Gizo (Solomon Islands). The new house, ‘Mother Angela Vespa’, at Gizo in the Solomon Islands has been canonically erected on January 13, 2018, the day we commemorate St. Mary Mazzarello. the three sisters of the community were received by the Bishop, Msgr. Luciano Capelli, SDB, who had been asking for an FMA presence in the Diocese for a long time.
The diocese of Gizo is very poor, even of Catholics. It is made up of many small islands that can only be reached by sea, using motorboats or very slow boats; moreover, the sea does not always allow it. Sometimes you cannot navigate it for weeks and many islands remain isolated.
“Mary Help of Christians” Province of the Pacific Region (SPR), which includes three nations, Australia, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands, has 42 FMAs spread in nine communities.
The three sisters in this mission carry out the direction and administration of the public technical school of Giza. Associated with this school, there is also a public primary school and one of the three sisters gives their educational service there.
Only 60% of the children complete elementary/middle school, thus formal education is very important. This is why the mission here is open, creative, surprising: oratory, catechetics, visits to the students’ families, retreats for youth groups.
The educational and evangelization mission is there. It is enough to roll up our sleeves and together begin to build with the missionary spirit of Mary Domenica who did not leave her country for distant lands, but who had a missionary heart and the broad vision of the Da mihi animas and I entrust them to you.
