Man ordained as priest

Faith

THE first day of the month represents many ‘firsts’ in the life of a young Bereina man, Xavier Sariman.
He was ordained on Oct 1 by Rochus Tatamai MSC, Bishop of Bereina, Central, and became the first in his Sariman family to be ordained priest after 131 years since the arrival of the first missionaries to Yule Island and the commencement of the history and work of evangelisation in the Southern region.
Another first, was the fact that as a small boy, Xavier Sariman was among the altar boys who had served the then Fr Rochus Tatamai who was an assistant parish priest at St Pauls Gerehu Stage 6 in the early 90s.
Bishop Tatamai said it was a big transformation that the then altar boy who served and assisted the priests at the altar was now ordained by the bishop he served as a priest at Gerehu.
The other notable first was that he was baptised by the MSCs, educated by the Don Boscos, and formed to be a religious missionary priest by Marists whom he now joins.
On the 131st anniversary of evangelisation in the Southern region, beginning at Yule Island in 1885 as well as the 50 years of the establishment of the dioceses in PNG and Solomon Islands during the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, Xavier is ordained a priest as the first son of Bereina to join the Marists.
Bishop Tatamai said the church received a rare grace and blessing throughout “which now in reality, the Lord has done great things for us and holy is his name.”
“Thanks a lot to Patrick Sariman and Maria with the Sarimans and extended families for generously offering your son to Mary and her beloved son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” he said.
“We owe all vocations to mums and dads in good practicing faithful families.”
His family name (Sariman) is associated with the pioneer missionaries just like other household names like the Soliens, Kassmans, Nateras and Fabillas.

One thought on “Man ordained as priest

  • I love to keep up with happenings in PNG as I left some of my heart there.
    Love and Blessings for you all, especially Xavier and our much-loved and appreciated, Bishop Rochus.
    Sister Kathleen Bright.sm

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