Typed extracts from correspondence and documents from the Roman Catholic Mission to Fiji, principally:

• Letter from Fr Verne, first Catholic missionary to Rotuma, 1846 (from Bulletin de la Societe d'Oceanie 12);
• Early History of the Catholic Church in Oceania by Jean Baptiste Pompallier, Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceania;
• Circular from Mgr Lamaze to all missionaries of Central and Western Oceania, 1879;
• L'Histoire de l'Oceanie Centrale by priests of the Vicariat under Mgr Bataillon;
• Correspondence dated 1872-1874, 1876-1879, 1882, 1889 regarding Catholic-Wesleyan conflict in Rotuma;
• Full text of letter from Fr Verne describing his visit to Rotuma in 1847 and the establishment of a Catholic mission there;
• Correspondence regarding the early Catholic mission in Rotuma and the progress of Catholicism there.
  NOTE: see PMB MS 428 for information on an index to this material.

See PMB MS 432, material relating to Roman Catholic Mission Fiji.

General letters to Biship J. Vidal, SM. At the end of the reel are private letters from Government House, 1897-1907.

The accounts, by various authors, are as follows:

(1) 'Histoire de Rotuma' by Fr Joseph Trouillet, SM. This is in three exercise books covering the periods: a. 'Depuis l'origine des temps fabuleux jusqu'au retour des Missionaires Catholiques, l'an 1868'. b. 'Depuis le retour des Catholiques en 1868 jusqua l'annexion en Juin 1881'. c. 'Depuis Juin 1881-la fin de 1890'.
(2) The foregoing 'Histoire de Rotuma' contained in two exercise books labelled 'Ier Cahier' and 'II Cahier'.
(3) A journal kept on Rotuma from 1868 to 1871 by Fr L. Dezest, SM (one exercise book labelled 'Journal, Ier Cahier').
(4) A journal kept on Rotuma from 1868 to 1890 first by Fr Dezest, then by Fr Trouillet. (Three exercise books labelled: 'Journal II Cahier,' 'Journal III Cahier' and 'Journal IV Cahier').
(5) An account of Rotuma in about 1824 in Domeny de Rienzi's 'Oceanie', translated by Dr Hugh Macdonald (typescript).
(7) An account entitled 'La Premiere Soeur Missionaire a Rotuma' (roneoed).
(8) 'Historique de la Station St Michel, Upu, Rotuma', dated 7 April 1949, and signed by L. Soubeyran.
(9) 'Historique de la Station Notre Dame des Victoires, Sumi, Rotuma', dated 28 April 1949.
(10) Rotuma Brothers' School - Extracts from Council Decisions, 1901-08.
(11) Newspaper clippings, 1917, 1932.

An index to manuscript material in the Roman Catholic Archdiocesan Office, Suva, Fiji (reels 159/160; 428/429 and 432-468) was published in the Bureau's newsletter 'Pambu' April-June 1972: 27, pp. 17-20 and is available from the Bureau on request.

The notes were compiled by Father F. Terrien, SM (1851-1922) who directed the Wairiki mission from 1895 to 1922. His notes were translated and slightly amplified by B.A.M., Suva, 1943. See also PMB 432.

Historical notes on the Catholic Mission of Wairiki, Taveuni, Fiji (1844-1922).

The author, who is unknown, returned to France in 1929. See also PMB 432

A typescript of 78 pages - a history of the Catholic Church in Fiji (1846 - 1937).

See PMB MS 432, material relating to Roman Catholic Mission Fiji.

Letters from Superior-General, Society of Mary.

In 1836, Pope Gregory XVI was looking for missionaries for Oceania and approved the formation of a
religious institute, the Priests of the Society of Mary, or Marist Fathers. Jean-Claude Colin (1790-1875) was elected as the first Superior General and held the office until 1854. He was succeeded by Julien Favre (1854-85), Antoine Martin (1886-1905), and Jean-Claude Raffin (1905-22).

See PMB MS 432, material relating to Roman Catholic Mission Fiji.

Minutes of council meetings.

See PMB MS 432, material relating to Roman Catholic Mission Fiji.

Correspondence from New Caledonia, Wallis, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Moruroa (Tuamotu archipelago), Sydney, New Zealand, France, Belgium, Naples.

See PMB MS 432, material relating to Roman Catholic Mission Fiji.

The papers are:

1. Papers of Father L. Soubeyran, SM (a) What the Catholic missionaries and Church have done to evangelise the Indians in Fiji (1970) (b) The Fathers in the Past (1970) (c) Sixty Years in the Missions of Fiji and Rotuma (1965) (d) Translation of a paper on Rotuman Games written by Father J.B. Chevreuil, SM. (With the original version) (1967).
2. The Catholic Church in the Fiji Islands (c.1970)
3. History of Loreto (c.1970)
4. History of the Catholic Mission at Wairiki (1964)
5. Le Reverend Pere Jules Delahaye
6. The Seventh-day Adventists, by Father Y.M. Helliet, SM, (1955)
7. Rapport sur le terrain Na Somo Levu, Ile Vuaki, Yasawa, by Father Y.M. Helliet, SM (1926)
8. Rapport sur 'l'Histoire Religieuse de Fiji' par Mgr Blanc (author unknown)
9. Le Rev. Pere Pierre Marie Jouny, SM, l'Apotre des Niua
10. Marist Fathers who have worked in Fiji (several lists)
11. Historique de la Stations de Tunuloa
12. 'An Unusual Priest' (Father Claudius Lurkhur), by Father Denis Fitzpatrick

See PMB MS 432, material relating to Roman Catholic Mission Fiji.

The items are:

1. Accounts of Fijian secret societies - le 'vaki ou nanaga'; les Kalou Vatu; le keibuca; les kai nakauvadra. (These are contained in a small exercise book and are thought to have been written by Father J. de Marzan, SM.)
2. Brief histories of Fiji mission stations - Tailevu, Tunuloa, Naiserelagi, Suva, Ba and Yasawa, Kadavu, Lomary, Rotuma - and lists of principal dates.
3. A 'sketch' entitled 'Slavery in Fiji'. It is dated Levuka, Fiji, 22 June 1894 and is said to be a translation of a German 'communication' in the Geographische Gesellshaft (sic) of 1895. The author states that he had spent 23 years in the Pacific, 'the last twelve of them in Fiji'.
4. Correspondence, 1903, concerning alleged Bible burnings.
5. Church statistics, 1900-19.
6. Reports on native clergy, 1921-22.
7. An abridged Fijian grammar - 'Petit abrege de Grammaire Vitienne'. It bears the name of Father A. Deniau, SM, but does not appear to be in his handwriting.
8. Letters re medical matters to and from Bishop J. Vidal, 1906-10, and Bishop C.J. Nicolas, 1924-28.
9. An account of a visit to Lau by Father J.M. Oreve, SM, dated Suva, 30 August 1923.
10. 'Notes concernant l'Imprimerie', by Father P. Clement, SM, dated 'retraite 1922'.
11. Papers relating to Father J.V. Pujebet's removal from Nukunau Island, Gilbert Islands, 1917-1919.