Pope Francis has appointed West Auckland priest Fr Mosese Vitolio Tui as the new Archbishop of Samoa-Apia. Source: NZCBC.
The announcement was made in Rome yesterday.
Archbishop-elect Tui replaces Archbishop Alapati Lui Mata’eliga, who died in Auckland in April last year.
Born in Samoa in 1961, Archbishop-elect Tui is a priest of the Salesians of Don Bosco. He was ordained in 1994 at the St John Bosco Church, Sinamoga, Apia.
Following his ordination, Archbishop-elect Tui was a school principal and parish priest in Samoa from 1995 to 2017. He was appointed parish priest at St Paul’s Massey and Ranui Parish, West Auckland, in March 2018.
Auckland Bishop Stephen Lowe said Archbishop-elect Tui was a popular parish priest with the spirit of Don Bosco, who was much loved by his parishioners. He also served on the Auckland Diocese Council of Priests.
“While it is a sad day for the people of St Paul’s Parish and for us in the Diocese of Auckland, I am delighted with the Holy Father’s appointment for him as the new Archbishop of Samoa-Apia,” Bishop Lowe said.
“Fr Mosese will bring the joy of the Gospel to his new diocese as well as his gift of unifying people in their love and service of our God.”
According to the 2021 Samoan census, there are 36,096 Catholics in Samoa, making Catholicism the second-largest Christian denomination behind the Congregational Christian Church Samoa, with 55,411 adherents. Samoa’s total population is 205,557.
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West Auckland parish priest Fr Mosese Tui SDB appointed Archbishop of Samoa-Apia (NZCBC)
