Bula everyone. I am 27 years old, and I come from a very big and devoted Catholic family. My family consists of 9 girls and 3 boys—12 of us altogether—and I am the third youngest. I was born and raised on the beautiful island of Taveuni in Fiji.

I attended Holy Cross Catholic Primary School from 2005 until 2012. Later, I moved to the western part of the main island of Fiji, Nadi, to further my high school studies at a Hindu-based school from 2013 until I graduated in 2017.

In 2018, I enrolled at the University of the South Pacific. Unfortunately, COVID-19 forced me to return to my island to look after my family. I spent two and a half years on the island before I joined the congregation in 2023.

Growing up, I never imagined myself becoming a priest or a religious. I always wanted to become a bus driver. Then when my dad died, I told myself that I would become a school teacher like him.

However, from a young age I was always fully engaged in altar service, although at that time my heart was not set on becoming a priest. It was not until I was in Year 12, when I was 17 years old. Every time I went to Mass, I would imitate what the priest was saying during the celebration of the Eucharist.

From that time, the urge started to come and go every now and then. At the end of 2022, I finally confirmed to myself that I would join the vocations.

There are two things that attracted me to the Sacred Hearts.

First, this congregation is devoted to adoration. When I came, one thing that I was thirsting for was a deeper understanding of the Eucharist. Through adoration, I came to fall in love with the Eucharist.

Second, the Sacred Hearts community is very family-oriented, which is something that I value deeply.