The Fiji islands are a few small points on the map between Ecuador and the Tropic of Capricorn in the immense Pacific Ocean.  Today they are the possession of France and their inhabitants, the majority of them Catholic, live in peace.  But this was not always the case.  They rejoice in the inheritance of St. Peter Chanel who gave his life for Christ and the Church.

Pierre-Louis-Marie Chanel was born in Cuet, France on July 12, 1803. His family were farmers and Pierre was a shepherd. He was a good student and was ordained a priest at the age of 24, in 1827.  He was assigned to the parish of Crozet, which was in decline, and quickly began to revive thanks to the devotion of the young priest.  He had a special gift of service for the sick.     

He exercised his pastoral ministry for a few years.  He entered the Company of Mary (Marist fathers) in 1831.  He taught in the seminary of Belley for 5 years.  He and a lay friend of 20 years went to do missionary work and disembarked on the island of Fortuna, Oceania on November 12, 1837.They found that cannibalism had only recently been prohibited but the island was divided into two tribes that were continually at war. 

In the midst of difficulties of every sort, he managed to convert some of the pagans.  He learned the native language, care for the sick, and taught.  His ministry was heard of by Niuliki, chief of the musumusu tribe, who was jealous of the influence of the missionaries that had even converted some members of his family.  He sent some men who assassinated the Saint by blows on the Island of Fortuna on July 28, 1841.  His body was cut into pieces with hatchets.  He is the first martyr of Oceania. 

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