Fr Donal McIlraith blesses the grave at the cemetery - Photo: Fr Donal McIlraith
“Going therefore, make disciples” Mt 28:19.
Lusio Naveliniko followed his sister Visenia into the Columban Lay Missionaries. Lusio was a son of the Rewa Delta near Suva in Fiji, growing up on the banks of the Rewa River - Fiji’s Mississippi. After secondary School and a few year’s work, he joined the Columban program in 2006. When he and his four companions completed their term, they were sent to Manila in the Philippine. There they studied Tagalog, a national language of the Philippines for six months. He was missioned to Olongapo and worked with the indigenous people there and in prison ministry in Immaculate Conception Parish in Barretto with Columbans Fr Fintan Murtagh and Donal O’Dea. Many years later I met Fr O'Dea and he told me that Lusio was a fine missionary. After a few years he came back to Fiji and went to work. He also took night classes to improve his skills. He was an apostle in his Rewa parish of Naililili helping his Parish Priest in many ways.
Lusio did not feel well for about a year and eventually the doctors detected a brain tumor. The family raised money to send him to India for treatment. His nephew Dan accompanied him. They arrived safely in Delhi and settled into the hospital. After preliminary tests, Lusio was ready for his surgery. Unfortunately, the day before his surgery, he died of a heart attack. His devastated nephew then accompanied the body back to Fiji. The family waited until Dan had finished his two-week quarantine because of the danger posed by Covid 19. Dan was released on Mar 16 and the funeral was held at their home on the banks of the Rewa on March 17.
Fr. Donal distributing holy communion at the funeral mass - Photo: Fr Donal McIlraith
His pastor, Fr Pio Malutolu, did the Mass and I did the burial. As is common in Fiji, he was buried near the house. I reminded people that it was St Patrick’s Day. Patrick, taken as a slave to Ireland, escaped but eventually returned to Ireland as a Bishop and brought the whole island to faith in Christ. Columban was a spiritual son of Patrick and so was Lusio. The torch has passed from Ireland to the Pacific and now Fiji and the other islands of the South Pacific take their place among the mission sending countries of the world.
Present at the funeral was his sister Visenia who had served as a Lay Missionary in Chile. She returned to Fiji and became the Fiji JPIC (Justice and Peace) Officer for many years. It was a sad occasion for her to bury her younger brother. Also present was Naanise Mo’unga from Tonga. Naanise had joined the LM program with Lusio in 2009. She also was missioned to Manila, studied Tagalog with Lusio and was also sent to Ologapo. Naanise is currently on loan from the Philippines to run the Fiji LM Program. Another LM, Vitalina Vukinagauna was at the funeral. She is currently Mission Office Coordinator for the Columbans in Suva but had worked in Olongapo before Lusio. The very first group of Fijian Lay Missionaries were missioned to Ireland! Vosita Lenisaurua of that group was also with us to farewell Lusio.
Thank you Lusio, thank you for showing Fiji the way to mission, and may the Lord welcome you to his banqueting table.
Columban Fr Donal McIlraith is the FMA Coordinator and teaches Mission Awareness and Education in Fiji.
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