HASTINGS During Fr Vince Onesis many years at sea working on container ships, he often thought about being a priest. Now those thoughts are a reality after the 40-year-old was ordained at St Peter Chanel Church, Hastings, by Bishop Peter Cullinane on December 13.
Fr Onesi credits his mother with sowing the seed of his vocation when he was a boy in Niuatoputapu, one of the northernmost islands of Tonga.
She told him she would like one of her seven children to give themselves to priesthood or religious life.
The youngest in the family, Fr Onesi replied he would prefer to work and help out his sisters and brothers.
His mother told him that was fine, but maybe there would come a day when he would remember her words.
So Fr Onesi went on with his education at Api Foou College in the Tongan capital Nukualofa before working as a seaman.
But his mothers words stayed in my heart.
Her death when Fr Onesi was a teenager came as a blow.
It was very sad for me. I always remembered her.
During his 10 years at sea travelling throughout the Pacific and Asia, Fr Onesi went to Sunday Mass when he was able to.
I spent a lot of time on the boat, after I had finished work, asking God to enlighten my mind [about] what God willed me to do.
After a holiday in New Zealand in 1999, thoughts of priesthood became stronger.
I said to myself it is time to move on and start a new life as a priest. So I started to contact a few priests and they sent me to Bishop Peter.
Fr Onesi has family ties to Palmerston North diocese he has a brother in Flaxmere.
The first year at Holy Cross Seminary was tough going.
I found it hard because English is a second language for me.
But seminary formation staff encouraged him to persevere, citing the example of Jesus telling his disciples to go out to the deep to catch fish.
It was very good advice for me; to take time and take it easy and I will feel what God wants me to do, he explained.
Now Fr Onesi hopes he will be a good priest, celebrating the sacred mysteries in the Mass and working with people.
I believe a priest is a servant for the people.
He also sees his priesthood as a special gift from God to me.
Fr Onesis ordination Mass was also attended by Bishop Soane Patita Mafi from Tonga and Bishop Owen Dolan.
Visitors to the Hastings ceremony included Fr Onesis father and 200 people from the Tongan community in Auckland plus 50 from Wellington.
