Archbishop Sionepoe (left) with Fr Donal McIIraith.
On Saturday April 12, 2025, Bishop Susitino Sionepoe SM (Society of Mary) was installed as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Nouméa in New Caledonia.
The joyful and moving ceremony was held at the Cathedral of St Joseph and attended by Church leaders, clergy, and laypeople across the Pacific region.Archbishop Sionepoe - affectionately known as “Archbishop Tino”- is a graduate of the Pacific Regional Seminary in Fiji. I had the privilege of teaching him during his formation, and it was a great joy to join the Seminary Rector, Fr Augustino Ulupano SM, in representing the seminary at the installation.
Originally from Hihifo, Wallis Island, Archbishop Tino was ordained a Marist priest in 1993 and ministered in Tonga and New Caledonia. He later served as the Marist Mission Superior in New Caledonia and was elected to the Marist Provincial Council. In 2019, he was appointed Bishop of Wallis and Futuna. Early this year, Pope Francis entrusted him with the archdiocese of Nouméa, succeeding Archbishop Michel-Marie Calvet SM, who has served faithfully and is now 81 years old.
The installation Mass began at 3 pm in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio. Kanak dancers led the opening procession to the cathedral, followed by altar servers, deacons, priests, and bishops. Archbishop Calvet presided at the beginning of the celebration but later handed over the bishop’s staff to Archbishop Tino and led him to the episcopal seat, symbolising the transfer of pastoral leadership. From Suva to Nouméa, the journey was filled with the warm hospitality the Pacific is renowned for. While waiting for our flight at Nadi Airport in Fiji, we met a young Tongan priest - a recent seminary graduate returning from studies in the United States. It was a heartfelt reunion, especially for Fr Ulupano, who had been his Vice Rector, and for me, as his former Scripture lecturer.
Upon arrival in Nouméa, Fr Ken Bhorat, a young parish priest ordained just three years ago, who had arranged our stay, was there to greet us. That evening, his parish community welcomed us with a traditional kava ceremony and a generous banquet. Bishop Simon Mani MSC of Kiribati, a former rector of the seminary, was also present. Later that evening, I reconnected with Fr Bill Hergot SM from Vanuatu, now Marist Superior in New Caledonia and another seminary alumnus.
The next day, we visited the city’s key sites with local parishioners Thierry and Colette Tuaula. These sites included the cathedral, a shelter for the homeless run by Fr George Sau, and the Archbishop’s Residence. Along the way, I met more former students - now dedicated clergy in their own right - including Fr Jean-Patrick Callega and Bishop Bosco Baremes of Vanuatu. Our visit was not without reminders of the region's challenges. In Paita, we saw the remains of buildings recently destroyed by unrest. In response, parish communities have mobilised, with women guarding churches during the day and men at night.
The hospitality continued with a family fish feast hosted by the Tuaula family. At Mass that evening, I was reunited with Fr Vincent Vireal, a former student I had last seen at his ordination in 2000. It was a moving reunion, made more poignant by memories of his classmate, Fr David Bule Tangsu, who passed away from cancer three years ago. Saturday morning was peaceful, with an early Mass at the Cathedral and time to rest before the installation ceremony. As an official guest, I was seated just behind the bishops, with a clear view of the sanctuary. The Mass, celebrated in French, was deeply spiritual and beautifully enriched by congregational singing of the Missa de Angelis.
Afterwards, we shared a simple Lenten supper with the bishops and other guests. On Sunday morning, I boarded a flight home, marking the 54th anniversary of my ordination (April 13, 1971) in the air between New Caledonia, New Zealand, and Fiji. I returned just in time to resume teaching the Book of Revelation at the seminary on Monday morning. Please keep Archbishop Sionepoe - and all of us in the Pacific - in your prayers as he begins this important new chapter in his ministry.
Columban Fr Donal McIlraith lives and works in Fiji.
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - June 2025
