austraLasia #1704
Samoan celebrations highlight Mamma Margaret
- and meanwhile....Fiji's creeping military takeover now seems complete
APIA: 5th December 2006 -- In November, the Salesian community in Samoa celebrated and commemorated together, with Don Bosco and Leauvaa parishes, the 150 years of the death of Mamma Margaret.
From Don Bosco parish, Fr. Mika Leilua, the parish priest, brought a group of young women to Alafua community, thus forming a small group named after Mamma Margaret for a solemn Eucharist to celebrate and to commemorate her special day. It was also the day that the Mamma Margaret group concluded their novena, which Fr. Mika Leilua with Fr.James Adayadiel's help, had designed for the group. At 5:00 pm on Saturday 25th November, the group joined together with the Salesian community for the Eucharist. Fr. Mika Leilua was the main celebrant - co-celebrants were Frs. Sefo, Petelo, John, Mosese. After the Eucharist, Fr.Rector gave the Mamma Margaret group a short input. Everyone joined in for light refreshments after the Eucharist.
On Sunday 26th of November, the celebration continued - this time at Leauvaa 's Parish of St Michael. The parish chairman first welcomed the Salesians and Salesian Sisters. Then, Sr Folola with the Children of Mary started the celebration with a very moving and inspiring prayer service. After the prayer, various groups in the parish - altar boys, Legion of Mary, youth group, Sunday school children, entertained the crowd. Each of these groups dramatised in their own way the various stages of Mamma Margaret's life. One group portrayed her life as a mother for all people; another group expressed her life as loving mother and strong woman; another group dramatised the difficulties and problems she faced. It was a very moving celebration. After the show, everyone was treated with ice cream, provided by Frs. John and Sefo. Towards evening, the large crowd re-assembled in the big Leauvaa church to celebrate Eucharist and to bring the celebrations to a fitting climax. Fr. Petelo Vito, the Rector, was the main celebrant, while Fr. Mosese delivered a lively homily on Mamma Margaret. The Mass was offered especially for the souls of parents of all the Salesians around the world.
SUVA: 5th December -- Just a few hours ago, 6.50 pm Fiji time, Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama, chief of the Fiji Islands Military Forces, announced at a Press Conference that he had taken control of the government and dismissed the Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, effectively also taking over the presidency. He has appointed an interim prime minister and urged all current Cabinet Ministers to hand in their resignations. He is expected to re-appoint Joseph Iloilo as President, however.There has been no word from Government House on this latest development, though it would appear the President had acquiesced in the commander's decision to dismiss the elected government. Nearby New Zealand and Australia have withdrawn all defence tie cooperation with Fiji, and the usual dire travel advisory notifications have been published warning their citizens that the situation "could deteriorate without warning". Australia's defence minister has called it a 'creeping coup', moving ahead hour by hour, day by day, which is quite accurate as a description. It would appear that there is calm at the level of ordinary people, who, including members of the Salesian community, can move around with relative freedom. The uncertain situation has, though, placed in jeopardy a decision to go ahead with the 'summer' camp for young people.
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