Directors, Pastors, Other Province Leaders Hold Annual Spring Meeting

Directors, Pastors,
Other Province Leaders
Hold Annual Spring Meeting

by Fr. Dave Moreno, SDB  

Most of the Salesians involved in province leadership met in the Paul VI room at the Don Bosco Retreat Center promptly at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 23.

“Reshaping the Communities—Reshaping the Province” was the theme of this year’s Spring Leadership Meeting, March 23-24, at the Don Bosco Retreat Center in Haverstraw, N.Y. Thirty-five SDBs, both priests and brothers, of the New Rochelle Province gathered for two days of prayer, information, sharing, and fellowship under the leadership of Fr. Timothy, Zak, SDB, vice provincial. These semi-annual gatherings of directors, pastors and other province leaders foster the unity of the vast New Rochelle Province, which covers the eastern U.S. and all of Canada.

Gerard O’Connor, director of consultation services at the St. John Vianney Center in Downingtown, Pa., opened the meeting by sharing suggestions for achieving health and renewal in our personal lives, in the lives of our Salesian communities, and in the life of the province as a whole, especially when we are faced with difficult or unsettling situations. Mr. O’Connor’s presence and sharing were much appreciated.

Fr. Dennis Donovan, Fr. Tim Zak, Gerard O’Connor, and Fr. Jay Horan. Mr. O’Connor on March 23 addressed the spiritual and emotional health of the confreres and the province.

The business portion of the meeting included a report on the state of the province (Fr. Zak), updates on finances, communications, and elder care (Fr. Dennis Donovan), a dynamic and creative explanation of the Salesian Educational-Pastoral Plan (Fr. Abe Feliciano), a vocations report (Fr. Dominic Tran), group work on a consultation for the international commission in Rome that is updating the Rector’s Manual (Fr. Jim Heuser), an exposition of the Rector Major’s 2017 Strenna on the family, proposals for ways that SDBs, FMAs, Cooperators, ADMA, and other branches of the Salesian Family in North America can work together in bringing the strenna to life in the coming year (Fr. Tom Dunne and Sr. Denise Sickinger), and a few thoughts on mission animation (Fr. Mark Hyde). Several directors had the opportunity to share reshaping that has occurred in their own communities as a response to the 2016 Provincial Chapter.

On March 24 Fr. Tom Dunne and Sr. Denise Sickinger described their experience as participants in last January’s Salesian Family Spirituality Days in Rome and offered suggestions for furthering family life through our various Salesian apostolates.

On the day after the leadership meeting, the participants joined with many other confreres in celebrating our annual Province Day and the mystery of the Incarnation on Saturday, March 25.

Photos by your humble blogger.