Khoi's Report

MSC APIA CONFERENCE - BANGALORE, INDIA, 22-28 September 2024

‘Hearts Burning With Missionary Zeal’

Attendance from the Australian Province for this APIA including Kimi Vunivesilevu (on behalf of Stephen Hackett, the Provincial Superior), Claude Mostowik (JPIC representative), Danh Doan and Khoi Nguyen (Formation representatives), Quy Bui (Safeguarding representative).

This conference drew about 35 participants in different conferences, including the APIA Secretary, Rey Tibon, the facilitators for the Provincials and Superiors conference (Chris Chaplain), the formation conference (Bram Tulusam and Simon Lumpini), the JPIC conference (Richie Gomez) and the safeguarding conference (James Espuerta).

During the conference week, we also visited the Provincial property in Bangalore, which includes the Provincial offices, community and the second scholasticate community.

On Thursday, our excursion, we were taken on a bus trip to Mysore (150 kms southeast of Bangalore) to visit the former King's palace, St Joseph's Cathedral and the minor seminary with about 15 seminarians there, completing their last years of secondary school.

On Friday, our last second day, we presented and submitted our conference reports to the Provincials and Superiors of APIA with recommendations in the areas of formation, safeguarding and JPIC.

On the last day of the conference, we received input on Artificial Intelligence (AI) given by Sebu Thomas, a diocesan priest as our professional development. The conference concluded on Saturday evening with the closing ritual and the celebration of the birthday of Darwin Thatheus, the Provincial of Indian Province. 

All the participants were grateful for such exemplary hospitality offered to us by the Indian conferes and the dedication of the organisers and helpers behind the scenes.

To be on earth the Heart of God,

Reported by Khoi Nguyen msc.