austraLasia #2703 Long and rewarding journey of God's love: Fr Martin Tanti
MELBOURNE: 29 August 2010 -- Saturday, 28 August, was a significant
day for Martin Tanti SDB, and the Australia-Pacific Province.
After a long journey, Martin was ordained to the Priesthood by his
former Rector during his years of formation, Bishop Tim Costelloe SDB, in
the Salesian Parish of St Margaret Mary’s, North Brunswick, an
inner suburb of Melbourne. The Church was packed with Salesians, former
Salesians, Salesian Sisters and former Salesian Sisters, friends and
relatives from all over Australia. The presence of such a large crowd
was palpable evidence of the regard and affection so many people have
for Martin.
Martin’s family is of Maltese background, but they
grew up in Alexandria, Egypt. It was there that the Tanti family first
knew the Salesians. Martin did his secondary schooling at Salesian
College “Rupertswood,” Sunbury, Victoria, the Mother House of the
Salesian presence in this part of the world. Soon after finishing his
secondary schooling, Martin began a long Salesian journey. At every
stage of his formation he was seen as a generous and warm young
Salesian, with much to offer and receive from young people. But study
was not his favourite activity! With amazing perseverance, and
with great help from the Salesian Sisters at Don Bosco Primary School,
Engadine, Martin eventually qualified as a teacher, and returned to his
theological studies. These were the first years of the formation
community at Clifton Hill. Yesterday, at the ordination, there was a
memorable gathering of Salesians from that period: Bishop Costelloe, Fr
Frank Freeman and Fr Michael Ledda, members of the formation team at
the time, and former students, Fr William Matthews, Fr Brian Ahern and
now Fr Martin Tanti.
Eventually Martin finished his theological studies,
and asked for more time with young people before taking the step into
Diaconate and Priesthood. In recent years he has directed the
Youth Club at Don Bosco, Brunswick, and has been the Director of the
Retreat Centre at Auxilium College, Lysterfield. These were
wonderful years for Martin, as he settled into Salesian ministries, and
become closer to the Lord, Don Bosco and the many Salesians of this
Province who have come to love and esteem him. The past 12 months have
seen him move comfortably toward the wonderful event of his Priestly
Ordination. Bishop Costelloe spoke beautifully of Don Bosco’s use
of the biblical image of the Good Shepherd, and the importance of that
symbol for the Salesian life. It associates the Salesian and the
Salesian priestly life intimately with the Paschal Mystery. It is
in Eucharistic self-gift that Priesthood shows the goodness and the
love of God. Fr Martin gave a heartfelt speech of thanks at the end of
the Mass, and the large attendance at the Ordination retired to the
Parish Hall for a wonderful evening supper where many friends from all
parts of Australia rejoiced in one another’s presence, and in the gift
to the Church and the Province of Fr Martin Tanti SDB.
The Australia-Pacific Province beseeches the Lord
for many more vocations, so that Don Bosco’s charismatic form of life
will remain alive and well in this geographically most distant (from
where it all started), and largest Salesian Province in the world. _________________ AustraLasia is an
email
service
for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions
as an
agency for ANS based in
Rome.
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