The Indonesian police opened fire on a peaceful gathering of Papuans who were fundraising money for humanitarian aid for the victims of Cyclone Pam according to Benny Wenda, a West Papua Activist based in the United Kingdom. “This fundraising was coordinated across West Papua by church groups in West Papua and the umbrella organisation, the Read more
“Celebrating the Palm Sunday (Children’s Sunday), it is only proper that children and parents in Fiji dedicate their donations to the more than 30,000 children of Vanuatu as well as children of Tuvalu and Kiribati who are facing the aftermath of the cyclone,” said Methodist Church communications secretary, the Reverend James Bhagwan. On Palm Sunday Read more
Over the past few months, many of the Guam’s Catholics have been divided by a line in which one side supports the Neocatechumenal Way (NCW) movement and those who want to keep the old traditions of the local Catholic church. On Wednesday a prayer vigil took place in Hagåtña. Gregory D. Perez, president of the Read more
A Christian organisation in Nadi, Fiji, holds weekly mini-marathons to raise awareness about abortions and unplanned pregnancy. Since December last year, members of the Living Way church have been walking or running with Tee-shirts emblazoned with the biblical text, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified Read more
Food and water as well as shelter are a major concern for the people of Vanuatu. Residents on the outer island of Enae say they will run out of food and water in a week and desperately need help. Health worker Donald Kalsong said some supplies have reached Enae, but not enough. He said only Read more
Tonga’s Cardinal Mafi has written a letter giving the reasons the Catholic church does not support the Government’s decision to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of any form of Discrimination Against Women [CEDAW]. Mafi says all forms of discrimination against women are already clear enough in Tonga’s laws and are forbidden in Christian churches. He Read more
The Studio of John the Baptist, in Takapuna, Auckland, is planning to establish a Studio of St John the Baptist in the Solomon Islands, to supply quality sacred art in the Pacific. The bishop of Auki, in the Solomon Islands, Chris Cardone, visited the Studio in 2014 while in New Zealand for a meeting of Read more
A joint forum of Papuan church leaders and the Indonesian Communion of Churches [PGI] have urged Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate alleged rights abuses in the Paniai shooting in Papua province. Five protestors were killed and at least 17 injured in the December incident in which security forces allegedly Read more
The Mercedarian Missionaries, who came from Berriz in Spain, recently celebrated the 87th anniversary of their arrival on Saipan. The Mercedarian sisters were the first group of religious women to come to the island. The Spanish Sisters Loreta Zubia, Inocencia Urizar, Maria Teresa Cortazar, Pilar Lorenzo and Aurora Chopitea arrived by boat at what is now Read more
Five students at St. Joseph’s College, in Apia, Samoa, have been expelled after they were identified as the culprits in a bullying video, filmed at the school. The video, posted on Facebook, showing a St. Joseph’s College student being beaten by another student while other students look on, has gone viral. They are also likely Read more