Even though it was my first time to visit to Fiji, my short stay in Holy Family Parish in Labasa felt like a homecoming!
Situated among the sugarcane plantations, I arrived at the small, regional airport on a forty-minute flight from the capital city of Suva. My travel companion was Vida Hequilan, the international coordinator for Columban lay missionaries. Within moments of our plane touching down, we were warmly welcomed by Fr. Carlo Jung Euikyun.
As Fr. Carlo drove us along windy, country roads to Doguro Village, our conversation moved back and forth between his present-day missionary life in the remote countryside of Fiji and memories of the years we had spent together in Chicago. We had encountered one another for the first time in the Windy City in 2007, when – as a young seminarian – Fr. Carlo came from Korea in order to continue his studies at the Columban international seminary where I had been the rector. During the next four years, we shared the ups and downs of daily life in that multicultural community. While the seminarians studied English and theology, living together and forming friendships with the other members of that community from various countries was considered equally as important as academic achievements.
Fr. Carlo Jung Euikyun and Fr. Tim Mulroy join the entrance procession for Mass, followed by a festive celebration, in the Village of Namukalau, a remote outstation of Holy Family Parish, Labasa
As I moved around Holy Family Parish during the following days in the company of Fr. Carlo, I could see that both he and the community he now serves are reaping the benefits of those seminary experiences – he was able to engage easily with the indigenous Fijian people and the Indian Fijian people, whose language and culture differ greatly from one another. Meanwhile, he translated into English for me all that was going on around us!
An Indian-Fijian mother and her son with Fr. Carlo Jung Euikyun and Fr. Tim Mulroy in Naleba Village – part of Holy Family Parish, Labasa
What a joy to see that Fr. Carlo, who comes from the large city of Incheon in Korea, has found his life’s treasure in the sugarcane fields of Labasa, Fiji.
Fr. Carlo Jung Euikyun and Fr. Tim Mulroy celebrating Sunday Mass in Holy Family Parish Church, Labasa
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