The Catholic community of the Marshall Islands held a significant and well-attended ceremony two Saturdays ago to install the new Apostolic Prefect.
Rev. Fr. Tamati Alefosio Sefo, MSC, was the subject of the Eucharistic Celebration and Canonical Installation at Assumption Church March 29. Fr. Tamati is from Samoa and with this ceremony, he became the fourth Apostolic Prefect for the Marshall Islands.
He takes the place of outgoing Fr. Ariel Galido, MSC. Prior to Fr. Ariel, the late Fr. Raymundo Sabio, MSC, was in the position. The first Prefect Apostolic for the Marshall Islands was Jesuit Monsignor James Gould, SJ.
The ceremony featured an oath from Fr. Tamati, psalm and Bible readings, prayers, communion and commentaries and readings from the several high-ranking Catholic Church representatives who were in town for the ceremony.
This included:
- Bishop Simon Samendra Mani, a member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC), who is the Bishop of Tarawa and Nauru.
- Fr. Vito Kelekele, Superior Provincial of the MSC Province of the Pacific Islands, based in Fiji.
- Most Rev. Ryan Jimenez, archbishop of Agaña, Guam and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in the Pacific.
- Archbishop Mosese Tui, archbishop for the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Ecclesiastical Superior of the Mission sui iuris of Tokelau.
The Kiribati Catholic Community made a special presentation of a Gospel procession. People representing different Catholic community groups made brief “intercessions,” including representatives from Fiji, Philippines, Solomon Islands, United States, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, and Marshall Islands.
The program in the church was followed by a further celebration with food and refreshments at Fr. McAuliff Hall.