By RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

The parishioners of St. John Dala Catholic Parish have praised the Lord Almighty and are filled with joy as one of their sons was recently appointed as the new Bishop for the Auki Diocese, Malaita Province. 

Fr. Jacob Aba, S.M., is a priest who oversaw the Holy Name of Mary Parish in Tanagai (Honiara) before he was appointed as the Bishop of Auki by His Holiness Pope Leo XIL on October 28, 2025. 

The appointment of Fr. Aba was first communicated to the Archbishop of Honiara by the Apostolic Nunciature in Papua New Guinea on October 15, 2025. 

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Disability Forum of Solomon Islands, who also hails from Dala, West Kwara’ae, Casper Joseph Fa’asala, on behalf of his people, praised and thanked Fr. Jacob Aba for his fine achievement and for representing them.

He stated that they are now steadfast and expect more growth in faith in the church in the areas of evangelization, education, and integral human development.

“It will continue to consider the harmonization of the Catholic communities’ participation in growing greater respect and love for Christ’s moral teachings by knowing each other’s needs and supporting one another at the community, parish, deanery, and diocesan levels,” he said.

Fa’asala emphasized that Bishop Aba deserves to become a bishop because of the love shown by his father in both the church and school.

He added that Bishop Aba has a Baegu blood relationship but was born and grew up in Kwaisuliniu, in West Kwara’ae, and was baptized at St. John Dala.

“He is a real son of the Dala parishioners, and therefore we are proud of his appointment.

“I was the chairperson of his ordination committee, which was held at Dala Parish, being the first ever to become a Marist Father.

“Jacob Aba was raised in Dala, educated in Dala, and began his journey to enter the Catholic seminaries to become a priest,” he said.

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