Ba: It Was Hard To Say Goodbye After 70 Years

Ba: It Was Hard To Say Goodbye After 70 Years

Fr John McEvoy reports on the three farewell ceremonies held in Ba parish for the Columban missionaries as they leave Christ the King after 70 years of service. At the end of 1952 and the beginning of 1953 – 70 years ago – the Columbans took over the...
Historic Columban ‘Come and See’ programmes

Historic Columban ‘Come and See’ programmes

On Saturday 23 July 2022 Columban seminarians and their formator held two ‘Come and See’ programmes in Fiji, writes Fr Frank Hoare. The day-long face-to-face programme was conducted at the Columban Formation House and was attended by 16 young men. Two of these came...
Good Friday in the Hills of Ba

Good Friday in the Hills of Ba

It has always struck me that the Fijian translation of Good Friday is simply and literally, ‘Day of Death’. No massaging, no theological euphemisms, just saying is “as it is”, writes Fr Pat Colgan.  Preparations for this day are taken very seriously, and the...
A Hopeful Start to Holy Week in Ba

A Hopeful Start to Holy Week in Ba

Palm Sunday this year was a very busy one for me, serving as the lone priest here in Christ the King Ba in Fiji, writes Fr Pat Colgan.  We have three Masses each Sunday, one in the main town church followed by two in village churches. Palm Sunday’s liturgies were...
Sunday in the Rain

Sunday in the Rain

Cancelling Masses and sacramental services in favour of direct aid to flood evacuees – is this the ‘new normal’ for a priest on Sundays in the Pacific, asks Columban missionary Fr Pat Colgan. Heavy rain began in Ba on the night of 4-5 February. It continued...