A colourful record of the 150 years history of the work of the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary [SMSM] in Samoa and the Jubilee celebrations in Apia last year, was launched last Saturday. The 150 Anniversary Commemoration Magazine is the work of a Media Committee led by Sister Vitolia Mo’a and was designed Read more
Methodist Church president, Reverend Dr Tevita Banivanua, has told a meeting of church leaders that one of the key challenges facing the church is to rebuild relationships that have become strained or neglected over the past few years. Following the success of the reconciliation process within the Church last year, as part of her golden jubilee, Read more
Last Tuesday evening, Grant Holland was going from house to house at Tulaele in Samoa preaching church unity. He was only wearing a light brown pair of shorts, no shirt and carried a stick but no bible. Holland is a New Zealander who is jointly charged with a Ms. Vaioleti Stowers with 12 charges of selling rental Read more
Indonesian authorities executed a Brazilian man in January without allowing a priest to give the last rites as he waited for the firing squad. Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira was executed on January 18, the last of five drug felons shot by firing squads on Nusakambangan, Indonesia’s execution island. The horrific last minutes of Moreira’s life were Read more
The Pacific Theological College (PTC) at Veiuto, Suva, celebrated its 50th anniversary last Friday. President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau was the chief guest. In his address to more than 300 people he said that studying and living together and worshipping together in the college chapel within a community of such diverse Christian backgrounds builds deeper understanding Read more
Women advocates at a recent roundtable discussion in Nuku’alofa perceived that their main antagonists are the church ministers, the faifekau, who propagate fear of the future. There were at least four faifekau in the room. One of them shouted, “You women should know your place!” The roundtable meeting was called to discuss the Tonga’s ratification of Read more
The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima visited Guam for 10 day last month. The world-famous statue was sculpted in 1947 by Jose Thedim, based on the description of Sr. Lucia, one of the three young seers who saw Our Lady each month from May to October 1917 in Fatima, Portugal. Patrick Read more
Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi returned to Tonga on February 26 after what he described as a “humbling” experience in Rome. The Tongan cardinal was given his red hat by Pope Francis at the Vatican on February 14. On his arrival back in Tonga, Cardinal Mafi said he had not been given any permanent role Read more
Catholic schools in Suva archdiocese celebrated Catholic Education over a week in February, instead of on one day as in previous years. Archdiocese Catholic education director Pio Bosco said Archbishop Peter Loy Chong changed the duration of the celebration. Instead of having it in July, the timing of the celebration was also changed to be Read more
The Catholic Church of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands launched its first child protection policy on February 24. The policy outlines clear steps for investigating abuse within the Church and encourages members of report abuse. Br Frank Hough, who helped formulate the new policy, said he hoped Church members would find reporting abuse less Read more