New milestone for Xavier College in Suva

New milestone for Xavier College in Suva

Xavier College was established in 1953 as a boys’ school by the Catholic Archdiocese of Suva, writes Fr Pat Colgan, SSC, to provide Christian education, particularly to Indian youth in the western part of Fiji. It was entrusted to the Columban Fathers at the...
Fr James Francis Gavigan

Fr James Francis Gavigan

James (‘Jimmy’) Gavigan was born in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal on 9 April 1927. He was educated at the Convent of Mercy and De la Salle Brothers Schools, and at St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny. He came to St Columban’s, Navan in September 1944 and was...
The faith of the people remains strong

The faith of the people remains strong

Churches closed on Sundays! No Sunday Mass! It is a shock. Yes, many people had stopped going to Mass for different reasons, but to have the official church telling priests not to have public Masses in their parishes was a remarkable event. Since this new regime came...
Fr Seamus O’Connor

Fr Seamus O’Connor

Seamus O’Connor was born in Tullamore on the 25 February1926. He was educated in St Brigid’s NS and St Finian’s, Mullingar and joined the Columbans in Navan in 1944. He was ordained on 21 December 1950 and was part of the first Columban group assigned to Fiji. He...