3361 First Professions, Renewals, New Novices
austraLasia #3361

 

First Professions, Renewals, New Novices
SUVA: 1 February 2014 --  31st January and 1st February have traditionally been occasions for professions (31st) and for the new batch of novices to commence their novitiate (1st), for the Australia- Pacific Province. 2014 has been no exception.

Given that the ordinations in Korea were attended by the Provincial of the Australia-Pacific Province, the Vice Provincial, Fr Bernie Graham, undertook to travel to Fiji, where the novitiate, post novitiate and theologate are located, all but the first being more specifically for Pacifican Salesians. Because the of fewer numbers of Australian-born novices, the novitiate is combined. On 1st February 2014, two new novices have begun, one from Australia and one from the Pacific. They are under the guidance of Fr Taisali Leuluai.

But the main event over these days was the first profession of the two Pacfican Salesians just completing their novitiate. On 31st January, Fr Bernie received the first vows of young Salesians Kevin Fiame and Etuati Milo at Don Bosco House Nakasi, an outer suburb of Suva, Fiji's Capital city. He describes it as "a wonderful Mass and celebration with a good number of people present, including many of their fellow novices from the internovitiate program". This latter program is one of the attractive features of holding novitiates in Fiji as there are many other Congregations of men and women also located there, and excellent cooperation amongst them in the formation area.

Fr Bernie also accepted the renewal of vows of Bros. Anetelea Silao,  Liu Tuugamusu, and Varghese Palale in a separate ceremony.