Fiji’s highest honour, the Companion of the Order of Fiji, has been awarded to the outgoing Archbishop of the Catholic Church of Fiji, Petero Mataca. This award is given for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree for service to Fiji and to humanity at large. President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, as the chancellor of Read more
Members of four Melanesian religious orders recently visited the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at Lambeth Palace. The group was composed of members of the Franciscan Brothers, the Sisters of the Church, the Melanesian Brotherhood and the Sisters of Melanesia. Of these, the largest is the Melanesian Brothers, whose 400 members take vows of poverty, chastity Read more
The Vatican has appointed New Zealander Father Peter Brown, as Bishop of Samoa Pago Pago. Bishop elect Brown is a member Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists – C.Ss.R). After being professed as a Redemptorist in 1979 Fr Peter’s first appointment was to their newly established mission in Samoa. In the community with him were Read more
Catholic Bishops have accused the PNG Government of ignoring the public debate on the death penalty and fast tracking their own agenda. Archbishop Douglas Young of Mt. Hagen said that while the Attorney General had noted that there had been widespread debate in the public forum he did not say who had won the debate. Read more
There will not be a representative from the Vatican to attend the Episcopal Ordination of Archbishop Elect Father Peter Loy Chong. The Vatican representative would normally have been the Apostolic Nuncio but Fiji does not presently have an Apostolic Nuncio. The last Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand and the Pacific, Archbishop Charles Balvo, who was based in New Zealand, finished Read more
The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga has alleged that 8 of its pastors have been misappropriating money. As a result of an investigation by the church’s general auditor it is alleged that approximately $342,000 in church funds have been misappropriated. One pastor from Eu’a, one from Vava’u and the others from Nuku’alofa remain with their Read more
Pope Francis has named Archbishop Michael W. Banach the apostolic nuncio for Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Pope Benedict XVI had named Banach, a Vatican diplomat, to be an apostolic nuncio, which carries with it the title of archbishop, in February. He was born the son of Wallace and Jane Banach. He grew up Read more
The episcopal ordination of the Archbishop Elect Father Peter Loy Chong will take place on 8 June. He will become the 6th Roman Catholic Bishop of Fiji Loy Chong is currently in the US for his graduation where he will receive his Doctor in Theology at the St Clare University. An American priest, Father Robert Read more
American Samoa plans to take away frequent flyer miles from government workers who travel on behalf of the US territory and give them to medical patients who need to travel overseas for treatment. Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga says the territory will use the the frequent flyer miles to help medical patients travel off-island when needed, Read more
More government action is needed to address high unemployment and a widening income gap for Pacific people according to a Salvation Army report, “More Than Churches, Rugby and Festivals”. The report claims Pacific people now have the highest unemployment, the lowest incomes and a widening income gap that could mean they’re left behind when the economy Read more