Bakatete Koririntetaake, who comes from Christmas Island and lived in Fiji for some time, said the group had attended an ordination in Kiribati and upon returning, they decided to visit Peniata.

"We are enjoying Fiji, we have witnessed the cultural practices by villagers in Serua," he said.

Peniata said he was pleased to have a few people from his homeland in Fiji with him for a short while.

"It's been a long time since I've last seen them. They are accompanying me to the villages in Serua for church visits," he said.

Christmas Island is an Australian external territory located in the Indian Ocean.

Catholics on Christmas Island are pastorally cared for by the Archdiocese of Perth although they are not within its jurisdiction. In 2014 they celebrated their 25th anniversary.

The World Fact Book puts the population at just over 2000 residents. This does not include the highly variable population at the Immigration Detention Centre.

The majority of the residents live in settlements on the northern tip of the island. The main settlement is Flying Fish Cove.

There is no indigenous population. Around two-thirds of the island's population are Malaysian Chinese, with significant numbers of Malays and European Australians as well as smaller numbers of Malaysian Indians and Eurasians.

Buddhism is the primary religion, practised by three-quarters of the population. The Christians make up about 19% (397 people) of the population. Of that number about 18% are Catholics.

A school managed by the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia was opened in 2014 for asylum seeker children held in detention.

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Perry went to Christmas Island - an isolated coral atoll in the middle of the Pacific - in 1966, just a few years after the British stopped using it for nuclear tests, which makes him one of the island's most enduring residents.

He is still there, now 74, slightly stooping, spectacles on nose, with a sharp and intelligent face.

He seemed to revel in his lack of material wealth. He quoted Gandhi to me: "Meet your needs and limit your wants."

He may be poor by Western standards, but surrounded by his island neighbours and his grandchildren he will never fear a lonely old age. Read More on BBC News

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BBC News

211 asylum seekers were taken to Christmas Island last Friday on two Navy boats after they called Australian authorities saying their boat had engine problems late Wednesday. The vessel was in Indonesian waters

"This boat was rescued by the Australian navy," said Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, adding that those on board included Sri Lankans, Iranians, Afghans and Pakistanis.

It is believed to be the largest number of people on a single vessel seeking asylum in Australia since Labour was elected in late 2007.

On Saturday, border protection boat ACV Hervey Bay stopped a vessel carrying about 31 people west of the Cocos Islands.

Later in the night a boat carrying 87 passengers was intercepted north-west of Ashmore Islands

On Sunday , 60 people were found on board a boat travelling north-west of the Cocos Islands.

Passengers on all three boats were transported to Christmas Island for processing.

More than 7,000 boat-people have arriving in Australia this year.

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