By a complicated set of circumstances, the Holy See entrusted Eastern Oceania to the apostolic care of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, popularly known as the "Picpus Fathers". In 1827, Father Bachelot and his companions arrived in Hawaii to begin their work. They were soon expelled from the area, but, under Bishop Rouchouze, a more successful start was made in the Gambiers and later in Tahiti.
On the return of Archbishop Pierre Martin of Noumea from the Papal Synod in 1967, invitations were sent out to the Bishops of the Pacific to attend a meeting in Suva the following year. There, on 26th March 1968, the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific – Conferentia Episcopalis Pacifici, (CEPAC) - was formally inaugurated. Archbishop George Pearce of Suva was voted President with Archbishop Martin vice- president; the members designated were the Metropolitan Archbishops of Papeete, Noumea and Suva, and the Bishops of the Dioceses of Taiohae, Wallis-Futuna, Port Vila, Apia, Tarawa and Tonga. Bishops Coadjutor and Assistant Bishops were also named as members by right.
Since then, some of the dioceses have changed their names and the metropolitan Archbishop of Agana, Guam, and the Bishops of the Dioceses of the Caroline Islands, Chalan Kanoa, Pagopago, Rarotonga and the Prefecture Apostolic of the Marshall Islands, together with the Missions sui juris of Funafuti and Tokelau, have joined the Conference. Under the leadership of Archbishop Pearce, and then, in turn, of Archbishop Martin, Archbishop Mataca, Bishop Finau, Bishop Lambert, Archbishop Calvet, Archbishop Apuron of Agana, and now of Cardinal Soane Patita Mafi (Bishop of Tonga) CEPAC has undertaken vigorous action in many fields, particularly in the important fields of priestly recruitment and formation.
One hundred and twenty years of sporadic effort and meagre results had already passed when Bishop Rodgers of Tonga, through his representative, Father White, asked the first meeting of CEPAC to give thought to the establishment of "a seminary and religious houses of formation in Fiji". The Conference urged interested dioceses and the Society of Mary to explore the matter and make recommendations.
They did so and in 1970, CEPAC decided to establish its own seminary in Fiji. Thus came into existence the Pacific Regional Seminary of St. Peter Chanel. The Bishops and the Marists recalled their students from Springwood in Australia, Mosgiel in Christchurch and Greenmeadows in New Zealand. Father Laurence Ross (American Marist who had worked in Samoa), Secretary to CEPAC, was nominated the first Rector. Accordingly, on 6 March 1972, eighteen students gathered in an old house in Hercules Street, Suva, and with Father Ross SM, assisted by Fathers Bourke CM and Robichaud SM, constituted the new seminary community. A new site was then acquired and new buildings erected. In June 1973, the community transferred to its present site at 461 Queen Elizabeth Drive at Suva Point.
Student numbers doubled twice over the first four years, and in 1983 they stood at over 100 in residence with twenty in pastoral work. Accommodation for this large number had to be provided together with kitchen, dining and laundry amenities, lecture rooms, chapel, library and recreational facilities and administrative offices. In the late 70s and through to 2017 six religious congregations established their own individual campus which is affiliated to Pacific Regional Seminary. We now have the Marists living on their own campus next to the Diocesan College, the Columbans at Nasese, the MSCs and the Vincentians at Wailoku, the Salesians at Nakasi and the most recent arrival the Picpus at Laucala Bay. The main campus is the residence for Diocesan seminarians and their formators.
From 1996 onwards the total student numbers each year have been between 120 and 150. This year 2021, there are a total of 130 students enrolled in the academic program of whom 14 are out on Pastoral Year. There are 36 diocesan students residing on campus in the Diocesan College and 23 students joining for online classes.