Chanel College, Moamoa

Chanel College
Location
Moamoa, Samoa Samoa 13°52′12″S 171°47′12″W / 13.8700°S 171.7867°W
Information
School type	Private, with some government subsidies, High school
Motto	"Taofi Mau le Faatuatua" ("Cling Fast to the Faith")
Denomination	Catholic, but open to all students
Patron saint	St. Peter Chanel
Status	Open
Authority	Catholic Education (Samoa Diocese)
Principal	Fr. 'Ekuasi Manu SM
Grades	9-13
Colors	Blue and White
Website	www.chanelcollege.org[]

Chanel College is a Catholic co-educational college in Moamoa, Samoa. It is near the top of Mount Vaea, at the end of Moamoa Road, which leads directly from Apia. The college has been staffed by a combination of Marist Fathers, Salasian sisters, volunteer organizations and regular employees.

History

Founded in 1962 by the Marist Fathers, it was originally a boys-only boarding school (with special permission for non-boarders) that later became co-educational. The first principal was Father Bernard Doherty. The first head prefect was Lino Samoa, who later received from his family his chiefly title of "Taupa'u".

Enrollment numbers (in 2008) exceeded 400 students.

Allegation of Abuse

A priest who taught for a year (1975) at Chanel College is alleged to have been a pedophile while teaching at Marist schools in New Zealand. However, there exists no credible report of sexual abuse allegation against him while he was at Chanel College.

• Father Francis A Durning, SM, MA. In 2009, the Society of Mary (Marists) in New Zealand accepted a complaint that one of its priests, Francis Durning, had sexually abused children. He was mentioned in the NZ Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care hearings in Nov. 2020.