austraLasia #2312

Double Salesian Family Celebrations in Samoa: SDB Ordination, FMA Final Profession - all in the family!

APIA (Samoa): 14th December 2008 -- The Salesian Family, and the Tevaga (pron: Tevanga) family of the Salesian Parish of St Michael's, Leauva'a, Samoa, is in the midst of major celebrations.
    On Friday December 12th, Deacon Paselio Tevaga was ordained a Salesian priest by Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga of the Archdiocese of Apia (Samoa). His sister, Sr Caroline Noema Liuvae Tevaga, took her final vows as a Salesian Sister on Saturday 13th December. Sunday December 14th saw the 'Gaudete' mass of Advent's 3rd Sunday like never before at Leauva'a as the by now Fr Paselio Tevaga presided at the Sunday Mass in thanksgiving for God's blessings on both himself and his sister.
    December can be stifling hot in the South Pacific, so church services are usually held early mornings. The Church of St Michael the Archangel was packed for the morning  ordination ceremony - though at 9.am it might normally have been considered already late in a climate when most church services would be over.
    Fr Paselio made his Pre-novitiate and Novitiate in Australia, his Practical training in Samoa and did all his seminary studies at the Pacific Regional Seminary in Suva, Fiji.  He is the third Salesian priest to exit from PRS in recent times: three Samoans and one Tongan, all members of the Australia-Pacific Province.  As well as a large number of friends and family, the Church was filled to capacity by the people from the village/parish of Leauva'a. All the Salesians in Samoa were present as were Fr Frank Moloney, Provincial, and Fr Petelo Vito Pau, the Rector of Don Bosco Technical Centre, Alafau (near Apia).  And only Pacificans, like Samoans and Tongans, can dance and sing in their unique way. It was a memorable moment for Fr Paselio, his family, the Parish, the Salesian Province and the Salesian Family.
    Sr Carol also spent her early years of formation in Australia, and recalled with affection her Novice Mistress, Sister Enrica van Dyk who was killed in a climbing accident. Carol was with her at the time. Two of Enrica's sisters were in Samoa for this important moment. Accompanied by her family, her brother priest, Sisters from Samoa and Australia, Salesians, and again and Church filled with people from the village and the Parish, Carol celebrated a joyous day of unconditional commitment to the Lord and to the way of Don Bosco and Mary Mazzarello - into the hands of the FMA Provincial of the Pacific Region: Sr Margaret Bentley.
    The Tevaga children lost their father, and their mother her husband, several years back.  This weekend, the proudest person present was Mrs Selefina Saui'a Tevaga, mother of Paselio and Carol. Both Carol and Paselio remembered their father in the ceremonies, and spoke of him with great affection and gratitude. Selefina was allowed to shed a few tears in his memory.
    As Fr Moloney said in his few words at the reception: quality vocations to the priesthood and religious life are produced in families, not in a formation programme. The Salesians FMA and SDB have every reason to be grateful to the Tevaga family that has born such beautiful fruit in this hot weekend of December 2008. 

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Title: australasia 2312
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces AUL ordinations S FAM Final profession
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2312