THE Holy See in Rome has no business or power to interfere in Fiji's politics, the Roman Catholic Church of Fiji said yesterday.Vicar-General Father Beni Kaloudau said neither the Pope nor his Pacific representative based in New Zealand could do anything about the head of Fiji's Roman Catholic Church Archbishop Petero Mataca's decision to co-chair the People's Charter.
"The Catholic Church has been playing politics for the past 2000 years. We (the Catholic Church) have our own government," Father Kaloudau said.
"Rome will never do anything about it. (Archbishop Mataca) is the oldest and longest serving leader in the South Pacific," Father Kaloudau said.
He disputed earlier reports the Pacific representative to Rome Archbishop Charles Balvo had inquired about Archbishop Mataca's decision to join the co-chair the charter.
"(Archbishop) Balvo had something to clarify with us about the church a church matter not related to the charter. They (the Pope and Archbishop Balvo) have no business with the charter.
They are not going to apprehend Archbishop Mataca for his involvement in the charter," Father Kaloudau said.
Archbishop Balvo, the Holy See's representative in the Pacific, said earlier he had written to Archbishop Mataca seeking an explanation over his involvement in heading the People's Charter.
The explanation from Archbishop Mataca was reportedly sent more than a week later.
Father Kaloudau said Archbishop Balvo had made no request for more information on the People's Charter as he had publicly claimed.
"Two weeks before the annual meeting in Rome, (Archbishop) Balvo asked for information on the Catholic Church, not on the charter. It was relevant to his address to Rome," Father Kaloudau said.
When contacted in New Zealand yesterday, Archbishop Balvo said he was studying the matter. He refused to comment on whether Rome had queried Archbishop Mataca's decision to co-chair the People's Charter.
Last month, the paramount chief of Rewa Ro Teimumu Kepa and former Labour minister Kenneth Zink were among those that personally requested Archbishop Mataca to resign as co-chair of the People's Charter.
The National Council for Building a Better Fiji offered Archbishop Mataca the post of co-chair of the People's Charter.
Interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama is the other co-chair.
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