THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

4th October - When I was in American Samoa twelve years ago, we organised a Bible study group. (See map courtesy of geography.howstuffworks.com). Because we were seven, we coined our name after the movie: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.

We wanted to make the word of God a part of our lives and to share it to others. As we met weekly to study the Bible our group began to jell together.

But then in 1996, I was assigned to Australia, so I left the group on their own. They continued for sometime, but eventually they, too, dispersed.

A few days ago (2nd Oct) one of the original members, Ely Barja, updated me of the whereabouts of each one. He said that one went on accountancy job and eventually became a consultant; another opened a travel agency; the third resides now in Kansas (Missouri, USA) and joined an interfaith Bible group, explaining and defending the Catholic faith when misunderstood; the fourth was ordained a permanent deacon two years ago in the diocese of Pago Pago; the fifth became a priest in the same diocese; the sixth went to Down Under and now has just become an Aussie citizen (that’s me); and the seventh (Ely himself) has recently migrated to Chicago (USA). Still “feeling the waters” in America, he is searching for a Bible group to affiliate himself.

So folks that is what happened to the magnificent seven in the centre of the Pacific long, long time ago!

"And (the word of God) fell on good ground and grew, producing fruit a hundred times as much." (Lk. 8:8)

HOW DO I FEEL?

1st October - It's the day after the citizenship ceremony. Right after the ceremony last night, I was asked to describe my feelings! Actually I had a different feeling after the ceremony. And that feeling still pervades until now. I feel that I’m now an “insider.” Before I felt that I was only an “outsider.” Now I feel I truly belong, no longer just a tolerated or indifferent resident. Though I have been in Australia for twelve years, at times I felt I was looking inside from the outside. Now I am looking outside from the inside.

But that’s enough for the feelings.

We, the new Aussies of last night, were told that we could now vote on elections. We have many privileges, but we were also endowed with some tasks to do. We were asked to participate in nation and people building.

"And every one said: 'Let us rise up and begin a-building...' " (Neh. 2:18).

With community members and friends during the ceremony

Photos by Michael Nguyen.

JOHN PRIOR IN WATER BUFFALO COUNTRY

John reflects on his trip to Indonesia.

2rd October (Fri) - I wasn’t quite the tourist, though. Some 131 pastors of the Toraja Protestant Church were at a two-week ongoing formation workshop (15-29 September 2008) for those ordained during the past five years. Over 50% of the ordained pastors are women. I was invited to accompany them for much of the first week.

Protestant pastors live more simple lives than their Catholic colleagues. Married with children and 100% dependent on their small congregations for their livelihood, unsurprisingly some were not given permission to attend by the local congregation who had to find the cost of travel and accommodation from their slender resources.

We began each morning at 5:30 with lectio divina in contemplative mode. While the pastors were professional students of the bible and able preachers, very few had prayed the scriptures meditatively. Some were very struck by the morning exercises, mostly the women. (Overuse of the bible to instruct and advise, I expect.)

I took the pastors through the “pastoral circle”. First they identified key experiences that give rise to fundamental questions; then they undertook a social-cultural analysis of the issues raised. This analysis was then correlated with their faith tradition and theology; social analysis sharpens our biblical insights while our biblical faith gives meaning to the social issues. This process then challenges them to take a stand, a clear option, which in turn should lead to our identifying further key issues and so the pastoral cycle or spiral continues. In a congregation the pastor positions her/himself as facilitator of the process. In the workshop most of this work was done in ten groups as we engaged in “doing theology” contextually.

The singing was fantastic; all in local Torajan melodies, many in the local tongue. In Tiku Rari the church has a first rate musician and composer. The workshop was run by the “Institut Teologi” – a centre for ongoing formation run by Pastor Ery Hutabarat-Lebang. She is the daughter of one of the first locally ordained pastors. Her father had just primary schooling and was ordained at the age of 16 after a crash course in theology during the Japanese occupation (1942-45) when the Dutch missioners were interned. (The Catholic Church was run by village catechists during the occupation; when the Dutch priests returned they reverted to their previous subservient role.) His daughter has a doctorate in theology from the USA and spent ten years in Hong Kong coordinating theological education for the Asian Churches. Such is the leap made by the church, as also by the country, within a short generation.

In Indonesia old labels are confusing. This is meant to be a “Calvinist” Church and yet they invite a Catholic priest to update their pastors. On Sunday I joined in one congregation who were celebrating a harvest festival (they celebrate harvests three times a year!); I have never returned from a Catholic Sunday liturgy, even in alcohol-drenched Flores, with my belly full of potent palm wine (tuak putih). However much Rome is reaffirming “Catholic” identity and attempting to “re-Hellenise” our theology, Protestant-Catholic distinctiveness is dissipating at the grassroots. Deo gratias. ~

DOM FLORES - AN AUSTRALIAN TODAY

I’d like to share with you the joy that I feel in my heart: Today, 30th September, Tues, I shall become an Australian citizen for ever. The ceremony will take place at 7:30 tonight at the Civic Centre of Box Hill, Vic.

Finally I've heeded the Lord's invitation: “Go now and leave your homeland... and I shall give you a home!” (Gen. 12:1). From now on I shall call Australia home! ~