The SVD recently led a Youth Retreat in the northern part of Fiji aimed at helping tackle the growing problem of cannabis use among young people, while also calling them to action on the issue of climate change.

The retreat was facilitated by SVD AUS Provincial, Fr Asaeli Rass, who was in Fiji on home-leave.

“We held the retreat in Advent, in the week before Christmas,” Fr Rass says. “It was an invitation by the village Chief to assist him in tackling the usage of cannabis.

“About 300 people attended, together with government officials and village elders to help tackle this problem.”

The theme of the retreat was “Discernment: Choose Life”, (John 10:10), and apart from the focus on addressing the problem of cannabis use, it also included the issue of Climate Change.

“I introduced the topic of climate change in order to sensitise the youth to the effects of climate change and do something about it by planting mangroves and other native trees,” Fr Rass says.

“The effects of climate change on Fiji are becoming all-too apparent in recent years, with water levels rising and coast-lines being affected, so it’s good to raise this pressing issue with the youth.”

Fr Rass says in preparing the retreat, he utilised the widely known ‘Three Pillars of Fijian Society’: vanua (culture/land/tradition)), lotu (Christianity) and matanitu (government).

“Other church leaders and chiefs were invited to help contribute. It was a spiritual retreat with a twist to help stabilise the plight of youth and hopefully choose life not just for them but for their family, nation and planet,” he says.

Fr Rass says cannabis use has been a problem for years in this part of Fiji and continues to affect the lives of young people.

“It’s a way of coping with boredom, massive unemployment and issues in village life,” he says.

“But it is having effects on their mental health and spiritual health. And many young people have ended up in jail because of cannabis cultivation. So, the Chief asked me to do some spiritual formation to address this issue.”

The seven-day retreat included Masses, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, input from presenters, village sharing, Bible sharing, and sports and activities.

A highlight of the retreat was the discipline of rising each morning at 6am to gather on the beach for prayer and reflection.

“We would start the day on the beach together, praying with the ocean and the breeze and the coconut breeze,” Fr Rass says.

“It was beautiful and it was a very powerful way of sensitising them to the effects of climate change, encouraging them not to be victims, but to be active agents of change.”

Fr Rass says the feedback from the retreat was very positive and the government has asked that the retreat be conducted on an annual basis.

“It was a humble contribution to the local district and parish,” he says. “And I thank the people of Tunuloa district in Australia for sponsoring the retreat.”