3609_People of the sun greet the Rector Major in Apia (RM in EAO_12)

By ANS Correspondent

Alafau, Samoa - In Samoa, the land where the people wake up first, to the golden rays of the sun, the Salesians and Salesian Sisters assembled in prayer at 7 AM to celebrate the Eucharist thanking God for the blessings that come along with the visit of the Rector Major and the new day 9 May, 2015.

In his message Rector Major said that this part of the world is the first place where Salesians begin to pray keeping communion with God. The centre of the world is, where people meet in prayer with a sense of belonging to each other. Sharing on the first reading of the day he said “As the Macedonian people asked Paul to come across to them, so too there was certainly a call from Samoan people to bring Don Bosco here some 36 years back… Any work of God will always last long.”

Then Rector Major and his team consisting of Fr Vaclav Klement East Asia Oceania Regional and Fr Horacio Lopez Personal Secretary proceeded towards Archbishop’s House at Vaoala where they were welcomed with the Kava ceremony that lasted an hour. Archbishop Rt. Rev. Alapati Mataeliga appreciated the work of the Salesians and Salesian Family in Samoa and thanked the Rector Major and his council for their initiatives in the region. Tokens of appreciation were presented.

The team proceeded to Malololelei where the FMA Sisters run a school named Divine Mercy School. Rector Major greeted the Sisters and complemented them for their active presence among the young. After a short visit to the Cathedral and Don Bosco Parish, Rector Major prayed at the tomb of Fr Jack Ayers at Moamoa.

In the evening quality time was spent with the confreres, sharing and listening to them. With the setting of the sun, the activities came to an end with a prayer service with the Salesian Family. In his message to the Salesian Family he shared three points. First, the great fruitfulness of this coming together, secondly the communion among persons which is important and lasting which should never decrease with the transfer of personnel and lastly Rector Major put up a challenge to nurture the vocation of the Salesian Cooperators in Samoa. Then followed the blessing of the memorial in honour of the departed Salesians who worked in this region. A fraternal meal was shared.

Tomorrow Rector Major is proceeding to Salelologa in Savii island by boat, a distance of two hours where he will spent the day with the Salesians who work in the parish and in the school.