OCEANIA/FRENCH POLYNESIA - After building up a local clergy and Church the Oblates Missionaries of Mary Immaculate take leave of the Pacific Islands which they served for 27 years

Friday, 30 July 2004

Papeete (Fides Service) - After 27 years of mission, undertaken with enthusiasm, apostolic zeal, dedication and docility to the will of God and at the service of the people in French Polynesia, the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate are closing their mission in Papeete, Tahiti, for good on 31 July. As they depart they leave behind a well-established local Church forever grateful to the tireless efforts of many missionaries from different parts of the world.
Some two thousand people gathered for a solemn celebration of Mass of thanksgiving and leave-taking presided by Archbishop Hubert Coppenrath of Papeete at St Joseph’s parish at Faaa. Guests of honour included the new President of French Polynesia elected a month ago Oscar Temaru and other civic authorities.
In his homily the Archbishop traced the steps of the OMI mission in these Pacific Ocean islands.
“It was 30 August 1977 when the first three Oblate missionaries arrived in Tahiti from France. Father Jules Guy, Father Patrice Morel and Father Daniel Nassaney were joined later by Father Roger Roy. The missionaries’ first priority was to lay the foundations of the local Church encouraging vocations to the priesthood and the religious life, and also active participation of the laity in parish life. Given the scarcity of priests at the time, the French missionaries agreed to help with pastoral work in our parishes. But it is above for all their contribution towards opening our own Major Seminary that we owe a debt of gratitude to the OMI missionaries. Our Lady of Pentecost Seminary opened in 1984 with four seminarians. In these twenty years the OMI helped train 17 local priests: 12 born in Tahiti, one from Marquises, and one from Wallis and three Brothers.
“Today we are sad to see them go but they have completed their mission. In fact this very church where we are celebrating Mass today was built by the Oblates. Today we wish them farewell with sentiments of deep gratitude for all they have done for this local Church” the Archbishop said.
In a letter to the local Catholic community the Superior General of the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, Father Wilhelm Steckling voiced the sentiments of the Congregation: “Our mission to the Church in French Polynesia allowed us to live the charisma received from our Founder, to found the local Church. For Eugenio de Mazenod the main goal was to form diocesan clergy and we have done this everywhere our men have been on mission: Canada, Sri Lanka, Lesotho, South Africa and the United States. Now under the protection of Saint Eugenio de Mazenod we are moved to other horizons to help build up local Churches and prepare new Oblates to meet the challenges of the future”.
In these twenty years, 25 Oblates from six different countries have worked in these Islands: United States, Canada, France, Congo, South Africa, and Australia. “I am aware that a parting is always sad - the Superior wrote - but as we leave these islands we count on the prayers of our friends in the local Church of Tahiti and I am certain that our ties with the Church in the Pacific will remain ”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 30/7/2004 lines 42 words 463)


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