As Fr Marcus Hazelman was preparing his first-ever homily after his priestly ordination in Samoa nearly 10 years ago, he was inspired by the words of Saint Pope John Paul II in his first homily as pope in 1978.
It is three words in particular from that homily – “Be not afraid” – that he continues to live by today as the Assistant Priest at Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Druitt South, and as the Chaplain of the Samoan Community in Western Sydney.
Not only are these words important as comfort for others, he says, but they’re just as helpful in his own life.
“I can be afraid at times…and I think others, too, can be afraid to face decisions, face realities or people,” Fr Marcus says.
“But you know, God is always there for us, God never forsakes us, God is a merciful God, God knows our pains and sorrows and struggles personally and publicly.”
Fr Marcus Hazelman during 9-hour Eucharistic Adoration at Sacred Heart Parish. Image: Supplied
‘I’m not alone’
One of these tough times for Fr Marcus happened at the start of his mission in Australia in 2019 as a young priest only a few years out of the seminary.
He remembers thinking it was going to be easy, moving to a large, wealthy country. But after the first year, things didn’t feel so easy: COVID had hit and the reality of being away from home in a country that was very different to his own began to sink in.
He says he was very fortunate to have the support of his parish and Samoan communities, as well as fellow clergy, such as Fr Raning Creta and the people of St Paul the Apostle Primary School at Paul the Apostle Parish, Winston Hills, where he initially spent four years as Assistant Priest from 2019, and at Sacred Heart Parish, Mt Druitt, where he was ministering with the Samoan Chaplaincy from 2019, and then as Assistant Priest from 2023.
“That really changed my mindset, to realise that I’m not alone and that we share struggles,” he says.
As a priest, it is also important that those he is ministering to know he is just like them.
“They know I like singing, I like playing guitar and I do jokes, and I think they might know that I also can go through difficult times.”
Fr Marcus Hazelman with kindergarten students from Sacred Heart Primary School, Mt Druitt South. Image: Supplied
Road to priesthood
Fr Marcus grew up in a large Catholic family on the Samoan islands surrounded by his parents, siblings, aunties and other extended family. But it was probably his late grandmother Lydia Hazelman who had the biggest influence on his early faith journey, encouraging him in his church attendance, and serving as an altar boy.
He went to a primary school and high school run by the Marist Brothers, but in his senior years lost touch with his faith. It wasn’t until his 20s that he began to reconnect again, and from that time on he started to think about the priesthood.
After entering the seminary his studies took him to Rome, then Fiji, before returning to Samoa where he was ordained in November 2016 at Immaculate Conception Cathedral in the Samoan capital Apia, as a priest in the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia, along with two others.
“We were ordained by our late Archbishop Alapati Lui Mata’eliga, and he was the one who brought me here to Parramatta (in 2019),” Fr Marcus says.
Fr Marcus Hazelman, Assistant Priest of Sacred Heart Parish, blesses the graves of Diocesan clergy at Pinegrove Cemetery. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
‘Fruits of our grandparents’
Life for him at the big, multicultural parish of Sacred Heart is always busyand he divides his time between the wider parish and Samoan Chaplaincy, which has Masses at the Mt Druitt church every second and fourth Sunday.
He remembers when he first arrived in the Diocese being impressed at the size and success of the Samoan community – “the fruits of our grandparents who moved to this country, establishing communities and families”, as well as previous Samoan chaplain Fr Tovia Lui and other Samoan priests before him.
More than 300 Samoans attend Mass every fortnight at Sacred Heart, and Fr Marcus says there are new parishioners joining all the time.
There is “Samoan Sunday School” (Lambs for Christ Sunday School) before each fortnightly mass and a Samoan parish meeting afterwards. A Samoan youth group, called Christ the King Youth, has been going for about three years under the spiritual direction of Fr Marcus, but which is run by the group themselves, including youth nights on Fridays. “They’re really amazing, even just last week they did their own youth night on mental health,” he says.
Fr Marcus Hazelman with his grandmother. Image: Supplied
Fr Marcus loves golf but rarely gets a chance to play these days as his days off are often spent with family and friends, or with other members of the Samoan community who have invited him to preside at an event or attend a function. He also loves rugby and rugby league, and since coming to Parramatta has become a diehard Parramatta Eels fan.
His fellow clergy at Sacred Heart, led by Administrator Monsignor Ron McFarlane, Pastoral Director Deacon Rod Pirotta, Fr Andrew Robinson and fellow Chaplain to the Tongan Community Fr Taliai Hausia – and in the past with the late Parish Priest Fr Carl Ashton – provide guidance and are a “great support”, he says, as is the parish council and the community at Sacred Heart Primary School, which he visits regularly.
“I’m so thankful that I have a lot of support here,” he says. “It’s been a learning milestone for myself because Australia was my first-ever mission as a priest.
This article was originally published in the 2026 Season of Creation| Spring edition of the Catholic Outlook Magazine. You can read it online here or pick up a copy in your local parish.
