by NZ CATHOLIC staff
Suva — The Roman Catholic Curia of Fiji announced with deep sadness the passing of Archbishop Emeritus, Petero Mataca. He was 81 years old.

The Catholic Church in Fiji has come a long way under Archbishop Peter Mataca’s guidance, said Archbishop Peter Loy Chong.

Archbishop Peter Loy Chong said the Catholic Church in Fiji and Rotuma came a long way under Archbishop Mataca’s leadership over the past 40 years. “We thank him for his tireless commitment and in his own words we say: Sa dre ko Malolo. It is time to say goodbye,” Archbishop Loy Chong said.
Archbishop Mataca died at the Suva Private Hospital Monday morning due to a lingering illness
In his condolence message, Prime Minister Rear Admiral (Ret) Voreqe Bainimarama said Archbishop Mataca was a man of great integrity who was always prepared to take a stand for what is right.
“It is sad that Archbishop Mataca did not live to see the first genuine democracy that he so passionately believed in take hold in Fiji after our General Election in September. But when it happens, it will be in large part because of the building blocks he did so much to set in place,” he said.
Archbishop Mataca was born in Cawaci, Ovalau on April 28,1933. He studied at St John’s College in Levuka and was ordained priest in 1959.
He was ordained the first iTaukei bishop in 1974, a historial turning point of the Roman Catholic Church in Fiji, and archbishop two years later.
Archbishop Loy Chong said Archbishop Mataca continued to be an ardent advocate of the concept of local Church.
“In his 1975 Pastoral Plan, he said establishing the local Church should be a primary task of the Church in Fiji.The model of Church during the early period of Archbishop Mataca’s term reflected a Church whose self-understanding was self-ministering, self-supporting, and self-propagating,” he said.
He added Archbishop Mataca also pushed for vocation, established the Catechists’ Training Centre at Navesi and approved the establishment of six secondary schools on Vanua Levu and six on VitiLevu.
“Archbishop Mataca held the Archdiocesan Synod signifying a peak moment of grace in the history of the local Church in Fiji. He confirmed the Church was becoming self-propagating as the flock showed that they wanted to be a Church committed to mission.
“He added that the flock had come to realise that the Church did not belong to the missionaries but to them – for they are the Church,” he said.
Archibshop Loy Chong said Archbisop Mataca’s time was full of challenges arising from cultural diversity and political instability.
“Consequently, under Archbishop Mataca’s leadership, the Catholic Church took particular interest in addressing social, cultural and political issues,” he said.