Pacific Novitiate

On Saturday 19 November five young men, keen to answer the spiritual call in their lives made first profession of vows as Marist Brothers. The Mass of Profession, in the chapel of the Pacific Novitiate at Lomeri Fiji, during which they publicly committed themselves by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience to a life of service as religious Brothers, was celebrated by Fr Ben McKenna sm, Provincial of the Oceania Province of the Marist Fathers.

Three of the young Brothers are from the District of Melanesia, Brothers Andrew Litanga and Joseph Wabi of Papua New Guinea and David Molsul of Vanuatu. The other two are from the Province of South Asia, Brothers Jude Pradeep of India and Zubair Yaqub of Pakistan.

The vows were received by Br Ken McDonald, district leader, Melanesia in the presence of Br David McDonald, provincial of New Zealand province.

The ceremony highlighted elements of the cultural background of each Brother and singing was by an energetic choir of children and adults from the nearby Fijian village of Qarasarau. Children from local Indo-Fijian families were involved in a processional dance to begin the Liturgy of the Word. Novices from other congregations and different Pacific Island countries lent their active support as well.

In this fortieth year of Lomeri Novitiate, the community has been an international one with novices from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, India and Pakistan and formators from Australia and New Zealand.

It is a delight to welcome these men into the congregation at a time when for many people, the religious life does not make sense unless seen through the eyes of faith.