Marist Brothers High School (Fiji)
Encyclopedia
| Marist Brothers High School | |
| Motto | In Hoc Signo Vinces In hoc signo vinces In hoc signo vinces is a Latin rendering of the Greek phrase "" en touto nika, and means "in this sign you will conquer".... |
|---|---|
| Established | 1949 |
| School type | All Boys, Roman Catholic |
| Grade levels | Form 3-7, Sports Academy |
| Principal | Manasa Tamanitoakula [Acting] |
| Location | Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji |
| Colors | Red, White and Navy Blue |
Marist Brother's High School is a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church in Fiji
The Roman Catholic Church in Fiji is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.-Demographics and organization:...
all-boys high school situated in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
, the capital of Fiji. It is a school in the Marist
Society of Mary (Marists)
The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816...
tradition, founded in 1949 by the order of Marist Brothers, which has had a presence in Fiji since 1844. The Catholic Marist education in Fiji is acknowledged as having a tradition of academic and sporting excellence. Many high-profile citizens of Fiji and the surrounding region are alumni of the school, having been fashioned by its motto, "In Hoc Signo Vinces".
Historical background
Marist Brothers High School was founded and run by members of the Marist BrothersMarist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
order since it opened to students in 1949. Founded by Saint Marcellin Champagnat
Marcellin Champagnat
Saint Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat was born in Rozet, village of Marlhes, near St. Etienne , France...
, a Marist priest in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1816, the order went by the names of the Petits Frères de Marie (Little Brothers of Mary) and Fratres Maristae a Scolis (FMS or the Marist Brothers of the Schools, the post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
of the Marist Brothers). Marcellin's desire to have brothers to teach the rural children grew after his visit to the bedside of a sixteen-year-old, Jean Baptiste Montagne whom St. Marcellin discovered knew nothing of his faith. The first step to realising this occurred on 26 October 1816, when St. Marcellin asked Jean Marie Granjon to be a brother. The formation of Brothers was St. Marcellin’s project and it grew because of his faith, dedication, simplicity, family spirit and striving to follow Jesus as Mary did, all qualities he encouraged in his brothers and students. In his own words, he promoted that following Mary's example of humble piety for God, "To Jesus Through Mary", was to be the way of the Marist Brothers. The group quickly grew across the French countryside, and was approved as an institute of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
by Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Pius IX in 1863.
The Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, keen to get the Catholic faith established in the area known as the Vicariate Apostolic of Western Oceania (including Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
, Melanesia
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
, Fiji, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, and Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
), entrusted its evangelization efforts to the Marist priests. With the early connections with the Marist priests, the Brothers followed the priests as they journeyed to their first missionary efforts in Western Oceania. In 1837 a band of Marists, both Fathers and Champagnat’s Marist Brothers arrived in the Pacific. They began their work on Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands , is a Polynesian French island territory in the South Pacific between Tuvalu to the northwest, Rotuma of Fiji to the west, the main part of Fiji to the southwest, Tonga to the southeast,...
, where the first Marist martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
, Saint Peter Chanel
Peter Chanel
Pierre Louis Marie Chanel, known in English as Saint Peter Chanel was a Catholic priest, missionary, and martyr.-Early years:Chanel was born in La Potière near Cuet in the area of Belley, Ain département, France....
, was killed in 1841.
In 1844 Fathers Roulleau sm and Breheret sm and Brother Annet fms arrived at Lakeba
Lakeba
Lakeba is an island in Fiji's Southern Lau Archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometers. It is fertile and well watered, and encircled by a 29-kilometer road. Its closest neighbors are Aiwa...
in the Lau Islands
Lau Islands
The Lau Islands of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about one hundred islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited...
. Br. Annet died in 1848. He was the first Marist to be buried in Fiji. Brothers Paschase, Sorlin and Augustine arrived in 1851. Br. Sorlin worked for over fifty years in Fiji and is buried behind the old Loreto Mission on Ovalau
Ovalau
Ovalau is the sixth largest island in Fiji's Lomaiviti Archipelago. Situated at 17.70° South and 178.8° East, , the island is about 13 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide...
. Brother Lucien Magnaudier worked in Rotuma
Rotuma
Rotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a small but unique indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognizable minority within the population of Fiji, known as "Rotumans"...
from 1847 to 1853. These Brothers did not teach in schools but assisted the priests in their apostolic work as catechists and faithful to Champagnat’s charism, they were not afraid to work as farmers, carpenters and even boat builders. All of this helped the spread of the word throughout the mission areas of Fiji. True to Champagnat, they put their relationship with God before everything else.
Marist Brothers’ schools began in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1872 and in New Zealand in 1876. On 27 August 1888, three Brothers, Harvey, Vincent and Alphonsus, arrived in Suva to begin a school for the children of Catholic Europeans. This was in response to Bishop Vidal’s request to Brother Theophane the Brother Superior General in France. On 7 September 1888, they began their school in a house, just above the Lilac Theatre in Waimanu Road. In 1889 they moved to Suva Street. At first only European boys were admitted but by 1897 Bothers Columba and Claudius had begun a school for Indian
Indians in Fiji
Indo-Fijians are Fijians whose ancestors came from India and various parts of South Asia, South-East Asia and Asia itself. They number 313,798 out of a total of 827,900 people living in Fiji...
boys and other races, known as the Indian School or the Cosmopolitan School, on the corner of Suva Street and Toorak Road. By 1936 this had developed into St Columba’s School.
In 1912, Brothers Augustine, Alphonsus and Loyola began secondary classes in St Felix College, also on the Suva Street property. In 1936, after a considerable struggle with the civil authorities, who opposed secondary education for locally born children, the Brothers were allowed to reopen their secondary classes to all races. Thus the Marist Brothers’ High School had its beginnings in Suva Street. The High School was built at Bau Street during 1948, ready to begin the year there in 1949.The school does not take students of Indofijian origin anymore including Catholics.
1963 is noted for two significant developments in Marist primary education in Suva, both of them very much the work of Brother Raphael Penarroya. Saint Columba’s and Saint Felix College became overcrowded so it was decided to open a new primary school further out towards the areas where the population was spreading. Marist Bothers’ Primary School Vatuwaqa was opened under the leadership of Brother Sebastian Bendall (later, in 1982 it became co-educational and its name was changed to Marcellin Primary School). At Suva Street, St Columba’s and St Felix’s were combined into one school for all the boys regardless of race. It was named Marist Primary School Suva Street and Brother Raphael was the first Head Teacher.
Soon after their arrival in Fiji, the brothers became involved in rural education. They were part of the Catholic Mission at Cawaci, teaching there from 1894 until the refounding of St John’s College in 1951. They were active in Naililili Mission, teaching there from 1899 until 1954. In 1962 the Brothers ended twenty years of work at Wairiki, on Taveuni
Taveuni
Taveuni is the third-largest island in Fiji, after Vanua Levu and Viti Levu, with a total land area of 435 square kilometers . The cigar-shaped island, a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, is situated 6.5 kilometers to the east of Vanua Levu, across the...
also. From 1974 to 1984 the Brothers helped Napuka Junior Secondary School for ten years, to establish a very good reputation. Brothers helped St Bede’s College at Savarekareka to a good start in 1980, together with the Cluny Sisters, Sisters of Nazareth, Marist and SMSM Sisters and dedicated lay teachers.
During their time at Cawaci on Ovalau, the Brothers ran a teacher training establishment called St Bede’s. Archbishop Mataca chose the same patron for the new school in Savarekareka, to continue the spirit of the first St. Bede’s. The work of teacher training at Corpus Christi College has been part of the Brothers’ work. A number of brothers including Brothers Bertrand, Paul Kelly, Montfort Hickey, John Blewman, Paulo Guibreteau, Fergus Garret, Douglas Dawick, Kees van der Weert and Joseph McDermott (as Principal) have had full and part time involvement there.
Recent history
There has generally been a spirit of cooperation between the Brothers, the BishopBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and priests. Since 1971 four Brothers have held the position of Diocesan Director of Education. They are Brothers John Blewman, Joseph McDermott, Clement McGougan and Douglas Dawick whose combined time totals over twenty years. Cathedral Secondary School has also long association with the Brothers, beginning with Brother Victor in 1963. Brothers John and Majella have had terms as Principal there and others, including Brothers Fergus Garrett, Samuel Eathorne and Paul Lavelle, have made significant contributions towards the growth of that school, up to the present time. Brother John is still working there part time.
In 1971 the training of Brothers from the Pacific Islands was begun at Lomary. There a novitiate has served the Brothers of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
and, for a few years, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as well as Fiji. Having completed their Postulancy in their own lands, these young Brothers spend two years at Lomary. That is followed, after First Profession of vows, by three further years of religious and professional formation at the Marist Asia Pacific Centre in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Extra-curricular activities
Marist athleticsThe school has for four decades dominated the schools athletics scene in Fiji. The school is acknowledged as having a strong sporting history, and for producing some of the more high profile Roman Catholic men in Fiji and the surrounding region.
Athletics is a uniting force for the Marist community who come together every year to help athletes train and perform at the annual Coke Games and later on in international meets. The school has been in partnership with the Marist Old Boy's Community for the past two decades: they assist in training each year.
For the last sixteen Games since the medal system was introduced, the school has won 12 times.
Marist has also won the Deans Trophy
Deans Trophy
The Deans Trophy is the top prize of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby. The competition introduced in 1939 is the oldest competitive tournament in Fiji rugby. It was first won by Queen Victoria School ....
, a senior school rugby competition in Fiji , on four occasions and drawn twice.
Politics
- The late Ratu Sir Kamisese MaraKamisese MaraRatu Sir Kamisese Mara, CF, GCMG, KBE is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the first Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992...
, Fiji's 1st Prime Minister, 1970; late President of Fiji, Turaga Na Tui Nayau. - Dr. Feleti SeveleFeleti SeveleFeleti Vakaʻuta Sevele , styled Lord Sevele of Vailahi was the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010.-Early life:Sevele was born in Ma’ufanga, Nuku’alofa...
, Prime Minister, Kingdom of Tonga.Prime Minister of TongaThis is a list of Prime Ministers of Tonga from the establishment of that office in 1876 until the present day.-List of Premiers/Prime Ministers of Tonga :-External links:*...
Military and Police
- Commodore Josaia Voreqe (Frank) BainimaramaFrank BainimaramaCommodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military ForcesMilitary of FijiThe Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
(1998–present) and interim Prime Minister of FijiPrime Minister of FijiThe Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji is the head of government of Fiji. The Prime Minister was appointed by the President under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution....
(2007–present). - Colonel Jone Baledrokadroka, former Fiji Military Acting Land Force Commander.
- Commodore Esala TeleniEsala TeleniCaptain Esala Teleni is a Fijian naval officer, who currently serves as the Commissioner of the Fiji Police Force. He was appointed to this post on 1 July 2007....
,Commissioner Police, Naval officer; (Former Fiji Rugby Captain). - Colonel Pio WongPio WongPio Iowane Wong is a Fijian politician of indigenous and Chinese descent. He served in the Cabinet from 2004 to 2006 as Minister for Local Government, Housing, Squatter Settlement, and the Environment....
SDL Politician. Served as Cabinet Minister in Qarase Govt.(Head Boy 60s). - Lt Colonel Rt Tevita Uluilakeba Mara, Current 3FIR Commander.
Sports
- Ilivasi TabuaIlivasi TabuaIlivasi Sevia Tabua Tamanivalu is a former fijian rugby union footballer who played at international level for both Fiji and Australia as flanker.He also coached the Fiji national team at the 2007 Rugby World Cup....
, Former Australian Wallaby and former Flying Fijian coach - Marika VunibakaMarika VunibakaMarika "Dawainavesi" Vunibaka is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He has represented the national team on numerous occasions, including at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales and the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia....
, former Fiji & Canterbury Crusaders Rugby winger. - Netani TaleiNetani TaleiNetani Edward Talei is a Fijian rugby union player. He currently plays for Edinburgh in the RaboDirect Pro12. He plays as a number eight or flanker.-Career:...
, current Flying Fijians backrower - Gabriel Lovobalavu, Flying Fijians center
- Sunia Koto, current Flying Fijians hooker
- Dominiko Waqaniburuto current Flying Fijians utility forward
- [Leslie Copeland] Current Fiji Javelin Record Holder.
- Lote Tuqiri (Junior) Currently playing for the Japanese Rugby Sevens Team.
- Banuve Tabakacoro, currently Fiji's top track athlete. He has just recently won (3)three gold medals in the Pacific Games held in New Caledonia,in the 100m, 200m, and the 4 by 100m relay. He is the fastest man in the Pacific at the moment and also the youngest ever athete to win the 100m and 200m in the Pacific Games. This year (2011), he has set new games(Coke Cola Light Games) records in the 100m and 200m respectively.