Pio Taofinu'u

Pio Taofinu'u
Styles of; Pio Taofinu'u
Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	Samoa-Apia

Pio Cardinal Taofinu’u
His Eminence ; ; Pio Cardinal Taofinu’u; S.M. †
	Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Samoa-Apia
See	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia
Installed	September 10, 1982
Term ended	November 16, 2002
Predecessor	George Hamilton Pearce
Successor	Alapati Lui Mataeliga
Orders
Ordination	December 8, 1954
Consecration	May 29, 1968
Created Cardinal	March 5, 1973
Personal details
Born	December 8, 1923; Falealupo, Savai'i Samoa
Died	January 19, 2006 (aged 82); Samoa
Buried	Mulivai, Apia Samoa

Last updated May 02, 2019

Pio Taofinu'u, S. M. (December 8, 1923 – January 19, 2006) was a Roman Catholic cardinal and Archbishop of Samoa-Apia.^[1] 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 (St. Humphrey).^[1] His father was Taofinu'u Solomona and his mother, Mau.^[2]

Falealupo is a village in Samoa situated at the west end of Savai'i island 20 miles (32 km) from the International Date Line used until December 29, 2011. The village has two main settlements, Falealupo-Uta, situated inland by the main island highway and Falealupo-Tai, situated by the sea. The road to the coastal settlement is about 9 km, most of it unsealed, from the main highway.

Savaiʻi is the largest and highest island in Samoa and the Samoan Islands chain. The island is the fifth largest in Polynesia, behind the two main islands of New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands of Hawaii and Maui.

Samoa, officially the Independent State ofSamoa and, until 4 July 1997, known as Western Samoa, is a country consisting of two main islands, Savai'i and Upolu, and four smaller islands. The capital city is Apia. The Lapita people discovered and settled the Samoan Islands around 3,500 years ago. They developed a unique Samoan language and Samoan cultural identity.

Education

Taofinu'u was born on December 8, 1923 in Falealupo on Savai'i island's west coast and attended the village catechism school before entering Moamoa Theological College. He continued his studies first at the Seminary of Lano, on Wallis Island and later at the Society of Mary (Marists) Seminary in Greenmeadows (near Napier, in New Zealand).^[1]

A catechism is a summary or exposition of doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult converts. Catechisms are doctrinal manuals – often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorised – a format that has been used in non-religious or secular contexts as well. The term catechumen refers to the designated recipient of the catechetical work or instruction. In the Catholic Church, catechumens are those who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. Traditionally, they would be placed separately during Holy Mass from those who had been baptized, and would be dismissed from the liturgical assembly before the Profession of Faith (Creed) and General Intercessions.

Marist Seminary is a Catholic seminary for the training of Marist priests. It was first opened in 1889 in Hawkes Bay and was relocated to Auckland in 1992.

Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about 63,900 as of the June 2018. About 18 kilometres (11 mi) south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighbouring cities are often called "The Bay Cities" or "The Twin Cities" of New Zealand. The total population of the Napier-Hastings Urban Area is 134,500 people, which makes it the sixth-largest urban area in New Zealand, closely followed by Dunedin (122,000), and trailing Tauranga (141,600).

He was ordained a priest for the Society of Mary (Marists) on December 8, 1954 by Bishop Giovanni Battista Dieter, S.M. He made his profession in the Society of Mary on September 8, 1962.^[1]

Society of Mary (Marists) Roman Catholic religious institute, marists

The Society of Mary (Marists), commonly known as simply the Marist Fathers, is an international Roman Catholic religious congregation, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in Lyon, France, in 1816. The society's name derives from the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom the members attempt to imitate in their spirituality and daily work.

Msgr. Giovanni Battista Dieter, S.M., D.D., Vicar Apostolic of the Navigators' Archipelago, was born in Kleinhausen (Germany) on 30 September 1903. He professed the evangelical counsels on 17 April 1929 for the Society of Mary (Marists). He was subsequently ordained to the presbyterate for the Marists on 29 June 1933. He was consecrated to the episcopate as Titular Bishop of Ierafi and Vicar Apostolic of the Navigators' Archipelago on 19 May 1954. He died in Auckland, New Zealand on 29 June 1955.

Priesthood

After ordination, Taofinu'u worked at Leauva'a and Palauli district in Samoa, before going to New York and later returning to Samoa in 1962. Father Taofinu'u accompanied Bishop George Hamilton Pearce, S.M., the then Bishop of Apia (which was later to become the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia) to the Second Vatican Council in Rome. He remained in Rome for three months, taking advantage of his time overseas to visit the Holy Land. After serving as Vicar to Bishop Pearce from 1964, Father Taofinu'u became Vicar General of the diocese in 1966.^[1]

Palauli is a district and village of Samoa, with a population of 8,984. It consists of two sections on the southern side of Savai'i. The capital is Vailoa which is also referred to as Vailoa i Palauli.

The Most Reverend George Hamilton Pearce, SM, DD was the first Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Apia, Samoa, and the first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Suva, Fiji.

The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the Second Vatican Council or Vatican II, addressed relations between the Catholic Church and the modern world. The council, through the Holy See, was formally opened under the pontificate of Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and was closed under Pope Paul VI on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December 1965.

Bishop

On January 11, 1968, he was named Bishop of Apia, becoming the first Polynesian bishop in history. He was consecrated as Bishop of Apia, Samoa by his former bishop George Pearce, who was the new Archbishop of Suva, Fiji. One of his first duties as the new spiritual leader of Samoa's Catholic community was as one of the organizers of Pope Paul VI's November 30, 1970, visit to the Samoan Islands – the first and, to date, the only visit by a Pope. During his time as Bishop of Apia, Catholic schools increased as he put an important focus on education throughout his diocese. He established a Theological College for Catechists and Deacons in an effort to evangelize the Faith to all the islands. His work contributed greatly to an increase in priestly vocations in Samoa. As bishop, Taofinu'u was active in leading the reforms within the Catholic Church in Samoa in which some aspects of Samoan culture were blended with the existing practices.

Apia is the capital and the largest city of Samoa. From 1900 to 1919, it was the capital of German Samoa. The city is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second largest island. Apia is the only city in Samoa and falls within the political district (itūmālō) of Tuamasaga.

Polynesians are an ethnolinguistic group of closely related peoples who are native to Polynesia, an expansive region of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. They are part of the larger Austronesian ethnolinguistic group who trace their urheimat to Southeast Asia. They speak the Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic subfamily of the Austronesian language family.

Suva is the capital and largest metropolitan city in Fiji. It is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Rewa Province, Central Division.

Archbishop and cardinal

Taofinu'u was created a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in the consistory of March 5, 1973. He participated in the 1978 papal conclaves of August, and October. He became the first Archbishop of Samoa-Apia, when the Diocese of Samoa-Apia and Tokelau (as it was then), was elevated to the rank of archdiocese.^[1]

In the Roman Catholic Church a consistory is a formal meeting of the College of Cardinals called by the pope. There are two kinds of consistories, extraordinary and ordinary. An "extraordinary" consistory is held to allow the pope to consult with the entire membership of the College of Cardinals. An "ordinary" consistory is ceremonial in nature and attended by cardinals resident in Rome. For example, the pope elevates new cardinals to the College at a consistory; Pope Francis has called consistories for ceremonies of canonization.

A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, also known as the pope. The pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Archbishop bishop of higher rank in many Christian denominations

In Christianity, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In some cases, such as the Lutheran Church of Sweden and the Church of England, the title is borne by the leader of the denomination. Like popes, patriarchs, metropolitans, cardinal bishops, diocesan bishops, and suffragan bishops, archbishops are in the highest of the three traditional orders of bishops, priests, and deacons. An archbishop may be granted the title or ordained as chief pastor of a metropolitan see or another episcopal see to which the title of archbishop is attached.

Liturgical Reform

Cardinal Taofinu'u presided over the first Synod of the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia, which began on December 7, 1990 and ended on December 14, 1990.^[2] After careful discussion and consideration, Taofinu'u approved six synodal acts from his Commission on Worship, Sacraments and Inculturation.The second of these six acts states "O le faaaganuuga o le Tapuaiga auaufaatasi i le Puleaga Faaakiepikopo o Samoa – Apia ia faaauauina le tilotilo toto‘a i ai ma le toe iloiloinaina ma o lona faatinoga ia lanutasia i le puleaga atoa" or "[t]he inculturation of the Liturgy in the Archdiocese of Samoa – Apia is to be continually reviewed and reevaluated, and its implementation should be uniform through the archdiocese." As a result of these acts, the liturgies in the archdiocese were vibrant, become more meaningful to the people by making use of the signs and cultural symbols of the people of Samoa. During his episcopate, a new hymnal incorporating old and new hymns for the liturgy was also prepared and published for use through the ecclesiastical province of Samoa-Apia.

Retirement and death

He retired as Cardinal on November 16, 2002 at the age of 79, and died in Apia shortly after midnight on January 19, 2006 at the age of 82. His death was announced during a session of Parliament in Samoa while the Senate in American Samoa observed a moment of silence. He is buried in the cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Mulivai village, Apia.^[2]

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References

1 2 3 4 5 6 "College of Cardinals Biographical Note". Holy See Press Office, Vatican. 21 January 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
1 2 3 "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church". Salvador Miranda, Florida International University Library. 2010 [1998]. Retrieved 23 January 2010.

Catholic Hierarchy Biography of Pio Cardinal Taofinu’u, S.M. †

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[pio-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 "College of Cardinals Biographical Note". Holy See Press Office, Vatican. 21 January 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2010.

[tao-2] 1 2 3 "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church". Salvador Miranda, Florida International University Library. 2010 [1998]. Retrieved 23 January 2010.

His Eminence Pio Cardinal Taofinu’u S.M. †
Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Samoa-Apia

See	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia
Installed	September 10, 1982
Term ended	November 16, 2002
Predecessor	George Hamilton Pearce
Successor	Alapati Lui Mataeliga
Orders
Ordination	December 8, 1954
Consecration	May 29, 1968
Created Cardinal	March 5, 1973
Personal details
Born	(1923-12-08)December 8, 1923 Falealupo, Savai'i Samoa
Died	January 19, 2006(2006-01-19) (aged 82) Samoa
Buried	Mulivai, Apia Samoa