Fiji's retired Catholic leader, Archbishop Emeritus Petero
Mataca, has died.Archbishop
Mataca retired in 2012, being replaced by Father Peter Loy Chong.
The
Fiji Sun reports that the 81 year old died at the Suva Private Hospital on
Monday morning.
He had
been consecrated as the Catholic Church's first indigenous Fijian bishop in
1974.
The
Pacific Conference of Churches general secretary, Reverend Francois Pihaatae,
says Archbishop Mataca had lived a life dedicated to the service of God and the
church.
He says
under his leadership the Catholic Church made significant contributions to
Fiji's national development including the building of 12 secondary schools.
Reverend
Pihaatae says Archbishop Mataca was committed to seeing that the local church
was self-supporting and he made every effort to bring young men into the
ministry as priests.
He says
he was also passionate about social justice and addressing the needs of the
under-privileged.
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