Father Clemente Barron; the Provincial of Holy
Spirit Province, Father Joachim Rego; the Provincial of the Korean Martyrs Province, Father Peter
Dong-Ho Shin; the Superior of the Vietnam Mission, Father Jefferies Foale; many clergy and
religious of the Archdiocese of Adelaide, including the Chancellor, Mrs. Heather Carey;
representatives of our wider Passionist Family, including the Passionist Sisters of Saint Paul of the
Cross and the Sisters of the Cross
and Crown, lay-Passionists of our
Australian Companions and the
Passionist Family Movement; all
of the Passionists Priests and
Brothers who came from across
the Australian Province and our
Region; the profession ceremony
was held in great solemnity and

Papua New Guinea – Indonesia – Philippines – India – China – Vietnam – Korea – Japan - New Zealand - Australia
deep joy along with many members of the Vietnamese, Chinese and Philippine communities,
benefactors and friends.

Two students from Vietnam

(Brothers Thomas and Peter) and
three students from China (Brothers
Peter, Joseph and Matthew) vowed
to live our Passionist life for the
next three years, after which, please
God, they will make their perpetual
commitment to our way of life. This
long process of discernment in their native countries, followed by language training in the Philippines
and culminating in their year-long Novitiate period in Australia and profession of temporary vows is a
testimony to their determination to live Passionist life and to be a critical part of the initial period of
foundation in their respective nations.

The commitment of our region and the gracious support offered by our two houses of Formation in
the Philippines and in Australia have all provided the means for this historic event to take place.
Special mention must be made of the Local Community of Glen Osmond and their openness to this
whole process. The work of Novice Master Father Wilfredo Estraza and his Assistant, Father Tomy
Kanjirathinkal, played a particularly crucial role in preparing these five men for their future in the
Congregation and the wider Church. All the vowed members of PASPAC, I am certain, will give
thanks to the Lord for this gift to the Church these young men have vowed to become.

Brother Thomas and Peter of Vietnam will return to their country during the first week of March,
while the newly professed from China, Brothers Peter, Joseph and Matthew, will go once again to
Manila where they will continue their education.

NEW NOVICES – 2011 and Beyond

The three candidates from Vietnam will join the already vested Novice of the Australian Province in
early April and will be vested shortly after their arrival there. There have been some problems with
the IELTS (International English Testing System) examination, but it was felt that this issue could be
handled either in the Philippines prior to their departure or after their arrival in Australia. The three

Papua New Guinea – Indonesia – Philippines – India – China – Vietnam – Korea – Japan - New Zealand - Australia
candidates have all received their special visas to enter Australia – and thus this major hurdle has
already been accomplished. I know that your prayers accompany these young men as they begin their
novitiate and hopeful integration into the Congregation as vowed religious.

There have been encouraging comments that indicate that other units within PASPAC are considering
sending their novices to the International House of Formation for both language training and/or their
canonical novitiate. This past January and February two professed students of the Province of the
Korean Martyrs – Brothers Mario Ri and Paul Park spent almost two months of English training in
Manila along with our Vietnamese brothers. It is hoped that they will be the first of many more to
follow in their footsteps.

Already two candidates from Papua New

Guinea, Joseph and William, have been
accepted as postulants for the Australian
Province and it is planned that they will
join the next PASPAC novitiate of 2012.
Pictured are Passionist Fathers Felix Kialoi
and John Auram, on the left and right
respectively, of our two candidates from
Papua New Guinea. May they know joy as
members of our Congregation.

FATHER CHARLES CORBETT – 1918-2011

One of the joys of our lives as a religious is when we

have the privilege of knowing and having been
touched by our members who have lived long and
very holy lives as Passionists. Among them must be
counted Father Charles Corbett, a member of the
Province of the Holy Spirit. He served as the
Provincial Superior of that Province from 1960 until
1972 – and as a member of the Provincial Council on
a number of occasions. On February 18, Father Charles left this world to be with our Heavenly Father
after a period of declining health. Dying at a full 92 years of age, his last three years were spent with

Papua New Guinea – Indonesia – Philippines – India – China – Vietnam – Korea – Japan - New Zealand - Australia
the Little Sisters of the Poor where he received the special care that
he needed. Among the highlights of his stay with these good Sisters
was a very quiet visit in 2008 of our Holy Father, Benedict XVI
while he was in Australia for the World Youth Day held in Sydney.

Father Anthony Egar preached at his funeral Mass, in which he

spoke of Charles’ effective leadership of the Province in a time of
great turmoil. He emphasized Charles’ integrity and great pastoral
sense especially of the sick and dying which he was often called to
do as a hospital chaplain for many years. May he rest in peace,
knowing that his brother Passionists loved him deeply, thankful for his generous life of service and
leadership.

May Father Charles of the Holy Family,

along with all of our faithful departed, rest in the peace of the Lord. Amen.

Diocese of Vanimo – Papua New Guinea – Golden Jubilee Year Celebration

Fifty years ago, the Diocese of Vanimo in Papua New Guinea

came into being under the auspices of the Congregation of
the Passion, Province of the Holy Spirit. Below are some
excerpts from a report by Father Thomas McDonough, pastor
of the Passionist Parish in Port Moresby, the capital of the
country. Vanimo is located in the Northwest corner of the
country and many Passionists from Australia, New Zealand,
the Philippines and Indonesia and other Provinces have
labored over these many years. Father Thomas’ report:

Our mass at 9.00 in the morning (March 6) at Daci parish church, was attended by Bishops
Cesare (Ordinary of the Vanimo Diocese) and Alphonse (formerly Kimbe), plus most of the
coastal clergy, all the seminary clergy and seminarians, the religious and, most importantly
hundreds of parishioners from the villages and stations so many of you worked in. Logging
roads made it possible for many to. All of them were asking after their favorites and looking

Papua New Guinea – Indonesia – Philippines – India – China – Vietnam – Korea – Japan - New Zealand - Australia
for you among the Passionists.

The Choir was absolutely splendid, and the

dancers were chosen from the different villages,
Entrance, Bible, Offertory and Recessional
processions. Joachim (Rego) preached beautifully
and the Bishop spoke stirringly begging Clemente
(Barron) to ask Fr. General for more Passionists,
at which he turned to the people who roared their
approval.

While only a very small number of our men

who served in Vanimo were present, in fact
the presence of every one of you was
present, especially those now with God,
whose presence was palpable. The love and
memories of the people, their eager
questions about so many of you, their gasp
of dismay on learning of Fr Pat's (Cooper) fall and inability to attend - it made those of us
privileged to be there so proud of all of you our brothers and your legacy so completely alive
among the people who you served and who cared for you as you cared for them.

The feasting and dancing and singing began. Ossima donated a cow for the proceedings,
the Bishop contributed 5000K. Each village received food to prepare the night before, and it
started to arrive by the truck load. The dancing and singing went on all afternoon, the various
villages and stations, the coastal parishes, the youth groups and Sunday schools, the
Mamas and the seminarians all had prepared
something to honour the Passionists on this
marvelous occasion.

There will be much better photos and recounts

of the day, this is just a first taste. It was one of
those occasions that so often brought tears to

Papua New Guinea – Indonesia – Philippines – India – China – Vietnam – Korea – Japan - New Zealand - Australia
 the eyes, as you watched the old men
and woman hugging and crying over
the former missionaries and our
Passionist brothers. Brothers, they
miss you who were their Passionist
brothers so very, very much.

You the former missionaries deserve

the congratulations. Tom C.P.

CONCLUSION

PASPAC is in a period of profound change where the future of the Congregation in our part of the
world is already taking on characteristics that seemingly will allow a new reality to slowly evolve.
The Congregation is old in many ways – but the spirit of love for the Crucified One and the crucified
of today is taking on new faces, languages, cultures and ways of thinking. There are very concrete
ways in which we have shown ourselves and others our solidarity with each other that continue to
surprise us. Somewhere in all of this newness and the daily surprises of life, the Holy Spirit of God is
working for the good of the Church and the good of our most beloved Congregation. May the coming
season of Lent be an opportunity for us all to give thanks for the blessings the Lord has showered
upon us.

Your brother always in the Crucified Lord,

Bro. Laurence M. Finn C.P.

Executive Secretary - PASPAC

Papua New Guinea – Indonesia – Philippines – India – China – Vietnam – Korea – Japan - New Zealand - Australia