Rev Ikenasio Vitaliano
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Ikenasio
Middle Names:
Ilalio
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Vitaliano
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Country of Birth:
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ordination Diocese:
Auckland
Seminary:
Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, New Zealand
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Auckland
Country of Death:
New Zealand
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Panmure, Auckland
Country of Burial:
New Zealand
Find A Grave URL:
Biographical Notes
Death notice, New Zealand Herald, Auckland, 5 February 2019:
Vitaliano, Ikenasio. Reverend Father Ikenasio, parish Priest of Maria Assumpta Parish Beach Haven and much loved Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Auckland. Fr Ikenasio died on Friday 1 February 2019 after a long illness. Vigil Mass will be celebrated at Maria Assumpta Catholic Church 198 Beach Haven Road Beach Haven on Wednesday 6 February 2019 at 6pm. Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St Therese Catholic Church 10 Wickman Way Mangere East on Thursday 7 February 2019 at 11.30am to be followed by interment at St Patricks Cemetery Panmure. Requiescat in Pace
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Maria Assumpta Parish, Beach Haven, Golden Jubilee Souvenir Booklet, 1972–2022, https://beachhavencatholic.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Golden-Jubilee-Souvenir-Booklet-web-v2.pdf, accessed on 4 August 2026, pp 36-38:
Another Samoan priest
Our new parish priest was Fr Ikenasio Vitaliano, who despite his Italian name was also Samoan. He had come from Mount Wellington parish, and had served in many other parishes since his ordination in Auckland in 1989. Whereas Fr Michael had been a big man, Fr Ikenasio (known as Ike, pronounced Ikky) was a short, slight man.
Samoans were the largest cultural group in the parish and they were very supportive of Ike who struggled at times. However the fact that there was always a parish pastoral council, a finance committee and willing volunteer secretaries meant the parish thrived.[...]
The big event in 2014 was the celebration of Fr Ike’s silver jubilee in March, which was marked by a special Mass followed by a dinner.
Fr Ike became ill and after a series of volunteer parish secretaries, Geraldine, Emma, and Michael, it was agreed we could appoint a paid part-time secretary. Fiona Knape was appointed in April 2017. Not only did she carry out secretarial duties but she became Fr Ike’s support person during his many visits to doctor and hospital.
Ike’s illness, cancer of the throat, worsened and for much of 2018 we had supply priests, with Fr Ike sometimes sitting in the sanctuary, but unable to speak. We had Fr Pio Fong for six months. Fr George Carlos and Fr William Falcao, SDB, also spent much time with us.
Fr Ike came to Sunday Mass on January 31, 2019, and died a day later. His vigil Mass at Maria Assumpta was crowded and his funeral was held at Mangere East in order to accommodate the huge numbers of people who wished to say their farewells to him.