Kiwis (=New Zealanders) receive the first historical visit of the Rector Major
May 12, 2015
By Our Own Correspondent
On the early morning of May 12 Fr. Ángel Fernandez Artime was welcomed as the first Rector Major in New Zealand, the country of Kiwis. On the sixth year of our young presence it’s a great boost for the small Salesian community of four Salesians in Auckland, Massey – Avondale – rector Fr. Matthew VZ (India) with Fr. James (India), Fr. Aleki (Tonga) and Fr. Mika (Samoa). The youngest presence of Don Bosco in Oceania started in this largest New Zealand city with 1.6 million of population.
New Zealand has population of 4.5 million of population and is very young country, about 20% of Kiwis are14 years young. The birth rate is quite high for a developed country – about 2% (= good number of young families with many children). Good standard of education does attracts many Pacific Islanders and Asian to NZ. This is the first reason for Don Bosco to be present in New Zealand!
The population of New Zealand is 74.0% European, 15% Maori, 12% Asian, 8% Pacific Islanders and 3% of other ethnic groups [Africa, Middle East and Latin America]. Majority of our parishioners in Auckland (Massey and Avondale) are from the Pacific Islands (Samoa and Tonga) together with Asians (Philippines and South Asia). Among the students of the parish schools in Masse there are 42 different nationalities! For the international Salesian Congregation this is the second reason for the sons of Don Bosco to be present here!
he Catholic population of NZ is 11% , it’s the largest Christian denomination in the country. And 37% of all Catholics is living just in one diocese of Auckland. Among the 190.000 Catholic are large variety of ethnic groups, only 35.600 Pacific Islanders and 20.000 Filipinos! Auckland diocesan pastoral plan for 2014-2019 ‘Fit for Mission’ is published in the following 8 languages: English, Maori, Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Korean, Samoan, Tongan and Vietnamese. This is the third reason for the Salesians of Don Bosco to be present here in Auckland!
Catholic diocese of Auckland has 67 parishes, 14 ethnic chaplaincies and Maori vicariate, 42 Primary schools and 16 colleges. Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn has entrusted to the SDB two Parishes in the West Auckland with a high proportion of Pacific Islanders, thus fitting to the Pacific part of AUL province. For example the Don Bosco Youth group in Massey parish is composed of majority of Samoans, Tongans and Filipinos – starting the integration of incoming Burmese group to the parish, thanks to the recent visit of Fr. Will Matthews, SDB from Australia. This is the fourth reason for us to be here!
During the first day of the RM’s visit there was a most important time of heart-to-heart open sharing between the Rector Major and the four confreres, being present also the AUL provincial Fr. Greg Chambers. At the end of the meeting Fr. Matthew VZ received the ‘Project of the Apostolic Life’ (Association of the Salesian Cooperators) as an invitation to accompany some of our Lay Mission Partners on the way to discover and form this important vocation in the Salesian Family. Lively visit to the St. Paul Primary School (Massey) with 400 students and the evening Eucharist, meal and family sharing with some 200 parishioners of St. Paul Parish (Massey – Ranui) was for the Rector major a good learning experience about the most diverse cultural groups of faithful entrusted to the Salesian community.
Indeed if Don Bosco himself is visiting today Auckland, he would be extremely happy to see his sons present and hardworking in this largest city of New Zealand.
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