Fr Frank with a child during one of his pastoral visits to the village of Dogoru. Photo: Fr Frank Hoare
July 2nd, 1975 Forays into the Unknown
One Sunday every month, after saying morning Mass in my Naleba church, I used to travel about 10 km by bus to visit three Catholic families, one indigenous Fijian and two Indo-Fijian. The families lived some distance from each other, so I would take turns saying Mass in their houses. I would often stay overnight and catch the bus back to Naleba the following morning.
The Fijian family lived some distance off the road. One of the young daughters would wait for my bus and escort me through the bush to their house. The big challenge was a river with a tree across it as a bridge. Luckily, I was young and fit. But I was always apprehensive stepping onto the log. I was immensely encouraged by the young girl crossing casually in front of me and offering her hand to steady me when needed.
One of the Indo-Fijian families was very poor. They didn’t have electricity or running water. They insisted that I sleep on the only bed in the house while the parents and children slept on the floor. I had mosquito coils with me, which I lit before going to bed. The next morning, the father exclaimed, “There wasn’t a single mosquito biting us last night. I never knew about this coil before.”
Unusual! Normally, the locals, not the visitors, solve these problems.
A young Fr Frank celebrating mass. Photo: Fr Frank Hoare
May 1982, Saying Mass Outdoors
Indo-Fijians centre their lives around the home. Hindus go to the temple usually only for big feasts. A Hindu family will have daily prayer at home, and worship or sacred readings on special occasions there. Catholic Indo-Fijians, too, pray at home, and some participate in prayer meetings that move around the neighbourhood. They are anxious to have Mass said in their homes on special family occasions.
In my early days as a priest among Indo-Fijians, I enjoyed saying home Masses where usually the extended family and some neighbours would be present. The intimate surroundings, the effort the family made to prepare well and the enjoyable social afterwards made these occasions special.
Sometimes, if the crowd was big and the weather favourable, the Mass would be held on the veranda or in the compound outside. One such evening Mass in a village settlement is stamped on my mind. I squatted behind the low altar, with the people sitting on mats on the grass in front. We were surrounded by ghostly trees and lights from nearby houses while the twinkling stars studded the black tapestry of the sky. A magical atmosphere for worship!
November 14th, 2000 Requesting the Name
I was preparing to leave Fiji for at least six years to serve on our Columban General Council, which was then based in Ireland. I had in my possession a Tabua (whale’ tooth), which is prized in Fiji. It is used to honour a chief and also to make important requests.
I was friendly with a family whose mother was pregnant. She was quite a social kava drinker. Watching her pour large bowls of kava down her throat I suggested that her baby might be born with a noise ailment in the ear.
I approached the family and offered the tabua requesting that the child to be born be given my name. The father received it in the traditional way and then declared that this meant that the child would be a boy. “No,” I said, “If it turns out to be a boy then Francis will be fine, but, if a girl, perhaps you could call her Frances.” The baby was a girl and now bears the name Frances.
Columban Fr Frank Hoare lives and works in Fiji.
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