Catholics from Fiji and other Melanesian islands who are living and working on the west coast of the United States of America have been learning about synodality and ‘listening in the Spirit’, thanks to a visit from Fr Asaeli Rass SVD.
Fr Rass, who completed his term as Provincial of the AUS Province at the end of last year, has been visiting the US with the Archbishop of Suva, Peter Loy Chong.
They have spent time in a range of Catholic faith communities in California, holding workshops and offering pastoral care.
“Together with the Archbishop, I have been spending time with the Fijian diaspora living in California to assist their renewal program of focusing on synodal listening,” Fr Rass said.
“Many pacific islanders did not take part in the synodal listening that occurred in other places leading up to the Synod of Bishops on Synodality, so this was a good opportunity to engage them in this.
“And we were responding to a dee
pening desire to address some of the issues they are facing as Fijians and Catholics living in the US and a desire for spiritual renewal and cultural connection.”
Fr Rass was born in Fiji. His father was a Melanesian Fijian Chief and his mother is of Polynesian Tongan heritage.
He said there is a growing community of people from Fiji and Melanesia living on the west coast of the US, largely due to good work opportunities. And, while there is no Fijian chaplain, the people are active members of local Catholic parishes, but also gather together about once a month to share in culture and community.
“Apart from providing a pastoral and sacramental presence here we have been doing formation work for the leaders of the community and kickstarting renewal programs,” he said.
“As part of that we have been engaging the people in synodal listening, servant leadership and generally supporting their faith journey within a cultural context so that they are not afraid to stand up and be Fijian Catholics in the US.”
Fr Rass said that synodal listening is already embedded in the cultures of pacific islanders, although some cultural challenges remain.
“Our communities are based on listening together and making decisions together, but layered over that is the Chiefly structure, which does present some challenges to synodality,” he said.
“But coming from that kind of culture, they are now living in the highly individualistic culture of America, so there is the question of how to live well while kind of straddling those communitarian and individualistic cultures.
“It’s a case of let’s keep listening to each other and don’t be afraid to speak up. If you feel you cannot speak up alone, then gather others to speak with you.
“We’re hoping that by introducing the practice of ‘Conversation in the Spirit’, which was the method used at the synod in Rome, we’ll help these communities to really listen to the Spirit and discern what God might be saying to them.”
Fr Rass is the US for just over a month, as part of his post-Provincial sabbatical before taking up his next assignment as Parish Priest of Mary Mother of the Church parish in Macquarie Fields in the Wollongong Diocese.
PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: Fr Asaeli Rass SVD after celebrating Mass with Fijian Catholics in California
MIDDLE: Fr Rass presented workshops with Suva Archbishop Peter Loy Chong.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Fr Rass with members of the Fijian/Melanasian community in the US.
