Br. Salama Vivalya, osc, committed his life to serving the Church and people of God
18-AUG-23 (Onamia, Minn.) – On Aug. 18, Br. Salama Vivalya, osc, professed his solemn vows to Master General Laurentius Tarpin, osc, at the Holy Cross Priory Church in Onamia, Minnesota, in the presence of Crosier confreres, friends and Crosier Apostolate members.
Br. Salama’s family, friends and confreres in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were able to view the ceremony via live stream on the Crosiers’ YouTube channel.
When asked how he felt on this special day, Br. Salama said, “It is truly a joyous moment for me to have professed my solemn vows as crosier religious. The journey has been both challenging and rewarding, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support and formation I’ve received from my community and most importantly from God. I thank all who continuously pray for religious vocation. I’m truly blessed to be on this path.”
“We are very grateful for Br. Salama’s presence in our midst. We thank him for his faith and for saying Yes! to this call,” said Conventual Prior Tom Enneking, osc. “May God guide and bless him as he continues on his journey to learn and grow in Crosier Religious Life.”
Br. Salama is a participant in the International Post-Novitiate in English (IPNE), a program established by the master general in 2020. He is in the United States to grow in his Crosier vocation. The program is managed by the Conventual Priory of the Holy Cross in Phoenix. As part of the IPNE program, Br. Salama completed one year of intensive English study at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz.
Br. Salama was born in Luofu (Congo), in 1995. He entered the Crosier novitiate in 2015 and professed his first vows Sept. 14, 2017.
During his post-novitiate formation, Br. Salama will study theology at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.
