This is part of an interview done by Serafina Silaitoga with the late Archbishop Emeritus Petero Mataca which was published on January 22, 2006. At that interview, among other things, he said there were many challenges as the head of the church but believed such challenges moulded his character and leadership.
In that interview he said: “I never dreamt of becoming the head of the Catholic Church in Fiji but because of humility and obedience, I have come this far. If you want to go far in life then be humble and obey.”
Growing up
Petero Mataca was born April 28, 1933 in Cawaci, Ovalau. At that time, his dad was attending the church school on the island to become a catechist.
When his father completed his training in 1937, he was posted to Viwa Island in the Yasawa Group. Young Petero attended the village primary school but returned to Cawaci in 1941 when his father was transferred.
Although he was already seven years old, he had to repeat Class One in Cawaci. In 1947, he enrolled at Xavier Collage in Ba as his parents had to return to Vuaki Village on Matacawa Island in Yasawa.
“It had to be a Catholic school. My father made sure that all his children attended Catholic schools,” he said.
As a boarder, he recalls not having to struggle with his daily chores or get extra help.
In New Zealand
“I remember early one morning when the bell rang and I got up, washed my face, brushed my teeth and ran out to the chapel in a shorts and T-shirt only to realise that my feet were numb halfway across the ground,” Archbishop Emeritus Mataca said.
Two years later in 1956, the Archbishop of Fiji at that time, Archbishop Victor Foley visited the boys to interview two others, Fullman and Fuata, about their next phase of study in Rome.
But due to unforeseen circumstances, the offer to study in Rome turned to Archbishop Emeritus Mataca when Archbishop Foley asked him to go.
“I declined because I wanted to complete my philosophy in NZ. Archbishop Foley didn’t say much but he wrote to college requesting that I travel to Rome to further my studies because one of the local boys had pulled out,” he said.
“So I went to the post office and sent Archbishop Foley a fax reminding him of our conversation. A few minutes later, I received another fax from Archbishop Foley and he wrote: ‘I am your archbishop. You are going to Rome’.”
In that interview held in 2006, he said: “I never dreamt of becoming the head of the Catholic Church but because of humility and obedience, I have come this far.
“These are very important factors of life — obedience and humility. If you want to go far in life, then possess these two elements.”
In Rome
“From NZ potatoes to Italian pastas and it was not easy being in that kind of environment,” he said.
In 1956, he left for Rome.
“In the classroom, lessons were held in Italian and people spoke in Latin. So I had a hard time in the first year of being among these people. It was a real culture shock.”
He returned home in December, 1960. When he returned, he was welcomed at Vuaki Village like a war hero.
After not speaking the Yasawa dialect for six years, he had forgotten some words.
“I wanted to say the Baun word, nuku, in my dialect but I could not remember. An Australian priest was sitting beside so I had to ask him for the Yasawa word and I will never forget that day.
Being an archbishop
Archbishop Petero Mataca was the first local to be ordained as Archbishop of Suva in December 1976.
Archbishop Victor Foley had been replaced by Archbishop George Pearce.
When Archbishop Pearce returned to his home in Canada, Archbishop Mataca was asked to head the church.
“I was speechless. I didn’t expect it so soon but at the same time, I felt very honoured and privileged,” he said.
“I also thought of the locals and told myself that this was going to be a time to localise the church in the sense that our very own culture be recognised and practised in church events.
“It was an opportunity to work the two together — the church and the vanua.”
He was ordained in Suva on June 1, 1976 by Archbishop Pearce at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Present were members of Fiji’s high society including the Cakobau and Mara families. He also received support from the chiefs and people of the West (Ra to Nadroga) being a son of Vuaki Village in the Yasawa Group.
“During the ordination, the chiefs identified themselves and pledged their support for the church. It was a moving moment.
“Whenever I walk through town, strangers will walk up to me to shake my hands and thank me for a job well done.
“They always tell me that I was the archbishop for all races and churches and not the Catholic Church only.”
* Professor Wadan Narsey’s opinion column, which is usually published every Saturday, will return next week.
