Fr Michael O’Connor SM

B.Sc. (Hons) (Canterbury)

C.T.S. (JSTB, California)

M.A. (Loyola, Chicago)

Ed.D. (University of Toronto)

Dean of Studies

Email: oconnor@gsc.ac.nz

I am from Christchurch and did my secondary schooling at St. Bedes College. After ordination in 1965, I taught for a year at St. Bedes and then studied at University of Canterbury to prepare for my missionary appointment to Fiji. I moved to Fiji in 1971 and finally left to come back to New Zealand in 2018.  My first appointment in Fiji was to teaching (mainly Chemistry and Maths)  at St. John’s College in Cawaci (Ovalau) , after which I moved to teaching Agriculture (Tutu, Taveuni) and then parish priest of Napuka and Rabi. After a year of study in California, I returned to Pacific Regional Seminary  as superior of the Marist College and lecturer in pastoral and liturgy (1979-85). I was given opportunity for doctoral studies and then returned to Fiji in 1990. Several years of consulting and advisory work in Fiji followed before appointment as Vicar Provincial of Marist Province of Oceania (1994-1999) and then Provincial (2000-2005). From 2007-2008). I was on staff at Marist College, and part time teacher, at Catholic Institute, Bomana, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. My last appointment in Oceania was to be Rector at Pacific Regional Seminary in Suva, Fiji (2009-2017). Obviously I miss the Pacific, but am determined to settle back into New Zealand and to help where I can.