About 1,000 people from 20 groups representing different communities within Asia and the Pacific Islands participated in the Mass in honour of Mary.

The various communities marched into the Basilica with a different statue of Mary in her various manifestations as Our Lady of Antipolo, Our Lady of La Vang, Our Lady of Samoa and the golden Our Lady of Good Health, Vailankanni, as she is known among Catholic communities in India.

Alex Chow, a boy whose family attends Our Lady of China Pastoral Mission in Washington, crowned a statue of Mary.

Then Catholics with roots in India, Samoa, the Philippines, Vietnam and South Korea led the congregation in praying the Luminous Mysteries of the rosary in their own languages, joined by the congregation who prayed the Hail Marys in English.

Clara Cole, a Samoan who works for the Environmental Protection Agency, said their Catholic faith "was instilled in us at a very young age. We carry it with us still, and I pass it down to my daughter. She's 17."

Cole said that faith "keeps us going. Without it, we'd have no hope, and without Mother Mary, we wouldn't have our Savior Jesus."

Johnny Toma who works at the Georgetown University Medical Centre, reflecting on the journey he took across the world from American Samoa the United States for college said, "He (Jesus) has always been with me."

In his homily, Cardinal Wuerl praised the Asian and Pacific Island Catholics for representing the richness of their diverse cultures and the harmony of their shared faith in Christ.

Prayers of the faithful were offered in different languages, including Cambodian, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Samoan, Indonesian, Konkani (from India), and English.

Source

• cathstan.org
• Image: cathstan.org

"We have Samoan friends, and any food they touch is delicious, so I stopped when I saw the sign," said Linda McGowan of Des Moines, who was there for the first time last week.

The church's congregation has been holding the fundraising cookouts, which usually sell out by midafternoon, for the past three years or so, according to Tautualelei Tauaifaiga, the fellowship's capital campaign director.

He's the one who prepares the secret blend of spices used to rub the meats before they are grilled on a massive rotisserie.

Besides feeding the community, selling the meat allows the congregation to pay its mortgage without undue strain on individual members, who generally work hourly wage jobs, said lead Pastor Tu'ugasala Ulualetuiatua Fuga.

Krystle Tauai, who is among the two dozen or so church members who put on the fundraising dinner, said she looks forward to it every month.

"Island people like each other's company," she said. "We have a rich, happy culture, and we like to laugh, tell funny stories and eat."

Tauai is among the women who set up the canopies, tables, scales and register while a group of men run the handmade rotisserie that can cook up to 100 chickens at a time.

In the field and in the parking lot, children and teens ride bikes, play football and wrestle. Boys and girls brag about their Polynesian roots, how old they look and how substantial they are.

"We're big, we're strong, we're athletic and we're fluffy … you know, a little plump," said Aiden Mana Tupuola, 13, of Kent. "We're proud of our fluffiness. It makes us good at football."

"People from Samoa are funny, and we like to play rough" said his cousin Kaden Frost, 12.

Source

seattletimes.com

Image: seattletimes.com

Last Sunday he was the celebrant and homilist of the 10:30 a.m. English Mass which is one of the National Shrine's six Sunday services.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is situated on the campus of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

The Mass was well attended by hundreds of regular worshippers, pilgrims, and tourists from all over the world including about 50 Samoans.

It was a special treat for Washington's small Samoan Catholic community to witness a Samoan bishop lead a service at the main Catholic Church in the nation's capital.

Johnny Toma, a leader of the Samoan Catholic community in Washington, said that they were concerned that the Archbishop could have trouble ascending the steps of the high altar especially the pulpit which is perched several feet above the altar but everything went smoothly.

The Archbishop took his time.

On the previous evening representatives from the Samoan community of Washington hosted a potluck dinner and reception in honour of the Archbishop.

The potluck was held at Malolo Bed and Breakfast, a local establishment in Washington co-owned by Samoan businessman, David Alaga.

The Archbishop spoke about his admiration of the faith of the people in America.

There are six Samoan Catholic families who meet together in Washington.

Even though they attend Mass at different parishes, they've expressed an interest in establishing their own chaplaincy within the Archdiocese of Washington.

That would give them the opportunity to celebrate their own Mass in the Samoan language by a Samoan priest.

Source

• talamua.com
• Image: talamua.com