The new cathedral was officially blessed and the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary (SMSM sisters) are celebrating 150 years of service in Samoa.

Past pupils came from around the world to participate in yesterday's Independence Day parade.

The history of the S.M.S.M dates back to 1864 in June when two French nuns, Sister M de la Merci and Sr. Rose arrived in Samoa on 6 June and started a school in Savalalo.

The school started with only 12 girls but it now has a roll of more than six hundred students.

In 1923, the SMSM sisters started the secondary school at Savalalo as a business and commercial school. It was the first school in the country that had a class above form 2.

The celebrations also saw a service at the newly-built Catholic cathedral at Mulivai, where the Ola Toe Fuata'ina choir from Tafaigata prison sang.

The cathedral was officially opened on Saturday. The Masiofo, Her Highness Filifilia Tamasese was given the honour of cutting the ribbon.

Leading carpenter, Father Ricky Bernard then presented the keys to Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga, whom in return thanked him for the magnificent project.

Source

• Radio New Zealand International
• Samoa Observer
• Samoa Observer
• Samoa Observer
• Image: Facebook

The dedication ceremony includes traditional presentations by various parishes and entertainment to be provided by the Catholic college students at the Tofamamao Pastoral Centre, Leauva'a.

Built by Father Ricky Bernard and a team of local builders, the project relied on the financial support of the church members.

Bernard worked together with other designers who are based overseas in the final design.

He says lot of the influence of the final design comes from what he has seen and documented in photographs he took of churches and medieval buildings he has seen in Europe.

Bernard comes from a family of carpenters and his late father is well known to have made altars with significant carvings of Samoan and biblical images and references.

Fr Ricky has built Catholic churches in the villages he has served in the past and once built a long boat for the youth of a village he served at Malotau on the western side of Upolu island.

"Believing in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is my source of knowledge of building churches and this cathedral and becoming a carpenter," he said.

Source

• Talamua
• Talamua
• Image: Talamua

Announcing the dedication ceremony on the church TV, Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga thanked the church members for their continuing support in building the church.

Leading the list of overseas guests is the Popes representative in the Pacific, Archbishop Martin Krebs who is based in Wellington, New Zealand.

Built by Father Ricky Bernard and a team of local builders, the project relied on the financial support of the church members.

The dedication ceremony includes traditional presentations by various parishes and entertainment to be provided by the Catholic college students at the Tofamamao Pastoral Centre, Leauva'a.

Source

• Talamua
• Image: Talamua.com