austraLasia #2178

New frontier opens in South Pacific

APIA (Samoa): 20th June 2008 -- A new frontier has opened in the South Pacific.  The Salesians took possession of the Parish of Salelologa on Savai'i, on Sunday 15th June.  Fr Nick Castelyns, long-time missionary to Samoa is the new parish priest. He was accompanied by Frs  Petelo Vito Pau (Rector of the Alafua community, to which Fr Nick formally belongs) and Fr Sefo Mulipola, the latter two men both Samoan.
    Some 27 years ago, when Fr Elio Prioietto, and then Fr James Adaydiel came to the islands of Samoa, they were located on the 'Big' island of Savai'i, before eventually moving across to the capital and commercial centre, Apia, where the Salesians have established an extensive and central pastoral and educative presence in terms of a large technical school and two parishes. Another important reality is that for many of the 27 years the Salesians formed all of the catechists in Samoa. The catechists are the heart and soul of the Church's pastoral presence in the villages, working in closely with their parish priest who may be located many kilometres away.
     Now the Salesians have returned formally to Savai'i and taken over the 'little capital' and port city parish of Salelologa. 'City' would be stretching the limits in almost any sense - it is a collection of villages but undoubtedly the commercial and again educational location of prime importance for this larger of the two main islands (there are several other tiny ones) that make up the group.
    The Salesians were welcomed with affection and enthusiasm.  The people of this area have spent the last 27 years petitioning their return anyway - and of course they have great hopes that the parish will see developments of an educational nature given the impressive performance of the Don Bosco Technical Centre across the strait!  But it has also been a long and now fulfilled dream for the Salesians to return permanently to Savai'i.  With strong numbers and candidates of quality coming through the formation process from Samoa/Fiji, the future looks bright.
    It takes a good number of hours, by the way, between vehicle travel to the departure point, waiting for the ferry, loading the vehicle, then catching the ferry, to get to Salelologa from Apia. It is possible to fly across in but a few minutes as there are airports located close to both centres. Fr Nick will need to make the journey, one way or other, on a weekly basis to attend community functions.  He is currently in temporary accommodation until such time as the presbytery construction is completed.
      _________________
 AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there.  Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org

Title: australasia 2178
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces AUL-Samoa new frontiers
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2178