Author: esteban

Work Parade

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Here’s another short video, called “St. Fidelis Work Parade.”

Several times each week, the students divide themselves into various work groups and help with the care and maintenance of the school campus.

Groups include housekeeping, chapel crew, library crew, grass cutting, flower gardens, fruit gardens, vegetable gardens. (Word has it that the vegetable crew is the most popular since they get to eat the fruits of their labor.)

“Work Parade” seems to be a term used in many schools where the students are expected/asked to help with upkeep.

For the most part, I think the guys look forward to these work periods (even though some days are very hot).  It gets them out of the classroom and gives them time for one of their favorite activities – telling stories to each other.

 

Fidelis Work Parade from Steve Nelson on Vimeo.

Holy Week – The Rest of the Videos

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I finally have some access to high speed internet again and was able to upload the rest of my long awaited Holy Week videos.  OK, may be not long awaited, but you may find them interesting.

I’m not real happy with the quality of the video or the editing.  It was difficult to shoot much video because we were in the middle of a 3-day power outage and I had to be judicious in what I shot in order to save battery for all the long liturgies.

Here are parts 2, 3, and 4 of Holy Week at St. Fidelis Seminary.  You can find Part 1 here.

 

Part 2 – Stations of the Cross, Good Friday

 

Holy Week – Part 2 from Steve Nelson on Vimeo.

Part 3 – Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday) & Veneration of the Cross (Good Friday)

 

Holy Week – Part 3 from Steve Nelson on Vimeo.

Part 4 – Easter Vigil Mass

Holy Week – Part 4 from Steve Nelson on Vimeo.

Facts and Features

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With four months in Papua New Guinea under my belt, I thought I would offer up some facts and features about life at St. Fidelis Seminary and some of the things that I’ve encountered here on the campus.  So here is St. Fidelis, by the numbers and such.

Staff

  • 3 Capuchin Friars:  Fr. Cyril, Br. Jim and Br. Alois
  • 2 Franciscan Sisters:  Sr. Ofelia and Sr. Helen (who hasn’t actually arrived yet, should be here in May)
  • 2 CapCorps Lay Missionary Teachers:  Nate and Steve
  • 1 PNG National Teacher:  Michael
  • 2 Cooks:  Marcus (friary) and Victor (students)
  • 1 Carpenter:  John
  • Family members of the staff:  12 (approximately)
  • Propaedeutic Seminarians: 23
  • Spiritual Year Seminarians: 10

Major Facilities

  • 1 Friary
  • 1 Convent
  • 1 Campus Chapel
  • 1 Student Dining Hall
  • 1 Student Kitchen
  • 2 Student Dormitories which also house the school offices, infirmary, assembly hall, computer lab, class rooms, library, and storerooms.
  • 2 Ablution Blocks (showers, toilets, sinks for the students)
  • 2 Classroom Buildings
  • 3 Workshop/Maintenance Buildings
  • 4 Staff Houses
  • 1 Basketball Court
  • 1 Volleyball Court
  • 1 Tennis Court
  • 1 Soccer/Rugby Field
  • Several vegetable and fruit gardens

Miscellaneous Campus Features

  • 3 Japanese anti-aircraft guns (WWII relics)
  • 14 Stations of the Cross made from WWII-era boat propellers. (Sadly, they are very neglected)
  • Several cisterns and tanks which collect rain water from the buildings – our main source of water.
  • 1 Marian shrine (Mary’s Point)
  • 1 St. Fidelis shrine (campus patron saint)
  • 1 wooden jetty along the seashore
  • 1 car, 1 pickup truck and 1 Dyna (a large flatbed truck with a canvas enclosure – used for hauling and carrying students)
  • 1 large farm tractor – used mainly for mowing
  • 4 lawn mowers of the usual type

Flora and Fauna

Since this is a tropical environment, there are many different types of plants and animals here.  I can’t identify too many of them, but here’s what I have seen on campus:

Trees:  coconut, betelnut, banana, papaya, mango, frangipani, and enormous rain trees.

Edible Plants:  bananas, pineapples, papaya, mango, cabbage, peppers, kaukau (local sweet potato), green beans, carrots, brocoli, tomatoes (some of these have been planted but not harvested yet).  There are also several different kinds of local fruits and vegetables that I just don’t know the names of.

There are also lots of flowering plants and bushes, including orchids.

Creatures:   Last week we saw a 7-foot snake, a brown constrictor of some type.  Other snakes include a black snake that got stuck chasing a mouse into the wall of a dormitory a few months ago, and a “lazy snake” that hides in the bushes looking like a stick.  None of these are poisonous.  I still don’t like them.

Other creatures include millions of red ants (they are very aggressive and bite), and several other small types of ants that invade the food pantry;  wasps, termites, spiders,  daytime mosquitos, night-time mosquitos (the malarial kinds), tree frogs, toads, wild pigs, random 3rd world dogs, small bats, large “flying fox” bats, sand crabs, brown eagles, willy wag tails (a black and white bird that has several really annoying sounds), and a wide assortment of barking geckos.   There are numerous types of birds around that we can always hear but never see.  They hide in the trees and brush and call loudly to each other.

Estimated # of Clergy That I’ve Met in PNG

  • Number of archbishops & bishops that I’ve met:  7
  • Number of Polish bishops/priests that I’ve met:  6
  • Number of American bishops/priests that I’ve met:  8
  • Number of American priests that I’ve met who have been in PNG for more than 30 years:  6
  • Number of Australian bishops/priests: 2
  • Number of PNG National bishops/priests:  5
  • Number of bishops/priests of other nationalities:  4

Estimated # of Religious That I’ve Met in PNG

  • Number of religious men (mostly Capuchins, but also SVDs and 1 Dominican): approx. 20
  • Number of religious women (various orders): 8  (there are quite a few here, but I have not met too many yet)

Miscellaneous Other Stuff

  • Average High Temperature:  96 degrees F
  • Average Low Temperature: 80 degrees F
  • Average High Temperature in My Room: 90 degrees F
  • Most Important Feature of My Room:  1 Ceiling Fan
  • Average number of rainfalls per week:  6
  • Average number of power outages per week: 4
  • Average number of hours of TV watched per week:  3
  • Number of TV channels available: 4  (2 from Australia Network, 1 BBC World News, 1 EWTN)
  • Total number of restaurant meals since arriving in PNG: 3 (BBC news and EWTN)
  • Total number of fast food meals since arriving in PNG:  0
  • Approximate number of mosquito or ant bites:  75
  • Approximate number of Masses attended:  117
  • Usual number of Digicel bars on my phone: 2 on a sunny day
  • Weight lost:  >25 lbs (if the scale here is to be believed, which I don’t)
  • Number of notches lower on my belt:  3
  • Number of times we’ve been swimming in the ocean: 4
  • Number of new popes since arriving in PNG: 1
  • Number of American football games watched: 1 (ND / Alabama)
  • Number of Aussie Rules football games watched: 1
  • Approximate Number of Books I’ve Read (Hardcover or Paperback): 3
  • Approximate Number of Books I’ve Read (Kindle iPad app): 14
  • Approximate Number of Books I’ve Read (iBooks iPad app): 22
  • Most read genre: Science Fiction
  • Best beer I’ve had in PNG:  SP (South Pacific).   It’s also the only beer I’ve had here.
  • Local name for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies (made in Australia):  Rice Bubbles  (that makes me laugh)
  • Local name for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes (also made in Australia):  Corn Flakes  (was that so hard?)
  • Best thing that our cook Marcus makes:  homemade bread  (It’s really good – much better than I make)
  • Biggest danger on campus:  Falling coconuts – seriously!  Once one lands near you and you realize it could have hit you in the head, you take notice where you stand.

 

Holy Week Video – Part 1

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Thanks to the good folks at Divine Word University, I was able to plug into real, fast internet yesterday.  What a pleasure it was to update all the software that was out of date, restore my iphone which was acting hinky, and download 50 out of 87 app updates.  (I know it sounds a bit OCD, but I feel better knowing things are up to date.)

I was also able to update the first part of my Holy Week video.  There’s more to come, but the additional segments will have to wait until my next encounter with fast internet.

I hope you like this little snippet from Palm Sunday and the archdiocesan Chrism Mass.

 

Holy Week Part 1 from Steve Nelson on Vimeo.

Holy Week at St. Fidelis

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Holy Week at St. Fidelis was a wonderful time to share with the students.  I wasn’t able to upload any of the video I have due to the slowness of the internet at the archdiocesan office, but here is a selection of photos that will give you some hints about our celebrations.

Included here are some shots from our Palm Sunday procession, the Chrism Mass at the cathedral in Madang, Holy Thursday Mass, the student’s Good Friday Procession, a our Easter Vigil.

The Easter Vigil was really memorable.  The bonfire was spectacular, but you’ll have to see the video to appreciate it.  We had also been without electricity for two days by that evening, so imagine our small chapel, crammed with 200 people with lighted candles and no ventilation or ceiling fans.  It was well over 100 degF that evening!  But, there was something special about celebrating Mass via candlelight.

We had plans for a sunrise Mass on Easter morning along the seashore, but a heavy rainfall caused it to be moved inside.

Nonetheless, Holy Week was a prayerful and joyous time with the students and many of the local villagers.

A Plethora of Mail

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I have been very blessed of late for receiving several pieces of mail from home.  I can’t thank everyone enough for sending me mail and for incurring the not insignificant costs to do so.  I really, really appreciate it!

 

From my friend Maria H., currently studying at Stanford, I received a postcard of the California Redwoods.  Maria spent a year in China, learning Chinese and writing a really compelling blog of her experiences there.  She has a natural style that I wish my blog would come close to.  Someday perhaps!

 

A sizable box came from my sister.  Meant as a birthday shipment, it actually arrived in time for Easter, taking a month to come from Oklahoma.  That seems to be par for the course right now.  What did I get?  Stuff that I really, really appreciate:  two packages of plain white t-shirts, sunscreen, insect repellent, a new polo shirt, and most likely the only bag of Fritos in Papua New Guinea.  Nothing earth shattering, but as good as any comfort food.

 

Matthew and Tracy Pepper, of Santa Fe,  not only sent me a piece of New Mexico sky, but also a St. Patrick’s Day card.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the only one in Papua New Guinea as well.  It’s not a well known holiday.  I’m guessing that the Irish never spent much time here.  Too far from the Guinness factory probably.

 

Speaking of my birthday, I also received a wonderful card from my aunt Joanne.  Of course, no mailing from my aunt comes without one or two newspaper clippings to help you keep on top of all the doings in Tulsa.

 

The doings of my friends Abigail and Timothy Thomas also arrived in the form of their mission newsletter. The Thomases and their young daughter Amelia are serving as FOCUS missionaries at the University of Pittsburgh.  Abigail was a student of the St. Philip Neri Newman Center at the University of Tulsa while I was campus minister.  I am certainly very proud of the outreach that they are doing to the college students there.

 

Most recently, I received a box from my wonderful friends Linda and Jeff Nielsen.  You may know Jeff as “Captain Jeff”, host of SQPN’s Catholic Weekend show.  They sent me two things that I’ve been really craving – CDs of recent SQPN podcasts and a box of chocolate covered coffee beans.    Because of the dearth of internet here on the north coast of PNG, I have been unable to download any SQPN podcasts for 4 months.  One episode could easily take 5-6 hours to download.  Just not possible when my access is limited to 3 hours every Friday morning.   The chocolate coffee beans are a really nice touch!  They became a favorite of mine when I visited the Nielsen’s house outside of Atlanta on several SQPN working trips.    These are also quite possibly the only of their kind in Papua New Guinea.

 

I know that a post about the mail I receive isn’t the most compelling type of blogging but it is a highlight of my day when something makes it all the way to this little outpost on the north coast of PNG.

“Here is some sky for you!”

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A special shoutout to my great friend Matthew.   Not only is he at the top of the Mail of Fame leader board, having sent me THREE separate pieces of mail, but one of them included a gift that anyone from the American Southwest would appreciate.

Matthew noted my lamentations in an earlier post where I complained about the lack of open vistas and views of the horizon here at St. Fidelis.

Matthew sent me The Sky.  Or something almost as good, actually.

In the mail, I received  the January 2013 edition of New Mexico Magazine, a fine magazine that extolls the virtues of his and my native state.

Matthew tagged a two-page spread showing a wide open panorama of the Los Piños Mountains in New Mexico’s Socorro County.  The note reads, “Here is some sky for you.”

Thank you Matthew!  I can almost see the jackrabbits and the rolling clouds and smell the piñon wood smoke in the winter air.

 

 

Problems with Doors

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One thing here in Papua New Guinea that always catches me by surprise is the trouble some people have with doors.   The Sunday Mass at St. Fidelis is often attended by people from the nearby villages and quite frequently, a first time visitor from one of these villages will have trouble identifying the entrance doors to the chapel.  If you look at the photo attached to this post, you will see the outside doors to the chapel.  The solid brown door on the right leads into the chapel’s sacristy.  This door is locked during Mass to avoid any problems with theft.  The double doors on the left, with louvered windows, lead directly into the chapel.

Villagers will most often try the sacristy door and when they find it locked some will become confused and stand outside the chapel not realizing that the double doors are actually doors and not windows.

I am not being disparaging when I write this.  It is simply a problem of experience.  Living in the primitive villages of Papua New Guinea doesn’t give one much experience with all the different types of doors that one usually encounters growing up in America.  At some point in my life I had to learn to distinguish different types of doors and how to use them.

Seeing this confusion as an educational issue has lead me to a new perspective on many things, including how we approach evangelization.  There is much talk of a “new evangelization” in the Church, but I know from the work I’ve done in Catholic new media that I’ve made assumptions about what people know about God and know about the Church.  Are we approaching people from the right starting place?  I know it hasn’t occurred to me that some people would have no knowledge or experience of God at all.

When we approach people, are we saying, “Open this door and come in!” without first asking “Can you recognize this as a door?”

As each generation becomes more and more secular, and their family’s experience of faith becomes more and more remote, are we saying, “Come experience God!”, before asking, “Do you know what we mean when we say ‘God’?”

It’s something I’m thinking about, but I’m sure those with real theological and philosophical education are probably laughing at my naiveté.

What do you think?  Have you thought about the assumptions you’ve made when sharing your faith with others?

A Bold ID’er

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One of the tasks that I had last week was to make IDs for all the students.  There’s really not a big need for them since the student body is so small, but the students like having them.

Occasionally they can be used for discounts on traveling back to their home villages, and may help identify them should they run into some trouble during a Town Day, etc.

This was a fun project, something different, and a way to do something creative.  The template that was used in the past is pretty plain, so I asked if I could spice it up with a little color.  A bolder, brighter look.  The tools at hand are limited to a 2003 version of MS Publisher, but I think they turned out pretty nice.

I had a lot of fun taking the photos of the students.  They don’t often have their picture taken, so several of them wanted to look their best, trying out a couple of shirts for the best look.

It’s nice to be able to give them something that they can take a little pride in.  They deserve something a little nice, I think, after all the work they’ve been putting into their studies.

 

 

Yumi Gat Papa! (Habemus Papem)

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Early Thursday morning, about 4am PNG time, I hear Br. Jim’s quick steps along the friary veranda.

“White smoke!  We got white smoke!”, he calls out.pope-1

I knew that he had planned to get up at 3am to check the results of the evening votes of the conclave (Wednesday Rome time), so it wasn’t unexpected to hear some sort of report from him.

So, I jumped out of bed and made my way over to our TV room, soon joined by Nate, our other CapCorps volunteer, and Fr. Peter Meis, the Capuchin Vice Provincial who happened to be visiting St. Fidelis for a few days.

Much like the rest of the world, we watched the white smoke pouring from the Sistine Chapel and the crowd gathering in St. Peter’s Square, anxious to know who the cardinals had elected as the new pope.

When the announcement was made from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, we didn’t quite hear it clearly, except for the name “Francis.”  We had to wait for some more minutes until the new pope came forward.

It was thrilling to learn that a cardinal from the Americas had been chosen and someone who has had such connection to the poor of his country.  The Capuchin Franciscans here were pleased and excited to know that he had chosen “Francis.”

Not more than 45 minutes after Pope Francis was introduced to Rome and the world, we joined the seminarians for their 6am Morning Prayer and Mass, and were able to inform them of the election of their new pope.

Although we didn’t have much information at that point, the students were understandably excited and  cornered us after Mass, full of questions:

  • Where is he from?
  • What is he like?
  • Is he white or black?
  • Why doesn’t PNG have a cardinal?
  • Wasn’t this a quick election?
  • Will he visit PNG?

Later that day, I had the opportunity to show the Propaedeutic students the first episode of Fr. Robert Barron’s “Catholicism” series.  If you’re familiar with that episode, “Amazed and Afraid”, there’s a scene near the end from the election of Pope Benedict XVI.   It was very fortunate to be able to share that particular episode with the students and to explain that that was very similar to what had just happened in Rome with our new Pope Francis.

So like the rest of the Catholic world, we’re all learning and sharing everything we can of our new pontiff.

Just as I have very vivid memories of the last days of Blessed John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict, I’ll always remember waiting for and watching the election of Pope Francis from our little outpost on the north coast of Papua New Guinea.

pope-4

Test Time

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Like most schools, the time for exams eventually comes around. So it is at St. Fidelis Seminary where the first round of exams for the Propaedeutic seminarians began last week.

I gave my first test in the “Call to Faith” religious education course this Tuesday morning, March 12th.  It was originally scheduled for last Thursday, but due to a power outage that lasted about 15 hours, I was unable to make copies of the test.

Such is life in a developing country.  The power outage not only plunged the school into darkness, but some sort of a surge also took out the large diesel generator that we use as a backup.  It is down for repairs which may take a month or more.  We all carry flashlights (I can’t call them torches) with us now during the dark hours.

The same power surge also seems to have destroyed the motherboard in the school’s DUPLO machine, which we use to make copies.  The DUPLO is a hybrid type copy machine, somewhere between a photocopier and one of those old fashioned duplicators that we used when I was in high school.  (I know some of you remember those and are fondly remembering sniffing the pages.)

So, even though the main power is back on, we are quite limited in our ability to make copies for the students.  I managed by using our old FAX machine, much to the dismay of the students who were hoping for another postponement of the test.

Here are some photos of the students laboring over their exam. I haven’t begun grading them yet, but I have high hopes that most will pass with 80% or higher scores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Quick Takes Friday – Papua New Guinea

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It’s been quite awhile since I wrote a 7 Quick Takes post, before I came to Papua New Guinea as a lay missionary.  So, it’s about time that I wrote one with a South Pacific perspective.

 

1.

Would it surprise you to learn that dioceses in Papua New Guinea take the issue of child abuse prevention as seriously as in other parts of the country?  At least here in the Archdiocese of Madang they do.  Archbishop Stephen Reichert is strongly promoting a program of education throughout Catholic institutions in this extremely large diocese.

Sister Mary Claud, former archdiocesan headquarters administrator, has spent the last 10 months visiting parishes, schools, and other Catholic institutions, informing everyone about the issue of child abuse and PNG’s progressive law to prevent it.

PNG is a signer of the UN convention on children’s rights and patterned their national law from it.  It very clearly outlines the rights of children, the responsibilities of adults, police, and judges.  As in all such things, it’s the implementation and education that will be the determining factor.  PNG currently has a dismal record, ranking near the bottom of the world’s nations.  I really hope these efforts bear fruit for this troubled nation.

Sister Mary Claud gave her 4-hour presentation at St. Fidelis Seminary this week.

 

2.

Conclave fever is strong here at St. Fidelis Seminary College where I’m teaching.  All the events and discussions surrounding Benedict XVI’s retirement has been of great interest among the seminarians.  We’re doing our best to keep them informed about the gathering of cardinals, the pre-conclave meetings and speculations about the next pope.  We will be glued to the news like everyone else when the conclave begins next Tuesday.

 

3.

I’ve been working on my US income tax filing.  Some things are impossible to escape!  Many thanks to my sister for scanning all the important mail that has come since I left.  I managed to finish them this morning and get enough of a refund to pay for my trip home in November.  Just so you know, working on your taxes in a tropical climate does not make it any easier or more enjoyable.

 

4.

I have to admit that I’m really sad to be missing out on all the March Madness excitement.  Since my college days I’ve had a great interest the NCAA basketball tournament.  My alma mater Oklahoma State University is currently ranked 13th, not a bad place to be and a sure shot to make the tournament.  Sadly, what with the time change between North America and PNG, I probably won’t learn about any of the games until long after they’re finished.  Ah well, such is the life of a missionary.

 

5.

This Saturday is “town day”, the once a month day when the seminarians are allowed off school grounds and are taken into the town of Madang.  I get to go into town at least once a week and really forward to getting off campus each time.  I’m sure the students are duly excited to escape for awhile too.

 

6.

I saw my first rugby game on Wednesday.  “Touch” rugby actually.  I’ve learned that rugby is the national sport of PNG and favored by the people of the Highlands.  I have to say, although I only know the simplest essentials of the game, I can see why they like it.   The professional leagues in Australia, which everyone watches here, are beginning their seasons.  I’m looking forward to seeing the “pros” in full contact action.

 

7.

I have been blessed to meet at least 6 Catholic missionaries that have spent 30-50 years in PNG.  Like their predecessors, they have been real pioneers.  Coming to the country while it was still administered by Australia and continuing their work since independence in 1975, they have a wealth of experience, spiritual insight, and cultural awareness that I’ll never come close to in the short time that I’ll be here.  I am so glad to have met each one of them.

 

See other “Quick Take Friday” posts over at ConversionDiary.com

Weekly Sports

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I thought I would give uploading a video another try, keeping it short and sweet this time.

Wednesdays are Sports Day at St. Fidelis.  Time for the students to take a break from their studies and blow off a little steam.  From 2-4 pm, the students, divided into 4 teams, rotate through various sports.

Last week, they played basketball and volleyball.  With video camera in hand, I recorded a few minutes of each sport, to give you a taste.  You’ll see how they enjoy playing, even with no coaching and very little in the way of equipment.  The sound of flip-flops on the basketball court will certainly catch your attention, rather than the squeak of sneakers as you’d expect.

This week, the sport was soccer – a game they would much rather play.  Next week, the king of their sports – rugby.  I’ll have camera in hand then as well, and will post another snippet as soon as time and internet allows.

So, here is a very rudimentary couple of minutes of sports at St. Fidelis.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

A Snippet of Weekly Sports at St. Fidelis Seminary in Madang, Papua New Guinea from Steve Nelson on Vimeo.

Some Thoughts on Teaching

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I’m teaching seminarians!  Me! (Gulp!)

What an enormous responsibility this is.  I don’t know if any of these men will ultimately be ordained to the priesthood but if some are, I will have had a tiny part in their journey.  It seems so weird to be called to this after all the other things that I’ve done, but here I am.

I’m sure most of them will little remember me when they reach the point of ordination, many more important instructors will have come their way by then, but still, to know that I had a part is incredible to think about.

These men have a very long way to go.  Right now, they all have a basic Grade 12 education, which in PNG, can vary  quite widely in quality and content.  For most, English is a third language and not the one that they prefer to use.  All will have learned their village language first, along with Tok Pisin (Pidgin).    English would have come into their school curriculum about the 4th grade.

Neither Pidgin nor their village language is suitable for their future studies in philosophy or theology, so they must build their English reading, writing and comprehension skills to a workable level if they have any hope of progressing in the seminary program.

This is where St. Fidelis comes into the picture.

The 2-year Propaedeutic Program is designed with two main goals:  building up their English skills enough to move along in seminary program, and to catechize them more properly in the faith of the Church.

The students arrive at St. Fidelis from really varied backgrounds.  Some of them are exploring their vocations to the priesthood with very little actual knowledge of the faith to work from.  In some cases, knowledge of the faith is almost non-existent or downright wrong.

If you read my previous post “Classes Begin,” you may have noted the rigorous daily schedule that the students follow. The curriculum of classes that goes with that schedule is also pretty strenuous given the situation.

Each week, the Propaedeutic students attend the following:

  • 13 hours of English grammar, writing and reading
  • 2 hours of Bible Instruction
  • 2 hours of Church History
  • 2 hours of religious education using a Melanesian Catechism
  • 2 hours of religious education using the Baltimore Catechism
  • 2 hours of religious education using “I Believe – A Shorter Catholic Catechism”, by Aid To The Church In  Need
  • 2 hours of religious education using the YouCat Catechism
  • 2 hours of general religious education using a series of books entitled “Call to Faith”

I teach the last two classes on that list and help guide some of the reading exercises.

A great deal of English and a great deal of Catechism.  This is specifically what the bishops of PNG asked for, to prepare their seminarians for the next phase of their education, philosophy.

Why so many different catechisms you ask?  Repetition of the same concepts and information, but from different types of catechisms, one designed for their culture, one designed for young adults, an old-school yet proven one, etc., is desired so they can quickly learn what they’ve missed, fill in the gaps, correct any misconceptions and gain some skills for processing a lot of information.

Tenets of the faith are bound to stick, one way or another.

It makes teaching interesting because when you ask a question, you may not get the answer back the same way you taught it.   Hopefully, we won’t confuse or contradict each other.

What I struggle with is finding the right level at which to teach.  Ideally, I would like to teach at a college freshman level. However, at least for the guys in this first year of the Propaedeutic Program, I have to aim at something that’s more like a junior in high school.

This is a good lesson for me too.  I have to reflect seriously on each lesson I give and try to strike just the right level.  Some of the men are really trying their best to do well and to learn all the information that’s coming from the fire hose pointed at them.  Some are struggling, not at all accustomed to the lifestyle or what is expected of them academically.

The second year of the Propaedeutic Program, which we hope all will progress to next year, will have even tougher classes including more English, Salvation History, Apologetics, more Church History, more Catechism, a priesthood class, and other classes still to be determined.

We’ve just finished the first three weeks of teaching, so the first round of tests is coming up soon.  I guess we’ll see how successful we’ve been when those are graded.

The school operates on a trimester schedule.  The first term will end on April 27th with a two week break following.  We’re all going to need it.

 

Of Flashlights, Frogs and Flying Foxes

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It can be quite eery walking to the chapel in the pre-dawn time, just before the sun rises.  I’d guess it’s about 100 yards from the friary to the grounds around the school, a  grass path connecting the two as it meandering slightly between the coconut trees.

When it is particularly dark, I often use a flashlight to light the path.  Not because I might lose my way, but so I don’t accidentally step on one of the large and particularly stoic toads that inhabits the grassy lawns around the campus.

Some nights, literally dozens of these frogs can be seen along and on either side of the path, seemingly immobile in the darkness.  I surmise that they are patiently waiting for some tasty bug to come their way because it’s quite possible to step on one without any attempt on their part to avoid it.

I really don’t think that squashing one of these toads on the way to prayer or Mass would lead to a particularly prayerful experience.

Madang is also famous for the very large fruit bats that are indigenous to the area.  Called “flying foxes” because of their fox-like heads, they can be seen all around the city of Madang, hanging by their feet and screeching from the tallest trees.

Nocturnal by nature, a few of them also hang out around St. Fidelis and in the dark of the night or early morning, you can hear the “thump-thump-thump” of their wings as they fly about.  It’s a low frequency “thump” that you can almost feel in the depths of your body, and it plays tricks on your mind, conjuring up all sorts of nightmare possibilities in your irrational sub conscience.

It’s an interesting experience.  The sight of the frogs lessens the speed of your step, while the sound of the bats quickens it.

Just another interesting feature of life at St. Fidelis!

So Close

/ esteban / 3 Comments

We were so close to getting internet at St. Fidelis this week … so close.

A technician from Divine Word University visited the campus and climbed our rickety radio tower to do a trial installation of a radio-internet dish system.

After four trips up and down the tower, swaying alarmingly in the breeze and accompanied by many prayers from those on the ground watching, it was determined that our tower just isn’t high enough to provide line-of-sight communication with the transmitter on Knob Knob Mountain, 10 Kms to the south.  The numerous trees between here and there are just too many and too high.

So, Plan A is a bust.  The DWU folks are now considering Plan B – routing a signal from another new planned installation at nearby Alexishafen, a large and historical Catholic installation close-by but in a different direction from here.

I’ll keep you posted on how Plan B goes and if there’s a need for a Plan C.  I know that some of my friends from SQPN and readers of this blog have expressed an interest in helping us fund the equipment and service for internet here at St. Fidelis.

When a workable plan (if any) is finalized, I’ll be sure and let you know.  We’d sure like to have it for the Papal Conclave, but that doesn’t seem to be workable now.

 

Classes Begin

/ esteban / 7 Comments

St. Fidelis Seminary came alive last week with the arrival of students for the 2013 school year, which in Papua New Guinea runs from February to November.

After a week of  orientation where they moved into their housing, attended meetings on school schedules and policies, and begin to pray together, their classes officially began this week.

The Propaedeutic Program follows a rigorous schedule, with classes being taught Monday through Saturday each week.  Here’s a look at their general schedule:

  • 5:30am  – Morning Wake Up Bell
  • 6:00am  – Morning Meditation
  • 6:30am  – Morning Prayer, followed by Mass
  • 7:30am  – Breakfast
  • 8:15am – 12:15pm – Morning Classes
  • 12:30pm – Lunch
  • 1:10pm  – Afternoon English or Reading Class
  • 2:00pm  – Work Period or Sports
  • 4:00pm  – Free Time
  • 6:00pm  – TV time for the National News
  • 6:30pm  – Dinner
  • 7:30pm  – Evening Meditation and Prayer
  • 8:00pm  – Mandatory Study Hours
  • 10:30pm – Lights Out

Sunday is generally a free day after 7:30am Mass.  As you can see, this program is designed not only to prepare the seminarians for further study, but to also instill extra discipline in their prayer lives.

Three afternoons during the week the seminarians are split into a number of work teams.  These teams help with the cleaning of the buildings, upkeep of the school grounds, chopping firewood for the student kitchen, or working in the student fruit and vegetable gardens.  This work not only benefits the whole school, but it also builds camaraderie among the seminarians who come from many different parts of the country and many different cultures and language groups.   Many of the seminarians prefer to be on the garden crews.  Not only is it part of their culture to keep gardens, but it supplements their meals with fresh bananas, pineapples, and assorted vegetables.

This first week of classes coincided with Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  Ash Wednesday was a Recollection Day – a day set aside without classes for prayer, confessions,  and special presentations from Fr. Cyril.

So, as you can tell, it’s been a busy couple of weeks with lots of adjustments for everyone!  I started teaching this week as well, and I have to admit that I’m very rusty!  My American accent may be a bit of a problem too but I trust that everything will work out as we go along.

Above is a gallery of first week photos, with shots of the students both working and at prayer.  I hope these give you a glimpse of what school life is like here at St. Fidelis.

 

 

 

The Sky! The Sky!

/ esteban / 7 Comments

I was expecting this to happen.  I knew that sooner or later I would get a little homesick and I would start to crave something.

When I was in Guatemala for a long time, I would crave Southern biscuits and honey.  While walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain it was an old-fashioned American hamburger.   Dr Pepper is another favorite  thing on my wish list when I know it can’t be found.

Here in PNG, I knew I was missing something but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.  At first I thought it was the wind we have at home, you know “where the wind comes sweeping down the plains.”  It’s never windy here, only managing a breeze every now and then, at least where we are.

Then I thought it was sunsets.  If you follow me on Twitter or have read some of my pre-PNG blog posts, you know that I love to take HDR photos of sunsets, especially the ones with a wide spectrum of colors, blues, purples, reds, etc.  The sunsets here at St. Fidelis are blocked by hills and the lush overgrowth of trees and I have yet to see a single one.

The last couple of days I’ve been reading “Death Comes For The Archbishop”, a truly great novel by Willa Cather.  Published in 1927, it seems to deftly captures the essence of the Church in mid-19th century New Mexico.  If you like historical fiction about the American Southwest, you should definitely pick this up.

Even though I feel very patriotically for Oklahoma, I was born in New Mexico and spent some years there during high school and college.   I knew what I was missing when I read this in Cather’s novel:

 

“The ride back to Santa Fé was something under four hundred miles. The weather alternated between blinding sand-storms and brilliant sunlight. The sky was as full of motion and change as the desert beneath it was monotonous and still, — and there was so much sky, more than at sea, more than anywhere else in the world. The plain was there, under one’s feet, but what one saw when one looked about was that brilliant blue world of stinging air and moving cloud. Even the mountains were mere ant-hills under it. Elsewhere the sky is the roof of the world; but here the earth was the floor of the sky. The landscape one longed for when one was far away, the thing all about one, the world one actually lived in, was the sky, the sky!”

 

This coastal area of PNG is lush and beautiful.  Most people would call it a paradise, or at least one of the most beautiful parts of the South Pacific.  For me though, it just hasn’t touched me yet.  This is not what I long for.

Long ago I was captivated by the wide open plains of New Mexico and West Texas, full of places where one can see 30 miles in every direction.  Horizon to horizon in a full circumference.  What I’m craving are the open sky and the grand vistas with colorful sunrises, sunsets and fleets of clouds that go with them.

I’m sure I’ll find something like that here in PNG at some point, but for now I’m left wanting and I have to satisfy myself with some of the photos I have  here on my computer, and now share with you.    I hope you enjoy these, taken  in Oklahoma, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Ireland, Guatemala and Haiti.

Pickup

/ esteban / 9 Comments

A nice thing happened at St. Fidelis this past week.  Thanks to a generous grant from Missio, a Catholic aid agency from Europe, the seminary was able to replace one of its aging vehicles.

Brought up from Lae, PNG’s second largest city, six hours east of Madang, a brand-spanking new Mazda pickup was waiting for Br. Jim at the Archdiocese Headquarters this Saturday morning.

I suspect that Br. Jim had a great time bringing it back to the school, trying out the radio and other gadgets.  No doubt riding in a vehicle with that “new car smell” and lacking any rattles is a rarity in PNG.

I look forward to getting behind the wheel.  I’m all legal now as Nate and I both got our PNG driving licenses last week.  Apparently having an Oklahoma license is a golden ticket here.  No questions or tests were needed to get the PNG one.

Like most former British territories, traffic drives on the left side of the road.  It really takes some getting used to because all the traffic seems to be in the wrong place and I don’t trust my reflexes to move in the correct direction should something happen.

Say some prayers for us as I practice my new mantra:  “Drive Left, Drive Left, Drive Left … ”

 

Of Flowers and Spiders

/ esteban / 14 Comments

I had a bit of free time this Sunday afternoon, so I thought I would wander around the school grounds with my camera and see if I could capture some decent shots of flowers.    I’ve always struggled with getting them focused the way they should, so I thought the practice would do me good.

Here’s what I came up with, including a couple of the scary creatures keeping watch near the orchid gardens.  (Sorry, they’re not blooming at the moment)

I hope you enjoy them!  They came at the cost of being relentlessly hounded by some really annoying bugs.