Catholic Church in Samoa

Last updated

The Catholic Church in Samoa is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, which, initiated by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and Roman curia in the Vatican City (within Rome) is the largest Christian church in the world. Catholic missionaries arrived in Samoa in 1845 and today Catholics account for around 20% of the overall population. Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga was ordained as head of the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia in 2003. [1]

Contents

Demographics

According to Samoa's 2016 census there were 36,766 Catholics in Samoa, out of a total population of 195,979. [2] The population of Samoa is about 99% Christian. [3]

According to the CIA World Fact Book, in the 2001 census, Catholics accounted for 19.6% of the population, being the second largest Christian denomination after Congregationalist at 34.8%. [4]

In 2020 there were 65 priest and 62 nuns serving 60 parishes. [5]

History

Prior to the arrival of European visitors, Samoa had a complex polytheistic religion which also incorporated elements of ancestor worship. The war goddess (Nafanua) had prophesied that there would come a new religion which would end the rule of the old. Christian sailors had been visiting Samoa from the late 18th century, and had been teaching Christianity and some locals had converted. [6] In 1830, the London Missionary Society arrived at Sapapalii. In 1836 Pope Gregory XVI commissioned the Marist Fathers to bring Catholicism to the Western Pacific and missionaries from this French religious institute arrived in Samoa in 1845. [7] In 1848, the first version of the New Testament was printed in the Samoan language, followed by a Samoan version of the Old Testament in 1855. [6] Catholics and Protestants competed for converts amidst a backdrop of Imperial rivalries between Catholic France and Protestant Britain. [8] Christianity took firm root in the islands and attendance at Church on Sundays has remained high to the present day [6]

In 1896, Mgr. Broyer was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Samoa and Tokelau, with residence at Apia. [9] In 1954, Pio Taofinu'u was ordained as Polynesia's first Catholic Cardinal. [10] In 2006, having been made the first Pacific and first Samoan Cardinal, he died at the age of 82. [10] [11] In 2007, in a ceremony organized by the Catholic Church, the Samoan head of state asked for divine forgiveness of his country's sins. [12] At World Youth Day 2008, "up to a thousand" Samoan youths participated in the activities in Sydney. [13]

Churches of various denominations are often the grandest buildings in Samoan villages. [6] The Mulivai Catholic Cathedral is located in Apia. [14] Catholic religious organisations have been active in health, education and social work in Samoa, including the work of religious institutes including the Marist Brothers and Little Sisters of the Poor. [15] [16] [17] [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apia</span> Capital of Samoa

Apia is the capital and only city of Samoa. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (itūmālō) of Tuamasaga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marist Brothers</span> Consecrated religious congregation in the Catholic Church

The Marist Brothers of the Schools, commonly known as simply the Marist Brothers, is an international community of Catholic religious institute of brothers. In 1817, Marcellin Champagnat, a Marist priest from France, founded the Marist Brothers with the goal of educating young people, especially those most neglected. While most of the brothers minister in school settings, others work with young people in parishes, religious retreats, spiritual accompaniment, at-risk youth settings, young adult ministry, and overseas missions. Since the 2010s an extensive history of sexual abuse within Marist institutions has emerged in the public record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago</span> Roman Catholic diocese in American Samoa

The Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago is a Latin Church suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States overseas dependency of American Samoa, in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Samoa–Apia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Society of Mary (Marists)</span> Roman Catholic religious institute

The Society of Mary, better known under the name Marist, is a religious congregation under pontifical right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Samoa

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia consists of the Independent State of Samoa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alapati Lui Mataeliga</span> Samoan Roman Catholic bishop (1953–2023)

Alapati Lui Mataeliga was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Samoa-Apia and Ecclesiastical Superior of the Mission sui iuris of Tokelau. He was born in Sataua on the island of Savai'i. He was ordained for the presbyterate of the Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau on 5 July 1977. Upon the retirement of Cardinal Pio Taofinu'u, Father Mataeliga was appointed by the Holy See as the second Archbishop of Samoa-Apia on 16 November 2002. He was consecrated to the episcopate and installed as ordinary by Archbishop Patrick Coveney, Apostolic Nuncio to Samoa, on 3 January 2003.

Pio Taofinuʻu, S.M. was a Catholic cardinal and Archbishop of Samoa-Apia. Born in the village of Falealupo on the island of Savai'i in Samoa, he was the first Polynesian bishop and cardinal. He was made a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in the Consistory of 5 March 1973, of the Title of St. Onofrio. His father was Taofinuʻu Solomona and his mother, Mau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Uruguay</span>

The Catholic Church in Uruguay is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christianity in Australia</span>

Christianity is the largest religion in Australia, with a total of 43.9% of the nation-wide population identifying with a Christian denomination in the 2021 census. The first presence of Christianity in Australia began with British colonisation in what came to be known as New South Wales in 1788.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Mongolia</span>

The Catholic Church in Mongolia is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.

The Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. Papua New Guinea has approximately two million Catholic adherents, approximately 27% of the country's total population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Solomon Islands</span>

The Catholic Church in Solomon Islands is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.

The Christian Church of Tuvalu, is a Christian church and is the largest religious denomination in the country. This status entitles it to "the privilege of performing special services on major national events"; its adherents comprise about 86% of the 11,600 inhabitants of the archipelago.

Mission <i>sui iuris</i> of Funafuti Roman Catholic missionary jurisdiction in Tuvalu

The Mission Sui Iuris of Funafuti is a Catholic Latin mission sui juris in Tuvalu, Polynesia.

Mission <i>sui iuris</i> of Tokelau Roman Catholic missionary jurisdiction in Tokelau

The Roman Catholic Mission Sui Iuris of Tokelau in Tokelau is a suffragan mission of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia. It was formed in 1992 when the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau was split into the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia and the Mission Sui Iuris of Tokelau. The position of Ecclesiastical Superior is currently vacant following the death of Archbishop Alapati Lui Mata’eliga on 25 April 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 South Pacific Games</span> 13th edition of the South Pacific Games

The 13th South Pacific Games, also known as Apia 2007, were held from 25 August to 8 September 2007 in Apia, Samoa. The Games were the thirteenth to be held since the inception of the South Pacific Games in 1963, and included traditional multi-sport event disciplines, such as athletics and swimming, alongside region-specific and smaller events such as outrigger canoeing, surfing and lawn bowls.

Alafua is an urban village in the Faleata District in the Samoan capital of Apia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Tonga</span>

The Catholic Church in Tonga is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the leadership of its local bishop in communion with the Bishop of Rome. It is estimated that approximately 16% of the population of the Pacific island Kingdom are Catholic, being 15,767 in 2004.1 Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi succeeded as Bishop of Tonga in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christianity in Thailand</span>

It was believed by some scholars that Christianity was first introduced to Thailand by European missionaries. By 2021, there were nearly 1 million Christians in Thailand and represented 1.4% of the predominantly Buddhist national population. Christians are numerically and organizationally concentrated in northern Thailand, where they make up an estimated 16% of the population in some lowland districts and up to very high percentages in tribal districts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religion in Samoa</span>

Christianity is the official and largest religion in Samoa, with its various denominations accounting for around 98% of the total population. The article 1 of the Constitution of Samoa states that "Samoa is a Christian nation founded of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit".

References

  1. ↑ "Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga". Catholic-Hierarchy.org . David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "2016 Census Brief No.1" (PDF). Samoa Bureau of Statistics. 30 October 2017. p. 49. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "GCatholic website, Catholic Church in Samoa". Archived from the original on 2017-07-28. Retrieved 2014-01-24.
  4. ↑ "The World Factbook". Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
  5. ↑ Catholics and Culture website, retrieved 2023-08-08
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Samoa.co.uk". Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  7. ↑ "Society of Mary - Marist Fathers and Brothers - New Zealand". Archived from the original on 2009-10-08. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  8. ↑ Laracy, Hugh (2013). "Chapter 3: Insular Eminence: Cardinal Moran (1830-1911) and the Pacific Islands" (PDF). Watriama and Co: Further Pacific Islands Portraits. ANU Press. pp. 53–68. ISBN   978-1-921666-33-9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  9. ↑ "Catholic Encyclopedia: Samoa". Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  10. 1 2 "Samoa's Cardinal Pio retires". Pacific Magazine. 2002-11-19. Archived from the original on 2007-06-14. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  11. ↑ "American Samoa: Cardinal Pio Tributes". Pacific Magazine. 2006-12-23. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  12. ↑ "Samoa's Catholic Church Concerned Over 'New Religions'". Pacific Magazine. 2007-12-05. Archived from the original on 2007-06-14. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  13. ↑ Anthony Barich and Catherine Smibert (2008-07-15). "Generation Y Forgot to RSVP". Zenit News Agency. Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  14. ↑ "Cathedrals in Pacific Islands". Archived from the original on 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2014-01-24.
  15. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-21. Retrieved 2010-05-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ↑ "Catholic schools in Samoa plea for government help with wages". Radio New Zealand International . 30 April 2003. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  17. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2010-05-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ↑ "Home". littlesistersofthepoor.org.au. Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2010-05-22.

Michael Tyquin, 'A History of the Catholic Church in Western Samoa', Apia, 1995.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.