Yes, I am helping Sr Mary Greenan in giving classes to the prenovices and postulants of the fma and sdb in southern California. Last year Sr Mary Greenan traveled back and forth every week, but it is too much for one person. I do not believe that the request is very realistic on the part of the formation people in southern California. This year I am helping, so that the two of us split the weeks. Mary goes the second and fourth weeks of the month; I go the first and third weeks. But it is still too much, because we have many responsibilities here in the Bay Area and we teach every day. Still, I agreed to continue this during the Fall. Next semester I will not be able to continue it.
Unless the English-speaking provinces become serious about supporting the ISS in Berkeley, there is no future for us. This year we started with six participants: three sisters and one brother and two priests. One of the sisters had to return to her country because she has been ill and the doctors discovered a tumor. That leaves five participants. To carry this forward, I believe we would need at least ten every year, but the English-speaking provinces do not seem to be interested in ongoing formation in Salesian content and experiences.
And that is where the question of Rome comes it. If there is nothing more to offer systematically in English because of the lack of serious support by the American provinces, men and women, then the councilor for formation is telling me to teach in Rome, where there are younger student-Salesians from many countries.So now we are already a month together in the new community at Don Bosco Hall. Fr Esteban Ortiz is here from Rome, visiting on behalf of the rector major Fr Pascual Chavez. The question of ongoing support for the ISS program has come up in our discussions.
For me Rome is ever more attractive… I'm finding it hard to put my heart into anything in Berkeley at this time in my life.
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