Blessing and commissioning of the I-recycle station by the Archbishop of Suva, Peter Loy Chon and Columban Fr Vincent Ratnam. - Photo: Noa Tuivunilagi
On 28 January 2026, St. Pius X Parish made history by launching its first formal recycling program, becoming the first Catholic parish in Fiji to establish dedicated recycling bins on church grounds. This milestone was achieved through a partnership between Columban JPIC and the Pacific Recycling Foundation (PRF), which provided both the "I-Recycle" stations and essential waste management training to the parish-based SEMA Group.
This program was made possible; through months of preparation, on my part as JPIC Coordinator, it involved facilitating dialogues with the parish priest, the SEMA group leader Emily Tabua and the PRF Project Manager Shivanjali Singh. The SEMA Group, established years ago through Columban JPIC, is composed of women and men committed to ecological action at the parish level. The group manages a greenhouse garden and actively recycles and upcycles household items, giving waste a new and functional life.
From the outset, it was important that this programme clearly communicated the Church’s call to care for creation. With the SEMA Group and its members, the focus was on ensuring that the parish community recognised their seriousness and commitment to ecological conversion—an authentic change of heart in response to today’s environmental challenges. While the I-Recycle station directly benefits the parish, it is also accessible to neighbouring communities, enabling wider participation in responsible waste management. Importantly, the SEMA Group has been well equipped to pilot this programme, with the vision that it can be replicated in other Catholic parishes across Fiji—this being the first of its kind.
The launch was honoured by the presence of His Grace, the Archbishop of Suva, Peter Loy Chong, who attended as Chief Guest to deliver the keynote address and bless the I-Recycle station. Also present were the Acting CEO of the Suva City Council and the Founder and CEO of the Pacific Recycling Foundation, Mr Amitesh Deo. In the presence of Fijian media, the archbishop’s address grounded the occasion firmly in the Church’s moral and theological response to climate action, drawing strongly from Laudato Si’. He framed recycling and environmental stewardship as a moral imperative, echoing Pope Francis’s call to move away from a “throwaway culture” and towards a renewed commitment to caring for our common home.
Following the launch, members of the SEMA Group participated in a waste management training session, where they were instructed on how to manage the recycling facility and reminded of the deeper spiritual significance of recycling as an expression of their vocation to care for creation. This marked a fitting conclusion to a meaningful and impactful day.
The programme was made possible through the Circular Pacific Plastics (CPP) Project, initiated by the Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands Plastics Pact (ANZPAC), with funding support and implementation led by the Pacific Recycling Foundation. It is my hope that the establishment of St Pius X Parish as a beneficiary of this initiative will inspire other Catholic parishes across Fiji to respond faithfully to the call to care for creation through responsible and sustainable waste management.
Noa Mervyn Tuivunilagi
Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Coordinator (Region of Oceania)
