austraLasia #1774
Samoan celebrations highlight Mamma
Margaret
- and meanwhile....Fiji's creeping military
takeover now seems complete
APIA: 5th December 2006 -- In November, the Salesian community in Samoa
celebrated and commemorated together, with Don Bosco and Leauvaa parishes, the
150 years of the death of Mamma Margaret.
From Don Bosco parish, Fr.
Mika Leilua, the parish priest, brought a group of young women to Alafua community, thus forming a small group named
after Mamma Margaret for a solemn Eucharist to celebrate and to
commemorate her special day.
It was also the day that the Mamma Margaret group concluded their novena, which
Fr. Mika Leilua with Fr.James Adayadiel's help, had designed for the group. At
5:00 pm on Saturday 25th November, the group joined together with the Salesian
community for the Eucharist. Fr. Mika Leilua was the main celebrant - co-celebrants
were Frs. Sefo, Petelo, John, Mosese. After the Eucharist, Fr.Rector gave
the Mamma Margaret group a short input. Everyone joined in for
light refreshments after the Eucharist.
On Sunday 26th of November, the celebration continued - this
time at Leauvaa 's Parish of St Michael. The parish chairman first welcomed the
Salesians and Salesian Sisters. Then, Sr Folola with the Children of Mary
started the celebration with a very moving and inspiring prayer service. After
the prayer, various groups in the parish - altar boys, Legion of Mary, youth
group, Sunday school children, entertained the crowd. Each of these groups
dramatised in their own way the various stages of Mamma Margaret's
life. One group portrayed her life as a mother for all people;
another group expressed her life as loving mother and strong woman; another
group dramatised the difficulties and problems she faced. It was a very
moving celebration. After the show, everyone was treated with
ice cream, provided by Frs. John and Sefo. Towards evening, the large
crowd re-assembled in the big Leauvaa church to celebrate Eucharist and to
bring the celebrations to a fitting climax. Fr. Petelo Vito, the Rector, was
the main celebrant, while Fr. Mosese delivered a lively homily on Mamma
Margaret. The Mass was offered especially for the souls of parents of all the Salesians
around the world.
SUVA: 5th December -- Just a few hours ago, 6.50 pm Fiji time, Commodore
Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama, chief of the Fiji Islands Military Forces,
announced at a Press Conference that he had taken control of the government and
dismissed the Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, effectively also taking over the
presidency. He has appointed an interim prime minister and urged all current
Cabinet Ministers to hand in their resignations. He is expected to re-appoint
Joseph Iloilo as President, however.There has been no word from Government
House on this latest development, though it would appear the President had
acquiesced in the commander's decision to dismiss the elected government.
Nearby New Zealand and Australia have withdrawn all defence tie cooperation
with Fiji, and the usual dire travel advisory notifications have been published
warning their citizens that the situation "could deteriorate without
warning". Australia's defence minister has called it a 'creeping coup',
moving ahead hour by hour, day by day, which is quite accurate as a
description. It would appear that there is calm at the level of ordinary
people, who, including members of the Salesian community, can move around with
relative freedom. The uncertain situation has, though, placed in jeopardy a
decision to go ahead with the 'summer' camp for young people.
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