austraLasia
#1858
Samoa - Australia-Pacific's
largest community, and C. 100 in action
APIA: 25th May 2007 -- The Feast of Mary
Help of Christians has only just concluded in the islands of Samoa. Few people
fully realise (and especially if they are travelling for the first time from
other parts of the world), that in the Australia-Pacific zone, and in particular
in the Salesian Province which incorporates it, one set of islands is in
yesterday, while the other set is in tomorrow! And the islands are just an
hour or so apart by today's travel standards. Hence as the rest of the
world (and Fiji being the first of the rest) put out the lights on Mary's
candle, so to speak, Samoa was just lighting them up.
It
was an occasion for the Provincial, Fr Frank Moloney, to be present at the
celebrations and to conclude the annual retreat and bring the Visitation to a
close. Sufficient reasons in themselves for celebrations, but, as he
pointed out, the rather complex apostolic community of Alafua is the largest SDB
community in the province, and containing, as it does, Samoans, and Indian, an
Australian, two Poles, a Fijian, a Tongan, it means the community is constantly
living out Constitution 100.
C. 100 tells us 'the
principle of unity in the Congregation is the charism of our Founder....it
accepts and develops whatever is true, noble and just in the various
cultures'. These are beautiful sentiments, though the challenge of
multicultural living (a distinctive feature of the Province over many years and
only to increase in the future) is a major one not only for this province but
for the entire Congregation. The Rector Major has hinted that it is in his
planning to write a letter about just such a matter.
The
Alafua community is a technical school - arguably Samoa's best, a base for two
Salesian parishes, one of them the largest and most youthful parish in Samoa,
and a formation centre for prenovices, men in practical training and at the
later stage of specific formation, especially for deacons. And because of
the constant flow of good vocations (which again places emphasis ont he
importance of the several stages just mentioned and for which confreres in this
community are responsible), the province is now looking at expanding its
presence in the islands, specifically into Savai'i where discussions with the
Archbishop are at an advanced stage to erect a new technical school on this
'forgotten' island (in the sense that youth and families drift towards the 'big
city' on Upolu with ramifications for education and social life on the other
island). In all likelihood there will be a Salesian community presence on the
island next year and possibly classes may open the following
year.
It is an exciting Salesian presence if not without
its challenges. Hopefully, in several weeks time, we can report (is our
correspondent reading this?) another success in the famed Fautasi canoe race,
once before won by 'Don Bosco' in the name of the nation, against its nearby
opponents, American Samoa and Tonga!
_________________
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