Tongan born Marist, Fr Aliki Langi has secured places for six Australian women at the Tongan King’s coronation.
The women are describing what is now a pilgrimage as a ‘dream come true’.
“There are limited numbers of people who will be able to attend the coronation, and I’ve been able to pull some strings and get places for our whole group,” Fr Langi told the Gladsone Observer.
“I’ve had word from Tonga, and I’ve passed it on to the ladies, that they will have to be very well dressed and they will have to wear hats.”
The trip came about when Fr Langi was talking with the women over dinner one evening.
“We got to talking about Tonga and I suggested that for them to understand Tonga they should go to Tonga and see where I came from,” he said.
Fr Langi has put together a busy itinerary for the pilgrimage group.
As well as the coronation, they will visit to Ahopanilolo Technical Institute, where they will attend the blessing of some stainless steel bench tops, the funds for which were donated by the Marist Fathers of Australia following a visit from the head of the order to Gladstone.
The group will also get to meet Catholic Cardinal Mafi – the youngest cardinal in the world, have a picnic lunch at Pangaimotu Beach, where the first mass was held in Tonga and they will also visit Fr Aliki’s village, Kolvali.
Source: CathNews