A cathedral in coral
Gary Walker
Fr Tom Rouse spent five months in St Joseph's parish, Naililili in the Rewa River delta about 20kms from Suva, Fiji's capital, to improve his fluency in the Fijian language.
As you step out of the boat, a short five minutes from the landing where your car is left safely and walk up the riverbank, the twin towers of St Joseph's church loom impressively. It is majestic but also a bit of a wreck with a mildewed facade and a bush growing out of a side window.
Fr Tom ushered us inside; the stained glass windows, 25 in all, are in varying stages of disrepair with pieces of glass missing here and there. The church has survived over 100 years of cyclones and floods but they have left their mark.
The interior of the church is still outstanding. It has the dimensions and stature of a cathedral; it's built from coral rock taken from the sea in the 19th century. Fr Tom said, "The logistics were formidable. All the building material had to be brought here by barge or canoe. But the people did it and the church was completed in 1901." He added, "The water comes up through the foundations because the water table is high here and is absorbed by the coral. The walls have survived surprisingly well because coral is both porous and resistant to decomposition by salt water. Mildew is a problem because of the high humidity in the river delta."
He reflected on the situation, "Many proposals have been made to pull down the old church and build a new one. The people have resisted because they say that the blood of their ancestors is in these foundations. Their ancestors sailed down to the reef and cut coral stone blocks by hand and manhandled them back to the church site. Their blood flowed in the cutting and the carrying of the blocks. This is a sacred link to the blood of Jesus. When they celebrate the sacrifice of the Mass in the church, they think about the sacrifice their ancestors made to build this church."
St Joseph's is an extraordinary achievement by people with simple building tools. Fr Patrice Rougier sm, a French Marist priest provided the vision and drive; his wealthy family and friends in France donated the money. It was Fr Rougier's dream that the ‘cathedral' would become the centre of the Catholic Church in Fiji. However, this didn't eventuate. Now this magnificent edifice stands in a backwater while Sacred Heart Cathedral in Suva, is the centre of the Catholic faith in Fiji.
Fr Petero Sanele, the present pastor of St Joseph's, said the church has survived many floods and cyclones. In 1965 the Rewa River flooded, the priest at that time Fr Paul Cocerau sm rowed from the presbytery to the church to say Mass! The river was dredged 10 years ago and the church hasn't flooded since.
Fr Petero explained, "The local people want to put a new roof on the church and clean its facade. It's a formidable task but they are as determined as their ancestors." The complete restoration needed is clearly beyond the means of this local Catholic community.
I would urge tourists from Australia and New Zealand who find themselves in Suva to take a trip to Nausori and then travel to the river landing on the Rewa River at Nasali. Take a short trip of five minutes in a flat bottom punt up around the bend to see St Joseph's church. It's a worthwhile visit.
Fijians are people with a strong attachment to their traditions, ancestors and their faith. With the help of generous Columban benefactors they may continue to honour the dedication of their ancestors whose faith and hard work built this church.
The Columbans are also irrevocably bound to Naililili. Columban Fr John Mahoney's grave is beside the church. An outstanding missionary in Fiji he is buried a long way from his original home in Denver, Colorado but like other Columbans he made Fiji home and the Fijian Church, his Church. Without saying a word, I think Fr Tom feels the same way.
