In the remote oceanic land, the archdiocese of Papeete led by Monsignor Jean-Pierre Cottanceau has identified 12 jubilee parishes, 7 of which are on the island of Tahiti. Missionary Father Sandro Lafranconi says, “We started thinking about the Jubilee on Christmas night when a large anchor representing Jesus’ hope that never disappoints was placed in our nativity scenes.”
By: Federico Piana – Vatican News
Publication Date:
The archdiocese of Papeete covers such a vast territory that Father Sandro Lafranconi uses an effective analogy to illustrate its size to those who have never set foot in this remote part of the world in Oceania, specifically in French Polynesia: “It occupies a space similar to that separating Tunisia from Scandinavia, just to give an example. It is the largest archdiocese in the entire Catholic Church.” The priest, of Italian origin, belonging to the Society of African Missions, has been in the Windward Islands for years, one of the five archipelagos under the jurisdiction of the archdiocese: the Austral Islands, the Tuamotu Islands, the Society Islands (of which the Windward Islands are part along with the Leeward Islands), the Marquesas Islands, and the Gambier Islands.
Human and spiritual accompaniment
Taking care of over one hundred thousand scattered faithful in small urban clusters thousands of kilometers apart takes on the flavor of an adventure for him and the other twenty-three archdiocesan priests, along with fifty deacons. A number certainly lower than the actual needs but still allows the local Church to be more vibrant than ever. “Archbishop Jean-Pierre Cottanceau asked me to ensure my presence in the parishes of the Holy Family in Huahine, St. Andrew in Raiatea, St. Celestine and St. Clement in Tahaa, and also to oversee the parish family of St. Celestine in Bora Bora,” Father Lafranconi tells Vatican media.
Enormous distances
In each of these Windward Islands, a residence has been made available to the missionary where he can stay for a few days before moving on to the next stop. The trips are always by plane and last a maximum of 45 minutes but cover enormous distances; just think that the parish communities entrusted to him are spread over a diameter equal to half of Lombardy. “When neither I nor the deacon accompanying me can go to the parishes, then the catechists present in those communities lead Word liturgies, followed by the distribution of the Eucharist on holidays,” he explains.
Jubilant closeness
For the Holy Year, Monsignor Cottanceau has identified five jubilee parishes on the island of Tahiti and seven others throughout the archdiocesan territory: among these churches is also St. Andrew in Raiatea entrusted to the Italian missionary. “We — Lafranconi explains — started thinking about the Jubilee on Christmas night last year. In the Windward Islands, in fact, a large anchor was placed at the center of our nativity scenes so that it was clear during the Christmas season that the God who is born is the anchor of hope offered to us freely.”
Shared signs
The inhabitants of one of the Windward Islands have also prepared five large sheets finely decorated with the quote, in French and Tahitian, from Romans 5:5 “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” These large cloths, according to Father Sandro, “were given to each of the other islands so that a tangible sign of the Jubilee is always present. But this is only the formal aspect. There is then a more important work started to make the true sense of indulgence understood: a father who opens his heart when he sees his child making efforts to redeem himself. And he doesn’t care too much if the child is good or not or has been rude to him. He loves him regardless, understanding his weakness.”
Fatherly indulgence
Emphasizing this jubilant aspect also means remembering that if God does not spare himself in indulgence, man’s response must be to put into practice the works of corporal and spiritual mercy: “And that’s why, after the opening of the Jubilee, we thought of doing a Stations of the Cross where each station is paired with one of the works of mercy. Furthermore, in a little while, we will try to organize some pilgrimages so that those who cannot go to the cathedral of Tahiti, the archdiocesan seat, can at least do so in our church of St. Andrew.”
Exercising hope
The exercise of hope, the central theme of the Jubilee, in the vast archdiocese of Papeete is realized first and foremost in a unique aspect: “Here there is a great presence of non-Catholic people: from Protestants to other denominations. In such a situation, speaking of hope means believing that, beyond divisions, everyone can become one. And this Jubilee is an opportunity to achieve that.” But not only that. The local Church must also put this theological virtue into practice by addressing some of the most imposing social problems of recent years: the widespread use of drugs and alcohol, especially among young people, and the breakdown of families caused by violence and marital infidelity.
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