The National Public Inquiry into Family Violence names the government, the village and the church as having some responsibility for a “veil of silence” over domestic violence in Samoa. One of the 39 recommendations in its report is for a government-led response supported by the church and village. Dr Mercy Ah Siu Maliko says the Read more
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBCPNGSI) opened a new building in Port Moresby last week. The new building has two blocks. ToRot Block (Building A) has a conference room with a capacity of 100 people, 25 workstations and 11 living rooms. Mazzuconi Block (Building B) has a fireproof archive room, Read more
Sister Patricia Fox’s request for an extension of her missionary visa was denied last week. She is now seeking clarification about the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) signed in June. In a press release about the denial of the extension, the BI stated that Read more
A New Zealand Journalist Heather du Plessis-Allan has come under fire for saying Pacific people are “leeches” on New Zealand. During a Wellington broadcast of Newstalk ZB, the host discussed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s decision to visit Nauru. Du Plessis Allan referred to the island as a “hell hole”, and said it was not worth Read more
Fifteen former Marist Brothers students were honoured with Excellence Service Awards at the final event of the celebration of the 130 years of the Marist Brothers contribution to education in Samoa last Saturday evening. “The boys they (the Marist Brothers) taught became leaders in all aspects of life like Government, churches, villages and families,” said Read more
Catholics in Indonesia’s West Papua province of Manokwari-Sorong are calling on Bishop Hilarion Datus Lega to quit. They want the “foreign” bishop to be replaced by a native-born Papuan priest. Lega was born on Flores Island in Nusa Tenggara Timur, the southernmost province of Indonesia. The anger allegedly stems from a dispute between two priests that turned into an Read more
Samoan police officers involved in extra-marital affairs are in the focus of Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi. Speaking at a police graduation ceremony the Prime Minister said the Police Commissioner had yet to fully implement his decision last year to weed out at least one half of police ‘couples’ in the force. He is giving Commissioner Fuiavailili Read more
Lawyers in Guam, representing nearly 200 people who say they were sexually abused by representatives of the Catholic Church, are due to meet with Church officials in the next week. The abuse is alleged to have happened over decades. In a letter acknowledging a debt of justice, new Guam Archbishop Michael Byrnes (pictured) confirmed the Read more
Samoa’s health authorities are desperate for the whooping cough vaccination programme to resume. Following the death of two babies, the programme was suspended in July and the nurses who administered the vaccinations have been stood down. University of Auckland vaccinologist Dr Helen Petousis-Harris told NewsTalkZB in July that one death, let alone two, was extremely Read more
The Catholic Church of Fiji has launched a climate change song penned by Archbishop Peter Loy Chong. The song inspiration is taken from Pope Francis’ letter ‘Laudato Si’, Care for Our Common Home.’ The lyrics for the three verse song were written by Chong, the arrangement by the music director of the Catholic Church in Fiji, Damiano Read more