(clockwise: Portia Awayan, Fr. Ben Ma, CSsR, Fr. Terence Wee, CSsR and Roksan Latorre)
(Davao, Philippines) – The Asia-Oceania Conference Commission for Partnership in Mission has recently had their second meeting in the Philippines. The first one took place in Baclaran (VP-Manila) in August 11-12, 2018. This time it was in Davao (Province of Cebu) on June 10-11, 2019. The meeting was facilitated by Ms. Portia Awayan, a lay missionary from the Province of Cebu and the Commission convenor. Focus of the meeting were the results of the conference-wide survey about shared mission conducted last year, updates on partnership with the lay from different units (shared by Fr. Ben Ma, the Conference Coordinator) and development on the final draft of the General Directory for Partnership in Mission.
As to the survey , the responses not only provided an initial picture of how the different units in the conference understand, experience and live out the partnership but it also gave us a glimpse of the units’ expectation from the Commission. The results will be presented at the mid-sexennial meeting in October. It is hoped that clearer means and ways how to help each other in advancing and strengthening the partnership will be arrived at as well.
Meanwhile, the Commission hopes to provide opportunities for sharing of updates and development on partnership in mission and personal experiences of the lay partners through articles, reflections and the like which can be circulated in different platforms. It also is ready to facilitate invitation and participation on gathering or formation modules for lay partners in units that regularly hold them like VP Manila and Cebu.
(Roksan Latorre)
