NZ Columban Fr David Arms passed away at the Fergusson Rest Home on December 6 2022. He had been in hospital for a few days from November 24 and was then transferred to the Rest Home 6 days ago.
Born in Lower Hutt, for most of his life as a Columban missionary priest, he has worked in Fiji. Because of his gifts with languages, he went to the United States where he obtained a doctorate in linguistics. Back in Fiji, he put together a Fijian language-learning course. He was elected the regional director for Fiji and then, in 1976, he was elected Vicar General of the Missionary Society of St Columban. For the next three years he resided at our headquarters in Ireland. Following this term of office he returned to Fiji to continue his work in setting up a translation office. During this time he was briefly assigned to Pakistan and Vanuatu to assist in the work giving written form to two languages in each of those countries. Apart from his work in producing homiletic notes for Fijian catechists, he was in charge of a committee that re-wrote the Catholic missal and the lectionary. He was also parish priest of Ba for a number of years and was deeply committed to the work of the Columban Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation Office. Appointed by the Fiji government, he also worked for the electoral office in Fiji and helped to design an appropriate electoral process which is still in use today. For the past number of years, he has been working on his dictionary project and has reached the letter S. Friends in Fiji will help to finish the project. He retired to Aotearoa-New Zealand about four years ago. This year he celebrated 60 years of priesthood.
Fr David with his family on his 60th Anniversary outside the Columban Chapel, Lower HuttHe was a great missionary who had a deep love for the people of Fiji. He will be fondly remembered by many Columbans and people around the world. We will miss his company because, even up to three weeks ago, he was determined to make it to daily mass at our chapel, morning tea in the office and lunch with his Columban brothers.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated in the church of Ss Peter & Paul, 60 Knights Rd, Lower Hutt, on Friday 9th December 2022 at 1.30pm, thereafter interment at Taita Cemetery. The Vigil will be held in the chapel at Ss Peter & Paul on Thursday evening, 8th December, at 7.30pm. The link for the live stream of Fr David's Requiem Mass will be: https://vimeo.com/event/2684411/b8d626f8c6
He was a true shepherd following the example of Jesus the Good Shepherd. May he rest in peace.
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