He was 94.

Pearce was a member of the Society of Mary.

He was ordained a priest in 1947 by Archbishop Richard J. Cushing at Our Lady of Victories Church in Boston, Massachusetts.

He taught at the Marist Fathers' Preparatory Seminary in Bedford, Massachusetts from 1947-48; and at St. Mary's High School in Van Buren, Maine from 1948-1949.

From 1949 to 1967 he worked in the Samoa.

In February 1956, Pearce was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Islands of Samoa and Tokelau and ordained a bishop on June 29, 1956 in Boston, Massachusetts.

In June 1966, Pearce was appointed the first Bishop of the Diocese of Apia (Samoa) and in June 1967, he was transferred to the Metropolitan See as Archbishop of Suva (Fiji Islands).

He also served also as administrator of the Diocese of Agana (Guam and the Marianas Islands) from 1969 to 1971.

He was the first President of the Pacific Conference of Catholic Bishops (CEPAC).

Archbishop Pearce participated in the four eight-week sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome from 1962-1965.

He was one of the last living Council Fathers.

In October 1969, he also participated in the first Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome.

While serving as Archbishop of Suva Pearce wanted to reinvigorate the work of evangelization among Fiji's large Indian population.

He visited India and made contact with a religious congregation founded in India for evangelization - the Indian Mission Society.

Together they planned for a parish-based mission in Nadi Town with an associated Ashram.

His successor Archbishop Petero Mataca continued to offer the dream of an Archdiocesan Ashram strong support and under his direction the Ashram buildings were constructed and opened in 1977.

In April 1976, Pearce resigned as the Archbishop of Suva and returned to the United States.

From 1977 to 1979, he served as a member of the Core Group of Bethany House of Intercession at Warwick Neck, Rhode Island, and from 1979 to 1983, at its location at Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

From 1983 until 1997 he was a personal assistant to Bishop Louis E. Gelineau and was in residence at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence, RI.

In recent years, he continued to help with Confirmations and other pontifical ceremonies in the Diocese of Providence.

He was very active in the charismatic and pro-life movements and on April 15, 1999, he received a pro-life award at the Pro-Life Conference held at the Inn at the Crossings in Warwick, Rhode Island.

In recent years he resided at Saint Antoine Residence, North Smithfield.

The Rite of Reception of his body will be celebrated on Friday, September 4 at the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul, Providence, Rhode Island, at 9:00AM.

Archbishop Pearce's Funeral will take place at the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul, Providence, on Friday, September 4, 2015 at 11:00AM.

Source

• Supplied: Office of the Chancellor DIOCESE OF PROVIDENCE
• Image: medjugorje.ws

Et il est devenu samedi le quatrième archevêque, succédant ainsi à Mgr Petero Mataca, 78 ans, qui, frappé par la limite d'âge, avait renoncé à ces fonctions il y a déjà trois ans. Il était archevêque de Suva depuis 1976, 37 ans, un record.

Depuis, on attendait un signe du Vatican et finalement, son successeur a été nommé en décembre dernier par le Pape d'alors, Benoît XVI.

Samedi, devant une foule très émue de quinze mille personnes à Suva, le nouvel archevêque, spécialiste en théologie et en droit canon, Jésuite et qui a longtemps étudié aux États-Unis, a été officiellement intronisé, sur fond de savant mélange de rites chrétiens, mais aussi de traditions coutumières.

Pour preuve : son blason, conçu pour l'occasion, accorde une place de choix aux signes identitaires fidjiens, y compris le kava et la dent de cachalot, cadeau coutumier de grande valeur dans la tradition fidjienne.

The miter and crosier for a young Archbishop of Suva, Rotuma, Rarotonga and Kiribati. He is 52 years old, called Peter Chong Loy, He is of Chinese origin but his family has been integrated into Fiji for generations.

Be became the fourth Archbishop Saturday,(June 8) succeeding Archbishop Petero Mataca, 78, who, having arrived at the age of retirement, had given these functions it three years ago. He has been Archbishop of Suva since 1976, 37 years, a record.

Since that time some indictication from the Vatican has been expected and finally, his successor was appointed last December by the then Pope, Benedict XVI.

On Saturday (8 June), before a very excited crowd of fifteen thousand people in Suva, the new Archbishop, who has for a long time studied in the United States specializing in theology and canon law, was officially enthroned amid mixture of Christian rites, but also customary traditions.

Proof: His Coat of arms, designed for the ccasion, gives pride of place to Fijians symbols , including kava and sperm whale tooth, both customary gift of great value in the Fijian tradition

• Moana (the Polynesian term for ocean) is also an Oceania symbol used by some theologians to express God.
• Magimagi or sinnet rope (made from coconut husk) represents the globalised world of which Fiji is a part. The interweaving threads symbolise how globalisation is a key concept for the church. The church cannot remain isolated from economic, cultural and socio-political issues that affect the people.
• Archbishop Peter Loy's coat of arms also incorporates elements of the plurality of Fiji's society. The tabua represents the iTaukei (indigenous) peoples, the diyaa represents Fiji's Indian population and symbolises the victory of good over evil. It can also be taken to mean the "submission of one's soul to the supreme power."
• The fish represents the Chinese culture's symbol of unity and fidelity.
• The islands represent Rabi, Kioa and Rotuma which come under the Archdiocese of Suva.
• The four white panels emanating from the cross represent the four gospels.
• "The slogan ‘to be church in the world' reflects my vision of the Church. To be a true Church of Jesus Christ, the Church must permeate the world with the gospel," Father Peter Loy was quoted as saying.

Source

• Newspad-Pacific.info
• Republica Magazine
• Image: Newspad-Pacific.info

"For on this day I will humbly serve you as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Suva, and through his (God's) light gather people of all races.

"In this ordination I urge you all to put aside racial, religious, political barriers and differences."

Thousands of people attended the ordination at the Vodafone Arena in Suva.

Among those were the President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, ministers, senior government officials and representatives from other religious organisations.

There were families, friends and church members from as far away as the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

Archbishop Emeritus Mataca, as the principal consecrator, anointed Archbishop Chong's head and presented him with the Book of the Gospels.

On Friday when he took the Oath of Fidelity at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Suva, the final step before his ordination as the Archbishop, Loy Chong said he was at peace.

"I am not nervous and I am not worried. There are no negative emotions, there is an element of positiveness looking forward to tomorrow (Saturday)."

He explained the support from his surviving siblings and their children was more than he could ask for with his nieces and nephews even purchasing the episcopal ring he would wear.

"My sisters have been great support for me not only with the material things but they've been very prayerful. And my nieces and nephews, they've been of great support to me. I cannot ask for anything better," he said.

On Saturday afternoon, at the veiqaraqaravi vakavanua (traditional ceremony), members of the Burebasaga Confederacy said the three confederacies and 14 provinces in Fiji had faith in Archbishop Loy Chong to drive the church forward.

Presenting the kamunaga (whale's tooth), to Loy Chong the confederacy's matanivanua (spokesman) said: "Na vanua e sa vakanuinui vei kemuni e na nomuni veiliutaki, nomuni vakacabo i soro e na veisiga me nanumi kina na vanua o Viti. (The vanua is counting on you, on your leadership. Remember Fiji when you offer Mass to God every day)."

The matanivanua said the traditional ceremony was from the people of Fiji.

Source

• Fiji Times
• Fiji Times
• Fiji Times
• Fiji times
• Image: Fiji Times/Eliki Nukutabu

Fr Chong was born on January 30, 1961, at Korovou, Tailevu. He comes from a family of seven, three boys and four girls.

He undertook his priestly formation at Pacific Regional Seminary. Ordained in 1992 he was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Suva. He completed his studies at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University with a Doctorate in Theology.

As well as working in parishes Chong lectured at the Pacific Regional Seminary.

He is currently in the School of Theology at Santa Clara University, and is expected to return to Fiji this week.

He will be ordained archbishop early in 2013.

Chong will replace the present long serving Archbishop of Suva, 79 year old Archbishop Petero Mataca.

Mataca has expressed his gratitude to all the people of Fiji, Rotuma, Rabi & Kioa for their prayers & support during his time of leadership.

In 2009 Mataca tended his resignation on reaching the age on 75, as is required by Canon Law. However, according to custom, he could not leave his post until his successor has been identified and appointed.

Mataca was ordained to the priesthood in 1959 and was ordained bishop in 1974 and appointed archbishop two years later.

More recently, in 2008 and 2009, he assumed a more political role in Oceania, similar to that played by Desmond Tutu in South Africa.

He co-chaired, (along with Frank Bainimarama, head of a government from its coup of December 5, 2006), a "Council for Building a Better Fiji".

The council was made up of forty volunteers and had the task of to drawing up "People's Charter," a roadmap outlining the medium-term future for Fiji.

This roadmap set itself ambitious goals, suggesting far-reaching reforms. It addressed funding problems, corruption, and also ethnic divisions between the indigenous Fijians and people from India who have been living in Fiji for over five generations, where they mostly originally worked in the area of sugar cane.

The Council fell into disuse after the abrogation of the Constitution in April 2009.

Source

• News Pad Pacific.info
• News Pad Pacific.info
• The Fiji Times
• FijiVillage
• Zenit
• Image: Tawakilagi