The members of the Columban Leadership Team in Fiji are:
Columban Leader Fiji: Fr. John McEvoy
Fr John McEvoy was ordained on Easter Sunday of 1972 and arrived in Fiji on November that same year. Upon arrival, he learned the Fijian language, culture and customs. He worked as Assistant Pastor at St Agnes Parish-Samabula, St Joseph the Worker Parish-Tamavua from 1975-1977. and Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, Vatukoula. After that, he was assigned back to Ireland for five (5) years to do Mission and Vocation Promotion work. He returned to Fiji in 1987, and worked in Tamavua again until 1990. During this time, he also looked after the parish of Vanuakula, for a year while the Parish Priest, Fr John Mahoney was on study leave in the States. He was appointed Parish Priest of Christ the King Parish-Ba where he remained until he was elected --- Regional Director of the Missionary Society of St Columban-Fiji Region from 1995 until 2001. In 2001, he returned to Ireland. The first four years were spent as a manager of the Dalgan Farm. It was followed by pastoral work in the parish of Rahan in his native Co. Offaly. But after 14 years of mission in his home country, Fr John returned to Fiji. On his return to Fiji in 2015, he was appointed Parish Priest of St Pius X Parish, Raiwaqa, as well as being elected vice director of Fiji. In 2018 he was elected Regional Director again for one year (last Regional Director of Fiji) As on the 23rd Nov 2019, the Regions of ANZ and Fiji would have amalgamated and become the New Region of Oceania. On the 23rd Nov 2019 he became the Columban Leader, Fiji – while still parish priest of Raiwaqa Parish. |
Vice Country Leader/ Formator: Fr. Frank Hoare
He is now the person in charge of the Columban Formation House in Suva. He is the Vicar for Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Suva since 2015. |
Council Member & Vocations Director: Fr. William Lee
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Council Member & Lay Missionary Coordinator: Naanise Mo’unga
In her second term, she worked in Our Lady of Remedies Parish in Malate, Manila from 2010 - June, 2017. She was attached with Mabadan/ Parish Social Services and mainly worked with Street Children, BEC, Youth & Children, Scout, Care for the Earth ministry (CEM) and Education Ministry. She was also LMLT rep for Luzon and was the CLM Finance Officer for Philippines from 2016-2017. She returned to Fiji June, 2017 to take up the role as Lay Missionary Coordinator. She is now the Columban Lay Missionary Coordinator for the Oceania Region. |
Fr. Frank served as a deacon in London before his ordination in April 23, 1973. He studied psychology in Rome, social anthropology in London and practical theology in Chicago. He learned the Fijian and Hindi languages and worked in parishes in Fiji and. He taught at the Pacific Regional Seminary in Suva for 5 years. He was a member of the General Council from 2001-2006, based in Ireland. He was the Vocation Director in Fiji from 2011 to 2016 and CCIM Coordinator for Fiji for two years.
Fr. William Lee was ordained in Labasa on the 2nd August,2008. He was assigned to Chile after his ordination, he worked in San Matias, Santiago for eight years. He was asked in 2016 to return to Fiji take the role as the Vocations Director. After a short course in Mary Mount in Sydney, he then moved to the Columban Formation house in Suva. He is in charge of Columban Vocations in Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati and Solomon Islands. He is also the Chaplain of the Catholic students at Fiji National University (FNU).
Naanise Pola Mounga is from Tonga. She joined the Columban Lay Missionaries in 2007. She was assigned to the Philippines and worked in Immaculate Conception Parish in Barreto, Olonagapo. She was involved in Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Basic Ecclesial community (BEC) and Youth.
