Photos: St Columbans Mission Society
In this special year, we give thanks and celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Fr Tom Rouse, marking fifty years since his ordination to the priesthood on 8 May 1976 at St Patrick’s Church in Napier, Aotearoa-New Zealand. This milestone is a moment of gratitude for a life dedicated to missionary service, pastoral care, leadership, and a deep commitment to justice, peace, and faith.
Fr Tom Rouse was born on November 9, 1951, in Napier, New Zealand, the son of Eric and Patricia Rouse, and the third of four children. He received his early education at St Joseph’s School and St Patrick’s Marist Brothers School, later attending St John’s College in Hastings for his secondary education. During these formative years, his faith and sense of purpose steadily grew, eventually leading him to respond to the call to the missionary priesthood.
In 1970, he began his Columban formation at Turramurra in Sydney, undertaking his spiritual year and then continuing with studies in philosophy and theology. His diaconate year included pastoral experience in Newtown and Arncliffe in Sydney and Wellington in New Zealand, helping to prepare him for the responsibilities of ministry. His ordination in 1976 marked the beginning of a remarkable missionary journey that would take him across cultures and communities over the next five decades.
Shortly after ordination, Fr Tom was assigned to Fiji, where he began by studying the Fijian language in Suva. He served in several parishes, including Rewa, Varoka in Ba, Labasa, and Raiwaqa. These early years were marked by close pastoral involvement with local communities and a growing awareness of the social realities facing many people. Alongside parish ministry, he became actively involved in Justice and Peace work, serving as the Fiji regional coordinator and engaging in social analysis and advocacy. In 1981, he studied social analysis at the Ecumenical Institute for the Development of Peoples (INODEP) in Paris, France and in the Philippines.
In 1988, during a period of political unrest in Fiji, Fr Tom, together with fellow Columban priests, was arrested while taking part in a peaceful prayer gathering opposing the military takeover. Though later discharged without conviction, the experience reflected his courage and commitment to standing in solidarity with those seeking peace and justice. Following these events, he eventually had to leave Fiji in 1989.
He then travelled to Dublin to continue his studies at Trinity College, focusing on theology, scripture, and sociology. His academic work included research on reading the Bible in contemporary mission contexts, particularly related to land, culture and identity in Fiji. This period of study enriched his understanding of mission and deepened his theological reflection.
In the early 1990s, Fr Tom returned to Australia and New Zealand, where he became deeply involved in formation ministry at St Columban’s College, Turramurra. He served as a staff member and teacher at the Columban Mission Institute, later becoming Rector of the Initial Formation Programme. He also served as Spiritual Year Director. During this time, he supported the development of future missionaries and contributed to courses run by the Mercy Urban Ministry movement. He also served as chaplain to the Fiji Sydney Catholic community, maintaining strong pastoral connections and, for six years, was a member of the chaplaincy that served the migrants and refugees of the Villawood Immigration Centre, Sydney. In 2004, Fr Tom returned to Fiji, once again offering his gifts to the people there. He served as assistant parish priest in Ba before being appointed Regional Director of Fiji in 2007. He completed two terms in this leadership role, guiding the region through important periods of development and representing Fiji at international meetings and assemblies. After completing his term, he took time for renewal and further study.
Since 2014, Fr Tom has been based in New Zealand, where he has continued to serve in significant roles. He was appointed Mission Coordinator for Columban Mission New Zealand, became a member of the New Zealand Columban Trust Board, and took on the role of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) coordinator.
For several years, he served on the executive and as president of the Congregational Leaders Conference for Aotearoa-New Zealand (CLCANZ). He has also contributed to the wider Church through involvement in national leadership groups, ecumenical dialogue (as a member of the Catholic–Lutheran Dialogue Commission), and advisory bodies. In 2019, he was elected New Zealand country leader within the Oceania Region and became a member of the Columban Regional Council.
Fr Tom’s fifty years of priesthood reflect a life of faith, courage, and faithful service. Through parish ministry, formation work, leadership and advocacy, he has quietly touched countless lives. As we celebrate this golden jubilee, we give thanks for his dedication, his generosity and his enduring commitment to Columban mission.
Columban Fr Tom Rouse working in Parish ministry in New Zealand.
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