Joachim-Final Profession

PNG Ceremony

Joachim ToRavit

Papua New Guinea

Br Vince Duggan writes of Joachim's Final Profession.

Saturday 08 January, early morning in Kabakabiur village on the Duke of York Islands (off the coast of Rabaul – Kokopo) and there is a heavy downpour of rain.  It is very welcome rain, as the expected wet season has so far amounted to almost nothing, and tanks are nearly empty.  The rain stops, the sun rises and there is a magnificent rainbow over the village.  The rainbow is the sign of the first covenant in Genesis, and another covenant is to be made this day  -  or is it the same covenant being renewed?  "I will be your God, and you will be my people".

There has been quite a deal of activity throughout the night, people coming and going, preparations under way for the liturgy and feast and celebrations to follow.  It is the day of Joachim ToRavit's final profession as a Christian Brother.  Members of his immediate family have travelled from Lihir and members of his extended family have travelled from Kimbe and other parts during the previous weeks.  Now the people of the surrounding villages arrive, some to take key parts in choirs and processions, others just to be there.  As was the case with Andrew Demane's profession near Goroka four weeks earlier, this congregation has a decidedly ecumenical flavour with United Church and other Christian groups strongly represented.  One toddler, not yet two years old, threatens to be close to centre stage all day with his engaging ways, and maybe even to steal the show; his name  -  Edmund Rice.

Eventually there were several hundred people present when the Eucharistic celebrations began ; a former Christian Brother, David Gough, was deacon (he was ordained a couple of weeks later) and there were two Priests from Rabaul Archdiocese to preside at the liturgy.  It was a beautiful celebration; Joachim's proud mum and dad, Matilda  and Raphael, brought him forward and he read and signed his vow formula – all in Tok Pisin language.  Raphael by the way, attended our school at Kininigunan long ago, and was taught by Br Jim Gorman.

Celebrations continued throughout the afternoon and evening. The visiting Brothers (Iggy Kalok, Kevin Ryan, Fidelis Toatahi, Vince Duggan) and a candidate Andrew Ase were invited to become honorary Tolais and to dress accordingly.   We accompanied a human-carried canoe containing Joachim and also his nephew Victor Piniau who was preparing to go to Tamale Ghana a few weeks later to enter the Christian Brothers' Novitiate there.  There followed a breaking of Tolai shell money; this was the Tolai way of endorsing Joachim's profession and giving approval to the exploration that Victor was making about a similar decision in years to come.

We visitors had travelled to Milmila and Watara the previous day on a relatively calm sea; the return journey late Saturday evening was much more exciting, as a wind had sprung up and the sea had become much rougher.  We finished the journey by wading/swimming for the last fifty metres or so as the strength of the waves suggested that it would not be wise to take the boat any closer to the shore.  A stirring finish to a truly memorable day.

 for Photos and more details.