Sacred Heart marks 65 years with new chapel
New facility expected to accommodate about 80 people and serve students, staff and Catholic groups.
Friday 21 August 2026 | 13:30
Updated 21 August 2026 | 14:46 FJT
Old scholars during the 65th Anniversary of the Sacred Heart College celebrations. Inset: School chaplain Reverend Fr Edward Vakatora
Photos: Joseph Balolo
Sacred Heart College marked its 65th anniversary with the groundbreaking of a new chapel that will provide a place for prayer and reflection for students, staff and future generations.
The groundbreaking today was a highlight of the school’s Blue Sapphire Jubilee celebrations, marking 65 years since its establishment in 1961.
School chaplain Reverend Fr Edward Vakatora said the chapel would provide students with a sacred space to begin their day in prayer, spend time in silence and seek God’s guidance.
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He said the Eucharist would be at the heart of the chapel, describing it as the “source and summit” of the Catholic faith.
“The chapel will be a focal point as a Catholic school,” Fr Vakatora said.
The chapel will be a joint project between Sacred Heart College and Corpus Christi Teachers College, allowing students and staff from both institutions to use the facility for prayer and Mass.
Sacred Heart College principal Praveena Chand said the project represented the school’s transition from its past towards its future.
She said the chapel would also benefit Stella Maris Primary School and other Catholic groups using the campus.
Ms Chand said the project was expected to cost between $200,000 and $250,000, with contributions from Corpus Christi, ex-scholars and the Archdiocese.
However, ex-scholar Gerald Seeto said the total cost was expected to exceed $300,000 and appealed to ex-scholars in Fiji and overseas to continue supporting the construction.
He said the idea originated during the school’s Diamond Jubilee after Archbishop Peter Loy Chong challenged ex-scholars to establish a chapel that would place God at the centre of school life.
Mr Seeto said the chapel would be about the size of two classrooms and accommodate about 80 people. He said it would become a lasting legacy for former students.
Ms Chand said the school had also recorded a 97 per cent Year 13 pass rate, its highest result, demonstrating its academic progress.
Fr Vakatora and Ms Chand urged students, staff and ex-scholars to continue working together to complete the chapel.
