THE VICARIATE-APOSTOLIC OF FIJI

New Zealand Tablet, 17 November 1910, Page 1897

THE VICARIATE- APOSTOLIC OF FIJI

A DESTRUCTIVE CYCLONE As our readers are aware, a devastating cyclone passed over Fiji at the end of March, which resulted in the loss of several 1 lives and great damage to property of all kinds. The Right Rev. Dr. Vidal, S.M., Vicar-Apostolic of Fiji, was then in Europe, and when the cable news of the sad calamity that had befallen his vicariate had . reached him he cut short his visit and hurried back to the islands. It was only on his Lordship's arrival in Adelaide that he was able to form an idea of the extent of the disaster. As soon as he reached Fiji he made a visitation of all the places that had suffered, and a short time ago he embodied the result of his observations in a circular letter, addressed to the missionaries and religious of the vicariate, from which we take the following particulars: During the past six years the vicariate enjoyed immunity from hurricanes, and as it was near the end of March it was felt the season for such had been over. On Holy Thursday there were great numbers at the nineteen principal mission stations in connection with the ceremonies of Holy eek. Many of these had come long distances, and although much fatigued they prepared to spend the night in adoration. Towards 10 o'clock at night the wind rose to a furious gale, the barometer fell rapidly, and at midnight there was no doubt indeed that a hurricane had come, and was strewing its path with death and desolation. At 3 o'clock on Good Friday morning the storm had attained its greatest velocity, and was unroofing houses, uprooting trees, and levelling fences. Towards break of day the storm began to abate, and it was soon possible to make an estimate of the damage. Not in the memory of man was such a hurricane experienced in Fiji. In the five hours that it lasted, it did more damage than others had done in two days. Several of the missionaries' cutters and boats were either totally wrecked or almost damaged beyond repair. Everywhere the native Brothers and their pupils performed heroic work in their endeavors to save the little fleet which is so necessary for "the visitation of the. various stations. At the Natovi station the Emilio bad sunk not far from the shore, and < became filled with fine silt. To refloat the little craft it was necessary to remove the silt, which could only be performed by divers. The work extended over a period of five weeks, and was of a most arduous and dangerous nature, yet the natives were not discouraged, but persevered with their labors until success crowned their efforts and the vessel was raised. It was especially on land that the losses were heavy—houses dismantled, native villages demolished, and plantations devastated.

' Suva, the capital of the Archipelago, which up to this had escaped most of the cyclones, was upon this occasion badly used. The presbytery, which is also*the residence of the Right Rev. Dr. Vidal, was partially ruined. The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart was uninjured, and was used next day as a shelter for some of the homeless. The convent of the Sisters also escaped, but the boarding school of the Marist Brothers was stripped of a portion of its roof, the damage resulting in the loss of a quantity of school requisites. At St. John’s, Cawaci, the fine concrete churcu and the presbytery withstood the force of the hurricane, but the roof of the Sisters’ house was carried away, and the girls’ school was lifted bodily from its foundation and demolished. The same fate befell the Marist Brothers’ school. The houses of the catechists were stripped of their thatch. The catechists and their pupils, to the number of about 200, were obliged to seek shelter in the crypt of the church. The most serious loss sustained by this station was the almost complete destruction of its food plantations. His Lordship asks : ‘ How shall we find food for these f/ poor pupils? We have to buy rice for these 200 mouths, but where shall we get enough money to pay for it?’ At Natovi at 3 o’clock on Good Friday morning the church was blown over and literally broken to pieces. The presbytery at this station was partially wrecked, and the modest' furniture and the necessaries of the missionaries destroyed. At Namosi the church was demolished, the presbytery partly so, and the food plantations destroyed. At Vaiiuakula, in the interior of the island of Viti Levu, the church was unroofed, the houses of the missionary and the Sisters suffering a similar fate. The church at Loraary escaped, but the dwellings of the missionaries and the Sisters were seriously damaged. Naililili was more sorely tried than any of the others. At an early hour on Good Friday morning the hurricane was at its height. Prior to that a number sought refuge in the presbytery, and about thirty families in the boys’ dormitory. About 2 o’clock in the "morning the dormitory, a brick building, was blown down; the walls having given way at the ground level. Heart-rending cries were heard from the ruins, and a search revealed the sad fact that seven natives had been killed, whilst two others were so badly injured that they died immediately after receiving the last Sacraments. At the sight of such a catastrophe the most poignant grief was felt by all present. Among the victims were three of the schoolboys, These boys had

received Holy Communion on Holy - Thursday, < arid . had assisted at Mass as acolytes. Others who >vero imprisoned by the debris were rescued. Furniture, boats, and plantations were all lost. The church at Rewa sustained some damage. The Brothers’ house was completely wrecked, and will have to be rebuilt, whilst the convent and the girls’ school v were very seriously damaged. In concluding, his Lordship says: — ‘But Rev. Fathers and beloved co-opera-tors, I must conclude; my hand is weary of describing this catastrophe. Yet, the account is far -from complete. But it is enough perhaps to stir up in generous , souls a desire to come to our aid. Let us on no account be discouraged; God has tried us; but we must not forget that it is by sacrifice souls are regenerated and people converted. . ... 1 have full confidence that. the two churches blown down will soon rise again more beautiful and more solid than before. The three convents so badly damaged will not remain indefinitely deprived of their roofs. The two schools destroyed will also find some friends who will generously contribute enough to'rebuild them. As to the ruined plantations, they must be replaced by rice, which some good souls will help us to pay for, until the sweet potatoes, planted immediately after the hurricane, become mature. By tile:last mail we received notice of some offerings that are coming,: and I have confidence that they will continue to .come until our losses are made good.