Rabaul, PNG, 8 January, 2017 -- On the Feast of the Epiphany, , upon the invitation of the Archbishop of Rabaul, Archbishop Francesco Panfilo, SDB, DD, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) inaugurated the Blessed Maria Troncatti Convent in Tapo, Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, with Sr. Pamela Vecina, FMA as community animator.
This momentous occasion commenced with a solemn Eucharistic Celebration at the St. John Evangelist Parish officiated by Archbishop Panfilo and the parish priest, Fr. Paul Tabalar, where about 500 parishioners actively participated. This was immediately followed by the program for the official opening of the presence of the FMA in Tapo, with Mr. Christian Mangvue as master of ceremonies.
The FMA were warmly welcomed by the parish priest in his opening remarks. He considers this event a very historical one since this is the first time that the people of Rabaul will be having the FMA in their parish. The FMA is the fourth religious congregation to arrive in the archdiocese, after the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH), and Daughters of Mary Immaculate (FMI).
In his inspirational message, Archbishop Panfilo gave a brief historical background on the three groups founded by St. John Bosco, namely: the Salesians of Don Bosco, the FMA with St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello, and the Salesian Cooperators, whose main and common mission is the education of young people. He also recounted how the FMA started their mission in Papua New Guinea in 2001, first in Port Moresby and then in Sideia Island and now in Tapo.
On behalf of Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Superior General, and Sr. Mabel Pilar, Provincial Superior of Philippine-PNG province, Sr. Maria Josefina Carrasco, Vice Provincial, thanked Archbishop Panfilo for inviting the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians to open its new presence in Tapo. She also expressed the gratitude of the FMA to the St. John Evangelist Parish, the SDB Community of Vunabosco, the Salesian Cooperators, the alumni of Don Bosco Technical Institute Port Moresby, and the Filipino community in Kokopo. Addressing the young people present, she encouraged them to be open to the Holy Spirit so as to receive the gift of a religious vocation, citing the example of the first 3 Italian missionaries who came to the Philippines in 1955 and produced more than 150 Filipino FMA present in many other parts of the world today.
The event was also graced by the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Leo Dion, a parishioner of Tapo, who delivered his keynote address and encouraged the people to own the mission of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and express their support, collaboration, and above all, guarantee the Sisters’ safety and protection.
In spite of the downpour, the people proceeded to the renovated convent of the Sisters, which was formerly the formation house of the MSC Sisters. Archbishop Panfilo, assisted by Fr. Paul Tabalar, blessed the rooms of the convent. The people beautifully sang a capella in their dialect, invoking God’s blessings upon the Sisters as they begin their new community. Archbishop Panfilo exhorted the Sisters to be prophetic witnesses of love, harmony and communion, just as Pope Francis have always challenged the Sisters to “Wake up the world!”.
In the afternoon, the FMA Community gathered at the chapel for the installation of Sr. Pamela Vecina, where the decree for the canonical erection of the Blessed Maria Troncatti community in Tapo issued by Mother General Sr. Yvonne Reungoat was solemnly read. Sr. Maria Josefina Carrasco, Vice Provincial, represented Sr. Mabel Pilar, Provincial Superior.
In the evening, Sir John Cardinal Ribat, MSC, DD, together with Archbishop Panfilo and other priests from the Archdiocese joined the FMA Community for the agape, where the Cardinal gave the buona notte, stressing the importance of always feeling “at home” wherever we are, because we all belong to only one big family, and that is God’s great family. His Eminence welcomed the Sisters and thanked them for their generosity in responding to the missionary call of the Church.
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