SUVA: 1 February 2014 -- 31st January and 1st February
have traditionally been occasions for professions (31st) and
for the new batch
of novices to commence their novitiate (1st), for the
Australia- Pacific Province. 2014 has been no exception.
Given that the ordinations in Korea were attended by the
Provincial of the Australia-Pacific Province, the Vice
Provincial, Fr Bernie Graham, undertook to travel to Fiji,
where the novitiate, post novitiate and theologate are
located, all but the first being more specifically for
Pacifican Salesians. Because the of fewer numbers of
Australian-born novices, the novitiate is combined. On 1st
February 2014, two new novices have begun, one from Australia
and one from the Pacific. They are under the guidance of Fr
Taisali Leuluai.
But the main event over these days was the first profession of
the two Pacfican Salesians just completing their novitiate. On
31st January, Fr Bernie received the first vows of young
Salesians Kevin Fiame and Etuati Milo at Don Bosco House
Nakasi, an outer suburb of Suva, Fiji's Capital city. He
describes it as "a wonderful Mass and celebration with a good
number of people present, including many of their fellow
novices from the internovitiate program". This latter program
is one of the attractive features of holding novitiates in
Fiji as there are many other Congregations of men and women
also located there, and excellent cooperation amongst them in
the formation area.
Fr Bernie also accepted the renewal of vows of Bros. Anetelea
Silao, Liu Tuugamusu, and Varghese Palale in a separate
ceremony.
