By: Fr. Dominic Tran, SDB
Vice Provincial for SUE Province

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For three days, July 13 to 15, the SDB Provincials, directors, and members of the provincial councils of the two New Rochelle and San Francisco Provinces met for a Directors’ Workshop.  The workshop took place virtually.

On the first day, some time was dedicated to mutual sharing of where people were in their ministries, including during the pandemic. 

Then, Fr. Hugo Orozco, the Regional Counselor for the InterAmerica region joined us from Rome.  He took the opportunity to get to know every participant, many for the first time.  He expressed his hope to visit the two provinces in the near future.  He then shared with the leadership of both provinces his life and ministry as a new regional.  He gave us some of his observations and plans for the InterAmerica region.  More conversation with Fr. Hugo continued in the form of questions and answers, and dialogue during the last hour of the day. 

Fr. Ivo Coelho, General Counselor for Formation, and Fr. Silvio Roggia of the Formation Department led the work of the second day.  They provided us with some formation on the ministry of the Salesian Rector, including an overview of the new Director Manual. They also spoke on the director’s ministry of accompaniment, including of younger confreres.

On the third day, those who participated in General Chapter 28 shared some guidelines on the ministry of leadership provided by the chapter. The two Provincials, Fr. Mel Trinidad and Fr. Tim Zak, then used the second half of that day to share with the leaders of their respective provinces their perspectives, visions, and plans.