Suva, Fiji, 23 May 2016 -- The CEPAC (South Pacific Catholic Bishops Conference) bishops started in 1972 a joint inter-diocesan and inter-religious theology center in Suva, Fiji Islands. After founding the Don Bosco House in Suva, in 1999, the Salesians became part of the PRS (Pacific Regional Seminary). At present time the rector of the seminary is Fr. Mike O'Connor, SM (Marist) and the Academic Dean is Fr. James Kyaw Hoe, SDB (vice-rector of our formation house, a veteran missionary in the Pacific).
Among the 150 students of the PRS are also 8 Salesian candidates to the priesthood, along other religious congregations and missionary societies ( SM - Marist, MSC - Missionaries of Sacred Heart, SSC - Columban Fathers, SM (Vincentian) and SSCC (Congregation of the Sacred Hearts).
The 'smaller half' of the student body is coming from a variety of South Pacific Islands dioceses: Fiji, Tonga & Niue, Samoa, Kiribati, Noumea, Tarawa & Nauru, Carolines, Pagopago and Port Vila.
The Seminary is dedicated to St. Peter Chanel, Martyr in Futuna Island, there is a large team of teaching staff and formators, good library with 30.000 volumes in English and the local Pacific languages.
