Catholic Community Services in Fiji Solutions to Poverty Alleviation

36 Pages·2013·0.19 MB·English

by  Rebecca Richard

SIT Graduate Institute/SIT Study Abroad
SIT Digital Collections
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection SIT Study Abroad
Spring 2006
Catholic Community Services in Fiji Solutions to
Poverty Alleviation
Rebecca Richard
SIT Study Abroad
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Richard, Rebecca, "Catholic Community Services in Fiji Solutions to Poverty Alleviation" (2006).Independent Study Project (ISP)
Collection. 346.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/346
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Catholic Community Services in Fiji
Solutions to Poverty Alleviation

(cid:44)

Rebecca Richard

Advisor: Kevin Barr MSC
AD: Taomi Tapu-Qiliho
SIT Fiji: Spring 2006
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Abstract

This paper is an attempt to research various Catholic community service
programs in and around the Suva area of Fiji. I visited various Churches, religious
orders, and Catholic organizations in the hopes to learn about their actions, and how
their services affect the community and alleviate poverty. In the beginning of this
paper, I stressed the religiosity of Fiji, and how many people are devoted to their faith,
but only through ‘individual piety,’ consisting of prayer, reading the bible, and mass
attendance. I speak of the role of the Catholic Church and its commitment to service
via Catholic Social Teaching, a practice developed after the Second Vatican Council
(Vatican II.)
I speak of Community Service and the theories and paradigms within. I
applied every service organization into different paradigms and made an attempt to
explain why each fit in a particular paradigm.
I wished to and discover the initial problems of poverty, and discovered that
there are a number of reasons why people live the way they live. My concluding
remarks stress the need for the Catholic citizens of Fiji to become more active, to lend
a helping hand and to be aware of the services the Catholic Church provides to the
community.

Contacts of Resources:
• St Vincent de Paul Parish, Nausori ------------- 340-0217
• Chevalier Hostel, Flagstaff ------------------------- 331-2773
• Home of Compassion, Samabula ----------------- 337-0644
• Society of Saint Columban, Suva ---------------- 330-8291
• Daughters of Charity, Nausori ------------ 340-0035
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Dedication

This paper is dedicated to my mentor Father Michael Cronogue, SSE for planting the
seed of service theory into my head, for allowing me to get upset at the state of the
world, for allowing me to pursue my studies in the field of Peace and Justice, and for
his guidance in helping me find a place on this earth.
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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Kevin Barr MSC for his knowledge and contacts of the
many Catholic run organizations in Fiji, I was given many resources, which put me
more at ease regarding the writing of this paper. I would also like to acknowledge
Father Mike Cronogue SSE for our many discussions regarding service and service
theory, and Catholic Social Teaching, all of which were possible through the Peace
and Justice Program at Saint Michael’s College.
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Table of Contents

Title -
Abstract 2
Dedication 3
Acknowledgements 4
Introduction 6
History of Catholicism 9
Catholic Mission and Commitment to Service 10
Catholic Social Teaching 11
Catholicism and Service 13
Service Theory 13
-Charity 14
-Project 15
-Social Change 16
Heart, Hand, and Head 18
Methodology 18
-St Vincent de Paul 20
-Home of Compassion 21
-Daughters of Charity 22
-Chevalier Farm Training Centre 23
Church and Politics 25
-Columban Fathers 25
Findings- Root Causes of Poverty 27
Conclusion 28
Bibliography 30

Appendices
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Introduction
The Greeks call it diakonia, the Jews call it tsedakah; regardless of the title
ascribed, the concept of service is undoubtedly familiar to cultures all over the world.
Many people believe that they were placed on this planet to help and serve those in
need and to make the world a better place to live in.
Service is also one of the backbones to many religious denominations and
orders. Many, priests, rabbis, nuns, people in lay ministry, and others with strong
sense of their faith, make it the basis for their lives, to help and serve others in the
name of their God. It is seen as a way to practice what is preached. People wish to live
the messages they hear in the Koran, Torah, or Gospel.
Being in Fiji for the past 3 months, among many religious people, I have
grown quite used to the religiosity of this island nation. Having lived in a religious
homestay, volunteered at a religious kindergarten, and having come from a strong
faith background myself, I have become quite attuned to the strong faith in God in this
country. I would even go as far to say that I, being quite religious myself, might have
noticed certain things and undertones that other students on this trip might not have
picked up on.
One would have to be blind not to realize that Fiji is quite a religious country,
with over 50% of the population being Christian (not to mention other religions like
Hindu and Muslim.) Villages predominantly share the same faith. Based on what I
have seen during my experiences in Suva and the areas and villages around, the idea
of religion and community go hand in hand. Many people turn to religion to gain a
sense of community and sense of belonging. Despite the communal sentiments born
from sharing religion, faith does not go much further than going to service,
participating in fellowship afterwards, singing hymns, and reading the Bible. The
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religiosity of Fiji is very introverted, and much emphasis is placed upon ‘individual
piety.’
I took a great notice to this concept when I was volunteering at a local
kindergarten. The children had song time everyday, and one of their favourite songs to
sing was in English, Fijian, and Hindi. The song went,
‘Read your Bible, pray everyday, pray everyday, pray everyday, read your
Bible, pray everyday, and you’ll grow, grow grow…’
Here, forty or so children were singing this song that gave them directions on
how to be a good Christian- through prayer and scripture readings alone. There was
no instruction to ‘be a good neighbour or to do good for others.’
This mentality is not practical today, especially in a place like Fiji. How can
one grow through prayer and Church attendance alone? It does not seem feasible,
especially in a developing nation like Fiji alone. One cannot pray for more food, a
better job and living conditions. People simply cannot rely on divine intervention
alone, changes must be made! These changes involve: “…more than prayer, going to
Church reading the Bible, singing hymns, collecting money, and attending
meetings…the Church must continue to be a sign of God’s love to the world.”1
The Catholic Church has had a significant emphasis regarding service to
others and poverty alleviation for a number of years. In this paper I will attempt to
explain the role the Catholic Church in Fiji has played in terms of service to this
island nation. I wish to learn if and in what ways the Catholic Church is fulfilling its
mission. I hope to identify both the strengths and weaknesses with in the structure of
the community service systems, and to perhaps discover some of the initial causes to
poverty itself.

1 Barr, Kevin J, Lets Change the World (Suva, Fiji 1994), 15
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I chose to emphasize Catholic social services and charities for my Independent
Study for no other reason than familiarity with the religion itself. I could have easily
researched the social services stemming from Methodist or Anglican faiths, however I
chose not to do so for two particular reasons. I felt that exploring many different faith
backgrounds would be far too large an endeavour for four weeks of research. I also
felt that I would not be able to give justice to a faith background I had no prior
experience with.
I was raised in a strong Catholic family and am currently attending a Catholic
university at home. I attend Mass regularly, and am involved within many of the
Campus Ministry programs. My concentration in Peace and Justice Studies has
allowed me the chance to take classes where religion is of primary focus. My advisor
and mentor at school is an Edmundite Priest, and I am also actively involved within
my schools volunteer outreach program, M.O.V.E. (Mobilization Of Volunteer
Efforts) that is also a component of the Campus Ministry.

It is not my intention to condescend any faith background whatsoever. I use
Catholicism as a base for my research to gain a better understanding of my faith cross-
culturally. Despite being a devout Catholic, I do have serious issues with the way the
Church is run. However, I feel that the good of the Catholic Church strongly
outweighs the faults it has. In addition, I firmly believe that I am no less Catholic for
having these issues. This is, for example, no different than someone having ‘beef’
with America, while still calling themselves an American.
My semester in Fiji has tested my faith in ways very unfamiliar to me. Sharing
my semester with five other girls from various faiths, not to mention the many
different religions of Fiji has made me aware of my ‘religious naïveté’ if you will. I
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have grown up in a French-Canadian Catholic community, and attend a very
progressive- and very liberal- Catholic school. I have never been more aware of my
religion than here in Fiji. This is not only because of the because of the great
religiosity of this country, but also due to the many discussions I have had with my
peers regarding religion leading into the wee hours of the morning. I have had to
explain and defend Catholicism often, something I have never had to do before. This
semester under my belt, I not only feel more grounded in my faith, but more aware of
other religions and beliefs as well.
I, like the five other girls studying with me, chose my research for personal
reasons. Service plays a very special part in my life. I wish not only to help others
who are less fortunate than myself, but to help people help themselves as well. I feel
that I was placed on this planet to help others, and to live a Christ-like life. It is my
hope that this research Project will help affirm my faith. I hope to become a better
Catholic, and return to the United States with a better and deeper understanding of my
faith and what Catholicism does for others, and what it means to people across the
globe.

A Brief Look at the History of Catholicism in Fiji
The first attempt to bring Catholicism to Fiji occurred in 1842 by French
missionaries who had the mentality to evangelise South Pacific islands like Tonga,
Fiji, and Samoa.2 When the missionaries arrived on the Fijian island of Lakemba,
located in the Lau group, they were almost immediately denied access to land, and left
to spread Catholicism to Tonga. Upon the order of a new bishop, a second attempt

2 Kelly, Charlotte M, History of Catholics in Fiji, 1844-1944 (Suva, Fiji, 1944), 3