Suva, Fiji Islands, 5 September 2023 -- The Pacific Regional Seminary in Suva, Fiji hosted a CMSPI Conference from 28 August to 1 September 2023 with many delegates including religious leaders from Fiji, Australia, Samoa, New Zealand, Tonga and Kiribati.
The theme of the conference is “Towards a Synodal Church: A Journey of Hopes, Dreams and Difficulties". The opening Eucharist of the conference was presided over by Fr William Matthews SDB on Tuesday 29 August, together with bishops and religious from different parts of the Pacific. During his homily, Fr Will challenged the participants to be like John the Baptist and to be brave and bold in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ we serve.
The key presenters include Sr Maria Cimperman RSCJ from Chicago, Bishop Vincent Long of Parramatta, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong of Suva, and Sr Colleen Jackson RSC & Fr Peter O’Neil from Australia.
Sr Louise McKeogh the Provincial leader of the Salesian Sisters, Sr Folola, Sr Carol and a number of Salesians from the Suva community took part in the conference with great enthusiasm and contribution.
A good part of the conference was focused on synodality in the Church in the Pacific and human trafficking in the region with a reference to the Sound of Freedom movie.
The Initial Formation and Lay Participation was another focus that was led and contributed by Fr Jim Hoe SDB the Rector of Suva community, Fr Tuia Afoa SDB a lecturer at PRS and Sr Carol Tevaga FMA from Samoa.
Normally this is a conference only for leaders, but this time many formators, young religious and diocesan seminarians studying at PRS were actively involved in the event.
At the conclusion of the conference, the major superiors re-elected Fr Jonathan Hurrell ss.cc for another term as the President of the Conference of Major Superiors of the Pacific Islands [CMSPI].
