June 7, 2013 Pohnpei, FSM -The Sacred Heart Parish in Tamworoi, Madolenihmw is not the oldest Catholic Parish in Pohnpei but it is one of the oldest. More than 400 people celebrated the Centennial Anniversary of the Parish today at the church that is across from the former Pohnpei Agricultural and Technical School.
No one that we could find knew that actual day that the Parish was opened by German Capuchin Franciscans, but the opening of the Parish was certainly in 1913. The date for the Centennial Anniversary celebration was selected to coincide with the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
In 1856, Pope Pius IX decreed that the universal Church should observe the Feast of the Sacred Heart. June is known as the month of the Sacred Heart in which followers of the Catholic religion are charged to meditate on the connection between Christ's precious blood, the instrument of their salvation and His Sacred Heart which represents His mercy to mankind.
During the mass that was held at 10:00 this morning Cassiano Nennis was installed as the new Pastor of the Parish. Nennis had previously been the pastor at St. Phillip in Lukop, Madolenihmw for three years. He was ordained on September 30, 2006.
After the Mass and installation of the new pastor, officiants consecrated and blessed the new Sacred Heart monument on the grounds that was commissioned specifically for the Centennial.
The day's festivities concluded with what one observer called, "enough food to feed all of Madolenihmw."
Certainly there were heaps of food on hand.