The Curia InformsTHE PRESENT SITUATION: THE SANG PROVINCE6Editor's note: Usuallythis space is dedicated tothe column of Fr. LuisAlberto Cano, FirstGeneral Consultor andmoderator of the CIIConference (InterprovincialIberianConference). However,for this issue we willoffer an interview withone of the Provincials ofthe CII Conference, Fr.Eulogio Cordero of theSANG Province in Spain.1. Fr. Eulogio, can you briefly tell us somethingabout the present situation of your Province withregard to the number of religious, the median age,areas where our religious are present and the ministriesthat they undertake?The SANG Province presently consists of 117religious situated in Spain, Panama and Ecuador,and in the Vicariate of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel inChile and the Vicariate of the Exaltation of theCross in Bolivia. The median age of the religious is55 distributed in the following manner: in Spain,the median age is 62.28 yrs., in Chile, 65 years; inBolivia 48.3 yrs., and in Ecuador and Panama, 44yrs.2. With regard to vocations, in what condition isyour province? How has the vocation programfared that you have undertaken in recent years?Those religious in formation until priestly ordinationare 12, plus one novice and 12 postulants ofwhich four or five are ready to begin the novitiate.The initial formation centers are located in the communitiesof Peñafiel, San Gabriel (Madrid); Quitoand Conocoto in Ecuador; Bellavista in Bolivia andSantiago de Chile.The last Provincial Chapter stated the following asour objective for vocation ministry: "We commitourselves to undertake vocation ministry that presentsour community of life and mission as an invitationto a specific vocation." Among the variousinitiatives that were proposed are these: a)Consciousness-raising on a community levelregarding the importance of a community that giveswitness to its community life and that is open to beFr. Eulogio Cordero, C.P. Provincial SANGexperienced. b) Enableand coordinate the elementsthat facilitate thepresentation of ourcharism. In addition toencouraging the vocationdelegate in eachcommunity, theVocation and formationCommission takes concretesteps to accomplishthis objective.Those programs alreadyrealized are: vocationawareness days; shared living experiences andmeetings in coordination with the Youth MinistryCommission.3. Is there some program in place with regard tothe <strong>Passionist</strong> Family (<strong>Passionist</strong> women religious,<strong>Passionist</strong> laity) in your Province? Whatkind?Yes. In the Plan of the province apostolate wepropose the following: "To continue to incorporatethe laity in the task of spreading the faith, beginningwith the Word of the Cross." From this point theCommission for the Apostolate and the individualcommunities of the Province have enabled groupsof the laity to have a sense of being <strong>Passionist</strong>.Together with them we are planning meetings on aprovincial and inter-provincial level, as well as forthe youth involved in the movement entitled "youthwith a single focus: <strong>Passionist</strong>", as well as foradults.4. How do you envision this process ofRestructuring that the Congregation has undertakenas we move toward the General Chapter? Isit applicable in your Province? In what way?I view it positively, keeping in mind that it is a"process". And I understand this as meaning a roadto undertake what is possible, but at the same timeit seeks pertinent information so that it may beassumed by everyone. Formation, availability anda generous spirit are the qualities which must necessarilymove toward greater vitality in theCongregation. In order for this message to beapplied it must be understood by the majority of thereligious.
The Curia InformsTHE ASIAN TSUNAMIFr. Jefferies Foale, C.P.General ConsultorNote: This article originally appearedin the publication entitled "Paspac", themagazine of the <strong>Passionist</strong> Asia-PacificRegion.Day by day news reports arebringing the latest death tollfrom the Indian Ocean Tsunami.This morning I heard them say 280,000;and it is still rising. In fact it is clear thatnobody will ever know the true total ofthe dead or measure the ruin of lives ofthe survivors. At first people could notbelieve what had happened. When wordreached Australia that a football star hadbeen swept away, the news report wasfollowed by the voices of his fellow athletesassuring us all that he had thestrength and spirit to over-come the ragingwater and emerge unscathed. Soonenough everybody understood the basictruth that the force of nature is irresistible.People everywhere are responding withamazing generosity to this disaster.There are stories of very poor people inChina making real sacrifices to helpthose in need, and of millionaires whohave dug deep for humanity. There is astory going around that the <strong>Passionist</strong>Sisters in India simply gathered up alltheir resources and used the lot for thesuffering people. Worldwide, Caritas,the Catholic charity, alone has collectedfive hundred million dollars, alongsideother charities. The AustralianGovernment is spending at least one billion.There is a fair hope that many ofthose who lived through the tsunamiwill be able to survive as communitieswith the means to rebuildfor the future. This is a miracle ofhuman solidarity.Some observers are helping usunderstand the situation by makinguseful comparisons. They takethe fact that over 50,000 childrenwere swept away in that moment, andplace it alongside another less visiblefact -- that more than half that numberof children dies every day from preventablecauses relating to poverty andhunger. They look at the vast effort tobring relief to this one very visible situationand to give the people there hopefor a future, and they ask, what aboutthe rest of the world that struggles dayafter day in similar distress? One thirdof humanity is permanently in a desperatesituation not too different from thatof the tsunami survivors. Can't that toobe relieved? And of course, the answeris yes. All it takes is human solidarity.All 191 member states of the UN havesigned up to the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. They have committedthemselves, at least on paper, tosolving the worst of this problem in tenyears, by 2015. By that year, if theykeep their promise, they will achievemajor steps along the way towards thefollowing: Eradicate extreme poverty,achieve universal primary education,promote gender equality and empowerwomen, reduce child mortality by twothirds, promote maternal health, combatHIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases,ensure environmental sustainability anddevelop a global partnership for development.The means are at hand toachieve all this in ten years.Unfortunately, the result is far fromassured while the world is distracted bywar and indulges in economic exploitation.Perhaps the Indian Ocean TsunamiMap showing the extent of the Tsunamimay have triggered a new awarenessthat will increase the resolve of peopleeverywhere to make peace and work forjustice.As <strong>Passionist</strong>s we cannot be idleobservers of this scene. Our callingplaces us in solidarity with the crucifiedof today. It is not enough to tell themthat Jesus loves them; even that he lovesthem enough to give all for them. Ourcalling compels us to stand in solidaritywith them in their struggle. A <strong>Passionist</strong>gives.A tsunami is a wave. Usually there areseveral waves following each other. Thephenomenon is not unlike what happenswhen a child throws a pebble into a stillpond. The ripples move out in a circletill they break on the bank of the pond.A tsunami is created when there is ahuge release of energy in the depths ofthe ocean, perhaps from an earthquakeor a landslide. In the deep water far outat sea the waves may be kilometres longfrom one crest to the next, and veryshallow. Though they may move atmore than 600 kilometres per hour, theirpassage is almost imperceptible. Peopleon ships at sea during the recent tsunamihad no idea such a wave had passedbeneath them. But as the tsunamiapproaches shore, the wave motion isimpeded by the shallow water and itslows down. As the waves get shortertheir height increases. The huge volumeof water being displaced suddenlybecomes startlingly evident to those onthe shore, who have little time torun for their lives as it sweeps allbefore it.I have chosen the title, "TheAsian Tsunami" for this reflectionin order to highlight the wayevents are unfolding in thisregion. Sometimes the mostpowerful forces in human socie-7