The Holy Father has appointed Jude Michael Byrnes as the coadjutor archbishop of Agaña “with special faculties.” He has been given full pastoral responsibility and administrative authority in the archdiocese. “I got a call from the papal nuncio (Archbishop Christophe Pierre); it was a 5-10 minute conversation, where he asked me if I would accept Read more
A Samoan girl-led charity, Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) is one of 20 organisations from around the world to receive a With and For Girls Award in London this week. The With and For Girls Awards is a global initiative to identify and support strong local organisations working with and for girls. As part of Read more
Moana is a computer-animated musical fantasy comedy adventure film about a young Pacific Island princess who dreams of becoming an ocean navigator. It has been criticised for perpetuating stereotypes of Polynesians by depicting Maui as overweight. One of the movie’s directors, John Musker, said music had to play a big part in the movie to really Read more
Marist Brothers Primary School in Mulivai, and St Joseph’s College in Alafua have new principals Brother Siaosi Ioane has been appointed principal of Marist Brothers’ Primary School, Mulivai for 2017 – 2019. He is no stranger to this position as he was the principal of Marist Primary from 2000 to 2002. Aside from postings overseas, Read more
Not every one in Samoa thinks churches are asking their congregations for too much money. “I am a Catholic and the church leaders are trying to help the people by making obligations not so tough,” says Timu Iakopo, from the parish of Safotu in Savai’i. “An example is that they have stopped the practice of Read more
In Fiji, where it is a public holiday (31 October), Diwali gives an opportunity for people of different faiths and communities to come together and live in a spirit of communal harmony. Diwali, a Hindu festival, which signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair, involves followers Read more
In the first ecumenical service of its kind in Fiji, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Suva, Reverend Dr Peter Loy Chong, presided at a liturgy conducted with the leaders of the major Christian churches in Fiji. The service marked the inductions of the new leadership team of the Fiji Council of Churches. (FCC) The liturgy Read more
Sister Patricia Stowers, of the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary (SMSM) passed away on October 12 at Ste-Foy les Lyon (France), after a long illness. She was an outstanding leader who served the SMSM sisters at the highest level. “Patricia was a Marist woman, a woman of the Church, and a woman of Read more
A parish in the Solomon Islands is to get its first permanent church building thanks to the generosity of British Catholics. Since its foundation in 1950, St Mark’s parish in the village of Fote, on Malaita has worshipped in a hut made of wood and palm leaves. But in a hand-written appeal to the charity Read more
John Ribat, Papua New Guinea’s newly appointed Cardinal, says Pope Francis has been very true to his word that he’s not looking at the traditional places where cardinals have been appointed in the past. “He’s going beyond that and wanting a fairer representation of the church,” he said in an extended interview with Alex Perrottet Read more