Deacon Stephen Lui Filipo takes up vocation in Fiji

Samoan-New Zealander, Stephen Lui Filipo has been ordained at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Suva, Fiji.

Speaking at the recent ordination, the Head of the Catholic Church in Fiji, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong said, “You are the voice of God to His people; you are to look after and abide by His calling into your lives,”

Deacon Filipo was born and raised in New Zealand of immigrant Samoan and Niuean parents.

He was a Marist Brother of the District of the Pacific for forty years, where he taught in various countries in South East Asia, Australia, Aotearoa-New Zealand and the Central and South Pacific Basin.

Deacon Filipo had worked with Australian- Wiradjuri (Central New South Wales)‎, Maori, Pakeha (tauiwi-of other international ethnicities) and Pasifika students from kindergarten to University post-grad level, and in formation houses for the Marist Brothers.

His major interests is to develop critical theories of Giroux, Gramsci, Freire, Fanon et al towards a Maori and Pasifika standpoint leading into cultural politics in theology, psychology and education. He is also an avid sportsman and former administrator, coach, manager, referee and PE/Outdoor Education teacher.

Currently, Deacon Filipo is working in the Catholic Education Office working specifically on curriculum development, teacher development in Religious Education, and the partnership of Catholic Character between the parishes and their respective schools.

He requested Archbishop Peter Chong to be a priest in the Archdiocese of Suva.

He did one-year formation at the Pacific Regional Seminary in 2020.

 

Photo supplied Archdiocese of Suva Caption:Ordination of Stephen Lui Filipo