Religious from Perth-based association to work at isolated mission.
By Robert Hiini
Fr Douglas Rowe SFP accompanied two Sisters from his feldgling Religious community, the Patrists, to Kenya this week as they prepare to answer a request made by a Kenyan bishop during last year’s World Youth Day.
Sr January Rebutazo SFP, from their house in Midland, and Sr Luzviminda Malco, from their house in the Philippines, will become permanent pastoral workers at an isolated mission in the Meru Diocese.
The Most Rev Salesius Mugambi met Fr Rowe when he was visiting Perth for the Days in Diocese week prior to the Sydney event and asked if he would consider sending Religious to minister to some of his most isolated and impoverished people.
The mission consists of the parish church and presbytery, small primary and seconday boarding schools, and a dispensery. There is no housing for miles around.
Sr January, who visited the site in October 2008 as their accomodation was being built, says that the isolated situation of the parish mission is common, with people travelling up to 100 kilometres to get to Sunday Mass.
The women of the mission specifically requested that the Religious they received were female – the Parish Priest and administrator being men – to be able to attend to intimate personal, social and cultural needs. The two Religious will also work in the schools amongst the boarding students.
One of the first things they will do is help to complete the building of their accomodation at the mission which remains unfinished.
Sr January told The Record several days before the party flew out of Perth on June 23 that while being slightly daunted by the prospect of living and working in an isolated area of a new country, she looked forward to serving the people there.
The Patrist Societies of the Sons/Daughters of God the Father, continue to thrive at their Midland house, with two fully-professed Sisters and two Brothers who are studying at St Charles Seminary to become priests, describing themselves as ‘an active-contemplative association with a strong emphasis on evangelisation.’
Fr Rowe founded the Partrist Societies in 1999 after 30 years service as a Jesuit priest in his native India.
They have been in Perth since 2005 when Fr Rowe was incardinated to the Archdiocese and continue to promote their special emphasis on knowing and loving God the Father, through retreats and bible studies throughout Perth.