Christmas rush in Fiji

Dec 10, 2020

While the rest of the world shops and parties frenetically in December, the people in Fiji busy themselves too – in providing retreats, carol singing and charitable outreaches to the less fortunate.

Last 14th December was one such pre-Christmas Saturday for the Columban seminarians undertaking their spiritual year.

We began by offering our house to the ‘Legionaries of the Sacred Heart’ (a men’s group from the cathedral parish) to have a morning’s recollection, consisting of input, quiet times, confessions and Mass.

The men, ranging from their early 20s to mid-60s, greatly appreciated a few hours of peace in our rural, forest location. We provided hospitality and food but had to leave them at midday to go the Juvenile Detention Centre where 20 teenagers were awaiting us eagerly for their Christmas prayers and counselling.

We get them to share a favourite Bible passage and sing songs, before going out under the trees or to the sheds for individual sessions. Most of the boys ask for prayers for their upcoming court appearances, share tough family stories and ask for phone calls home. On this day, we shared soft drinks and chocolate with them, all of which was gleefully devoured!

From there (still not having had lunch) we rushed to the ‘Home of Compassion’ – a nursing facility for the old and infirm, where along with our Fiji Columban Bursar, Lillian Bing, and her ‘ukulele group’, we regaled the residents with carols, Fijian lullabies and dancing. We also helped feed a number of the patients, and then enjoyed a late snack.

A dash home for a shower and then it was back to the city where the Columban Interreligious Dialogue Office had organised a Youth Christmas Programme, where members from the Sai Baba, Arya Samaj, Sanatan Dharm (Hindu groups), the Suva Multicultural Centre, and three Catholic parishes entertained us with song, nativity plays and more dancing!

After sweeping and cleaning the cathedral crypt, we went home with a number of the youth to celebrate one of our seminarians’ 26th birthday. More laughing, singing, and festive kava drinking occupied the hours to midnight when we eventually turned in so as to be ready for 7am Sunday Masses – one (in English) in the local parish and the other (in Fijian) for retired Sisters who live a 20 minute walk away from our house.

That walk, already in 30C+ heat at 6.30am, most certainly sweated out any residual grogginess in me! A busy, fulfilling and very Columban type of weekend.

Fr Pat Colgan, a native of Belfast, was ordained a Columban in 1994 and spent 18 years in Fiji before he was appointed to the Society’s General Council in 2012. He has now returned to mission in Fiji.

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