OCEANIA/FIJI ISLANDS - Resignation of the Archbishop of Suva and appointment of Successor

Friday, 21 December 2012

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI on December 19, 2012 accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Suva (Fiji), presented by Archbishop Petero Mataca, in accordance with canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law. The Holy Father appointed Archbishop of Suva (Fiji), Rev. Peter Loy Chong, of the clergy of Suva, currently at the University of Santa Clara in the United States.
Rev. Peter Loy Chong was born on January 30, 1961 in Natovi, Tailevu, in the Archdiocese of Suva. He attended the Catholic school in Natovi and the Saint John's College Cawaci on the island of Ovalau. In 1984, he joined the Pacific Regional Seminary, where he completed his priestly formation. He was ordained a priest on 11 January 1992 and incardinated in the Archdiocese of Suva.
After ordination he has held the following positions: 1992-1995: Assistant priest of Our Lad of Perpetual Help, Lautoka; 1996-2000: Pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Vatukoula; 2000-2005: Pastor of the Immaculate Conception, Soleva; 2005 -2012: Higher education at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, in Californi, and a Doctorate in Theology.
The Archdiocese of Suva (built in 1966), has an area of 18,333 square kilometers and consists of about 322 islands. It has a population of 1,297,683 inhabitants, of whom 101,050 are Catholics. There are 35 parishes, 81 priests (32 diocesan and 49 religious), 27 religious brothers who are not priests, 135 nuns and 14 seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 21/12/2012)


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