PROLOGUE

 

 

The Ina ng Pag-asa Province, instead of playing it safe and maintaining the status quo,  have been prophetic, visionary and rallied around its mission to “MAKE THIS KNOWN TO ALL MY PEOPLE”.

 

Thus, seeking new pathways to heed the clarion call of Mother Mary at La Salette, a hallmark decision of one of our Provincial Chapters mandated the Ina ng Pag-asa Province to move on to other regions. The capitulars of  that chapter,  with the encouragement from the membership, broadened  its ministry to include people in the Asia/Oceania region. It took us a number of years but we moved beyond  and  in October 1,2003, the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette  Ina Ng Pag-asa Province began its presence in Australia. Upon the invitation of  His  Excellency  LUC  MATHYS and upon the availability of  willing men INP began its mission in the Diocese of Armidale.

 

Some information  about the Catholic Church in AUSTRALIA. It has a Catholic population of  about  5  million  ( 26.6%  of population ) Many researches indicate that in Australia  today or in any particular Sunday  90%  of  the  catholics are not simply present .Many Church  authorities have said that what sustains  the worshipping communities is the number of recent immigrants ( filipinos, Vietnamese, Indians, Sri Lankans, Indonesians, Koreans ) practicing their faith. Australia at one time was a nation sending out priests to many parts of the world. It no longer send missionaries rather they have reverse the process and invite priests/missionaries. Many of its church leaders  have sounded the ALARM, if the faith is to be preserved they would need help from the Universal Church, they would need missionaries from other countries ( most especially 3rd world ) whose churches are more vibrant and alive to rekindle the spark of faith as the missionaries of old did in Europe.

 

Studies show that mass attendance is down where there is no priest present. Efforts have been taken to merge parishes but it has taken its toll as well because of distance that a priest has to travel. In Queensland , another state of Australia, 3 country parishes joined together due to the lack of priests,the pastor has to travel 680 kilometers for 3 masses every Sunday.In one of the diocese come the year 2014 they will only have 14 priests for 32 parishes in a diocese the size of Germany.The diocese of Wilconia-Forbes (visited by the former vicar-general of the congregation and the superiors of India and the Phil), the diocese with an area as large as the country of France is in need of priests.You and I no doubt will agree that the light of FAITH dies quickly in our modern Christian societies where there is no priest/missionaries.

 

 

DIOCESE OF ARMIDALE

 

The Diocese of Armidale is about 7-8 hours drive by  land and about 1 hour and 20 minutes by plane  from SYDNEY,   the business center and main city of New South Wales ,Australia. The diocese of ARMIDALE  has an area of about 120,000 square kilometers  ( 46,350 square miles).It was erected in 1869. The population in the area is about 1,467,769 and 43,223 are Catholics. The diocese has 25 parishes and  about 32 priests  (including the retired ).The landscape of ARMIDALE is quite spectacular and there is much natural beauty and a picturesque agricultural scenery. The extensive road travel though can be tiring.The seat of the diocese is in ARMIDALE, I would figure about 280 kilometers  4 hours travel from VIC INGACIO’S parish of NARRABRI. INP administers 2 parishes in the diocese of ARMIDALE.

 

 Those  who have been  missioned to the diocese of ARMIDALE:

 

Fr Efren Musngi. MS   ( October 2003-June 2004 ). He was named as Administrator in a parish in the  big city of TAMWORTH.

 

Fr Rosanno Soriano, MS ( November 2003 – till present ). Assigned as assistant in a parish in GUNNEDAH for 10 months , then was named Parish Priest of the parish of St Andrew, WEE WAA. This parish has been entrusted to the care of INP.

 

Fr Gregorio Honorio, MS ( 2004-2005) worked as associate in NARRABRI, with Vic Ignacio and then assigned by the Bishop to a bigger parish as ASSISTANT in MOREE.

 

Fr. Vic Ignacio, MS (February 2004- till present) worked as assistant in Gunnedah then named Parish Priest in NARRABRI, Parish of St Francis Xavier.

 

 

ST ANDREW PARISH--- WEE WAA

 

This community is made up about 2,000. There are 2 mission churches       (out stations )  BARREN JUNCTION ( about 50 kilometers from the main church ) Eucharist celebrated 8 AM on the 1st and 3rd sunday and PILLIGA  ( 50 kilometers ) 8am on 2nd and 4th Sunday.

 

In the main church of St Andrew, the Eucharist is celebrated everyday from Monday to Friday at 8AM. And on Saturday (vigil mass) at 7PM.The regular Sunday schedule is 10AM.

 

The weekday attendance  ranges from 2-10. And on Sundays about 120 people.

 

Our La Salette missionary assigned to Wee Waa  is provided with a means of transportation, free board and lodging, health insurance and a monthly salary (not as big as those that our missionaries received in  Hawaii-California). Fr Rosanno is well taken cared of, his parishioners are very appreciative of his presence, he has an active finance committee and dedicated Parish Council. He has catechists who volunteer to teach religion in the public school. Fr Rosanno also teaches catechism in the public school.

 

He gets about 20 baptisms a year on the average and about 4-6 burials a year.I am told that he gets about 2-4 marriages a year.

 

There is a Catholic school with a population of about 80 pupils. He celebrates the Eucharist for them on a monthly basis.

 

Priests working in the diocese are provided with a car and also are entitled to annual holiday (vacation).

 

The presbytery ( rectory ) has 3 big rooms ( pastors room with aircon), a toilet and bathroom, a TV room and 2 large offices ( meeting rooms) .It has hot and cold showers and also telephone and internet facilities and a kitchen and dining room.

 

The parish of Fr Rosanno is only 30 kilometers from Narrabri where Fr Vic is assigned.

 

 

ST FRANCIS XAVIER ---NARRABRI

 

The church of St Francis Xavier in Narrabri is beautiful. It can accommodate about 350-500.It is modern in its structure, I would say that it looks like the church in Ramon, Isabela,  but half the size. Narrabri has a bigger population almost 4,000-6000.It is a commercial town and also has a theater ( movie house) that doubles up as a civic center for other town’s meetings and social activities.

 

Mass is celebrated everyday. And the daily attendance is between 6-15.On Sundays they get a bigger attendance, there is a Saturday ( vigil ) mass at 6.30pm. Sunday mass is at 8AM. NO masses on Sunday afternoons.

 

There are 3 mission churches. BOGGABRI, about 60 kilometers and the Eucharist is celebrated on Saturday at 4.30pm.I was told that at one time there were 2 priests assigned to Boggabri, with the dwindling Sunday attendance this Christian community was merged to Narrabri.

 

BELLATA, the other mission church is about 50 kilometers and mass is celebrated at 10.15 am on Sundays.The 3rd mission church is MAULES CREEK, mass celebrated once a month.

 

The parish presbytery of St Francis is huge. It has 2 meeting rooms that also serve as offices, a dining room and a receiving room, about 4-5 bedrooms.

 

There is a catholic school in the parish with about 300 pupils. It is located within the church property.

 

The Sunday attendance is  about 250 on Sundays (bigger then Wee Waa)

 

The parish pays 1/3 of the cost of  fuel/liter ( petrol ) consumed for travel to ministry and official parish business. Said arrangements benefits the priests as there is funds to cover for the maintenance of his car.Fr Vic is also provided with a medical insurance and given an annual vacation, His board and lodging is free.He does his own cooking, or orders food from restaurants.

 

 

EPILOGUE

 

 The people with whom and for whom our missionaries work are wonderful people Australia is a beautiful land but its people are more beautiful, all it takes is to have a love that respects what at times one cannot understand.The australians have a penchant of  shortening words “BREKIE” for breakfast, “yea” for yes.

 

Australia has become a very secularized country. Our missionary priests with their presence and dedication have made people become more aware of GOD and to actively practice their faith. Seeing our missionaries, it gives them hope that the church isn’t going to die when they are no longer here, that its going to keep on going. I firmly believe that with our missionaries’ presence have helped people increase their own faith, to make them see there is a future. The church attendance in the whole of Australia is small…..but “being Church” is not about “size” or “bigness”. Sooner or later God will surely turn the situation around for us. When INP responded to this “call” this “invitation” maybe we were being asked to leave some familiar surroundings. Who would ever think that INP would end up in the land “down under” as Australia is known. Looking back, God always invites us beyond our own plans…to look where otherwise we might have never looked; “to go where we would rather not go…”.

Our missionaries in the diocese of Armidale are challenged by a society where people say “I am a catholic” but don’t make me come to church! Indeed the challenge face by our missionaries or by the church in Australia is “How does one evangelize? Liturgy celebrations should be well prepared, homilies have to impact their lives, and for the faithful to recognize that they are have a home in the church.

 

On a personal note, let me conclude by saying that our 2 missionaries are doing fine work in the diocese of Armidale. It was heartwarming for me to hear the Bishop and laity in full appreciation of our presence. Our confreres are highly praised. I don’t see any serious difficulty related to our presence and work in the diocese of Armidale. I am now inviting everyone to say a prayer for our 2 missionaries, drop them a line or two when you can. They will be happy to hear from you!