Vincent and Anh, a Coronavirus MSC pre-Novitiate year.
Goodbye to Blackburn from Khoi, director, and Terry Bowman, PP
Vincent and Anh joined the MSC pre-Novitiate year at Blackburn last January when we had practically no idea of what 2020 would be for us. With self-isolating and social distancing coming in in March, it meant that a formation year would be isolated, especially during the first Victorian lockdown and then in the over 100 days Stage 4 lockdown, from July to November. We did have one opportunity for gathering at Blackburn, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Conferences and community meetings by Zoom. No outside outlet for pastoral formation. But regular work for the online parish Masses.
We asked Anh for a reflection.
"Good day everyone, Peter Malone has asked me to write my reflection about a year of pre-novitiate on behalf of the community, so I would like to share some words with you.
If someone asks me what have I learned from the pre-novitiate year, I would say that I have learned a lot of things that I guess I will not learn from outside.
A principal pastoral activity, the parish's online Masses
First, this year is a really special year for me because of COVID 19. In terms of formation, the benefit of a pandemic is that I can encounter God deeply in my thought and emotion. For example, I can understand my loneliness, sadness… I find a way to deal with my emotion and realize that my true-self and false-self God has shaped me, so I can easily accept myself and the difference of others.
Khoi's birthday, a lighter moment now and again
Second, the intimacy between God and myself is increased significantly during the pandemic time. I discover him in many ways in my daily life. I can find him in silence and solitude in meditation, I can find him in nature when I am running for exercise, and sometimes, he talks to me by people I meet.
I think my relationship with God like friendship and I can share everything with him. Finally, with the great environment and the wonderful community, I can see and feel the MSC charism in everyday life " To be on earth the Heart of God " love with a human heart and that is a mission I will follow in the future.
I would like to say thank you to the MSC for giving me a great opportunity to know and live the MSC charism. I appreciate all your support."
Some more illustrations of the pastoral ministry. With thanks to Kenji Konda MSC, the online team.
