LIFE IN THE SEMINARY
The Nineteenth in a series of articles by Leo Coshan, describing his experiences testing his vocation in the Societas Verbi Divini (S.V.D. Society of the Divine Word)

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 Hello, Hamhlers!
Time to write a few words, but it will only be a few words this time, I'm afraid. Various commitments have prevented me from setting down all I would like to write. I'm nearly at the end of my academic formation. When you receive this I shall probably be preparing either for my exams or the diaconate, or both.

 

Our community here in London at 8 Teignmouth Road has had to work through a few more changes witgin the last few months. First of all we have a young priest from Flores, Indonesia, Fr. Bosco Beding, staying with uss for some three months, studying and improving his English. He's a journalist back home, and works for the largest circulating newspaper in Indonesia, which is Catholic-owned. As you may know, Indonesia is largely a Moslem country. More accurately, it is a secular state. with a majority of Moslems, perhaps over 90%. But there is freedom of religion with five major religious groups. Besines Moslems there are Hindus (the island of Bali is mainly

Hindu), Buddhists, Catholics and Protestants. The island bf Flores is mainly
Catholic, with three dioceses: Ende, Larantuka and Luteng, all run hy the SVD.


Still with our community, 'one of our students has taken leave of absence
of a few months while trying to decide if this life is his vocation. There are many men in religious life who need some time out to reflect and re-examine and realuate their calling. So it is with this our confrere. He is exploring the possibilities of taking up a nursing career and is working temporarily looking after mentally handicapped children in the meantime,
Another student will be going. to Taipeh in Taewan after the summer. He has done two years study at the Missionary Institute,London, Mill HilL. Now he hopes to complete his theological studies at Fu Jen University in Chinese. He will have to learn the Language , of course, This is to prepare him for his  mission aspiration, which is to work on the madinland of China, if and when that country opens itself up aaiin to evangelisation. He is a brave lad and I will ask you to remember him in your prayers.

 

Another student is being allowed to come home until his applifor a visa to 
Mexico is approvad, although i think he would prefer to work
in West Africa, particularly Toga. After June, I too will cease to belong to
the London community. Make a note of the date - June 25th. That is the date fixed for my ordination to the dlaconate, the first stage in major orders. All this means a change in the make-up of the London community of the SVD; all being well, we hope to have two more students. They are halfway through the novitate right now.


After my ordination I shall prohably move on to our parish of St. Joseph's at
Burselem, Stoke on Trent, towork there as a deacon for some six months.
Immedlately after Easter, we had our Provincial Chapter. It was held here in
our London house. Thare were 15 of us present - I was the Secretary, non-voting and independent of the proceedings. It was an interesting, if demanding experience. Just now, I am in the process of completing the final typescript of the minutes. When the Chapter ended our new Provincial

Superior, Fr. Tom Morris, who is also the Secretary of the MIL, was Installed.
You may have seen his picture in the Universe a couple of weeks after Easter.


On Easter Monday, a friend of mine, Tom Bodkin, was ordained to the priesthood by Fishop Konstant at the Servite Priory, Fulham Road, Chelsea. It was a very impressive and moving ceremony, an overwhelming occasion of joy for Tom, now a Servite priest. The Church was packed and the celebration afterwards was truly one in which the whole parish came  together to show their appreciation of their new priest ancl of the Servites who serve them. I was very happy to be present and met some friends whom I had not seen for some time.

 

I will end this rather shorter than usual 'letter' with a reminder of the date of
my diaconate for any of you who may be able to attend. Time - 8 p.m. Wed 25th June. Place - Church of the Sacred Heart Quex Road, Kilburn ,London NW6. And dontt forget to pray for all of us, for me as a move towards the priesthood, my confrere who is having, vocation difficulties and for those students who are beginning to move out to the missions.


And thank you for your,prayers. I wish you the Peace and Joy of the
Risen Lord, the Divine Word, Jesus Christ who has shown and continues to
show His Love and Care and underostanding for each one of us in the Holy Season.

 

Praise the Lord!
 

LEO COSHAN, S.V.D.

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