A rich and good life with no regrets
On Saturday Catholics will celebrate their Bishop’s Golden Jubilee

The Diocese of Rarotonga is hosting a Thanksgiving Mass on Saturday, July 31, to celebrate Bishop Stuart O’Connell’s 50 years in the priesthood. The service could also double as a farewell to a holy man who has called the Cook Islands home for the past 13 years.
O’Connell, at 75, has now achieved the Catholic Church’s mandatory retirement age.
“I’ve written my letter of resignation to Pope Benedict,” O’Connell told the Cook Islands Times in an exclusive interview. “I got a very nice letter back from him – written in Latin – thanking me for all the work I’ve done in 50 years as a priest. He never mentioned retirement, though. But I would say they’re working on a replacement and before too long – it might be several months – someone else will be announced to take over.”
When O’Connell arrived in Rarotonga in February 1997, his initial assignment was as a priest. Within his first week on the island, however, he was elevated to the top job when Bishop Robin Leamy was forced to leave due to health reasons.
The unexpected promotion was just the first episode in what proved to be an interesting start to O’Connell’s time in the Cook Islands. He had barely settled into his new office when he was informed that the buildings at St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary were riddled with asbestos and rot. In other words, the school needed to be rebuilt.
“We had nothing in the kitty, so I had to go offshore to collect money,” he recalled. “I went to Hawaii to appeal for money, to Europe. We raised $1.4 million. I don’t think I could do that now – it was hard work.”
O’Connell said he wasn’t particularly religious as a youth but attending St. Patrick’s College in New Zealand’s Upper Hutt Valley opened his eyes to future possibilities.
“We had priest-teachers there,” he said. “I was influenced by them – I admired their work and the way they did things. They were happy and content.”
After graduation, O’Connell attended the seminary at Mount St. Mary’s in Greenmeadows, Napier.
“When I went to the seminary, I thought, oh well, I’ll try it out,” he said. “And if I don’t like it, I won’t stay. I suppose I was more attracted by the lifestyle: working with youth and all the sport. I wasn’t attracted to being in a parish; that didn’t appeal to me at all. I wanted to teach and work with young people and coach teams.”
Seven years of seminary education led to a career teaching in Catholic schools, first in New Zealand and then a total of 12 years in Samoa. He didn’t neglect his own education during that time, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Canterbury and then his MA from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
His time with the Church also included 11 years of administration duties based out of Wellington, and O’Connell thinks this experience, plus his knowledge of South Pacific culture based on his time in Samoa, were the reasons why he was originally chosen for the Rarotonga assignment.
“They were looking for someone who could work with Polynesians, was used to the Pacific and could cope with another language,” he said. “They looked around the world for who could do this and ended up with me.”
While his official title is Bishop of Rarotonga he, in fact, administers the entire country. In that capacity, he frequently travels to all the islands to attend to his flock. Despite arriving well after missionaries from other religions had already staked their claims, Catholicism has flourished in the Cooks. O’Connell said there are 3,000 Catholics spread over 15 parishes. Every populated island boasts a Catholic congregation, except Palmerston, which remains a CICC stronghold.
“That’s not bad with our population at the moment,” O’Connell said. “A lot of people have come into the church and it means a fair bit to their lives. The social aspect of it is quite special – they like working together. They’re proud of their church.”
O’Connell has seen a multitude of changes during his 50 years at the altar. Mass was still recited in Latin when he entered the seminary, and Catholics could eat no meat but fish on a Friday.
He said people tend to live their religion differently in the 21st century.
“In the old days, if Father said it, you didn’t question, you just did it,” he said. “Whereas, today, there is dialogue – the priest is no longer talking down at people.”
O’Connell admitted there are times when he thinks about what he gave up when he entered the Marist Order – starting with a wife and a family – but said he has no regrets.
“My life has been very rich because I’ve been with so many different people and to so many different places and I’ve had so many young people working around me,” he said. “You’re part of every family in one sense. People everywhere have been very good to me.”
While O’Connell has enjoyed his time in the Cook Islands – “The people are lovely to work with.” – he’s uncertain about his future once his replacement is installed.
“I’d like to stay here, but a lot depends on my health,” he said. “I’ve left my options open. I will stay here as long as I’m healthy and useful.”
The Thanksgiving Mass is scheduled for July 31 at 11am in the St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Avarua. It will be followed by a reception at the St. Joseph’s Primary School grounds.

By John Ireland

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