A Jesuit priest, has gained a doctorate from the State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah in Jakarta. Gregorius Soetomo graduated cum laude on May 24. One of his dissertation supervisors and examiners was prominent Islamic scholar Azyumardi Azra. He became the first Jesuit priest to earn a doctorate in Islamology from the prestigious Islamic university. “I use Read more
A parliamentary delegation from Australia recently visited the Good Samaritan Early Childhood Centre in Abaokoro, North Tarawa, and met with staff, children and families. Established by the Good Samaritan Sisters in 2009, the Centre provides pre-school learning opportunities for children aged three to five years. Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Read more
There has been a call to protect the livelihood and cultural integrity of the people of West Papua. The situation in West Papua was one of the main focuses in a statement issued at the end of their recent meeting in Auckland by the Executive Committee of the Federation of Catholic Bishops. They called for: Read more
Catholic Bishops representing Oceania say they are “heartened to learn of the systematic and coordinated opposition to seabed mining, which turns the ocean floor into a stage of exploitative destruction of ocean habitats.” The Executive Committee of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania (CEPAC), which covers Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands Read more
There hasn’t been any widespread anxiety among Guam residents, even after Pyongyang vowed to complete a plan to attack waters near the island by mid-August. The people of Guam are accustomed to threats from North Korea. On Sunday priests across the island prayed for peace and a “just resolution of differences.” Continue reading
The Neocatechumenal Way should start paying rent for using the Archdiocese of Hagåtña’s Yona property says David Sablan. Archdiocesan Finance Council President Richard Untalan and other council members said the Yona property is one of 41 non-essential archdiocese assets that could be sold to help settle clergy sex abuse cases against the archdiocese. But Sablan Read more
A short feature Pacific film, Maria, has won the Peoples Choice award at the recent international Public Broadcasting Service Online Film Festival. The festival featured 25 short films from a variety of genres and garnered 1 million views during the two-week period following its July 14 launch. Maria was judged the Most Popular Film, determined by votes cast Read more
Brother Richie Fernando was a 26 year-old Jesuit seminarian from the Philippines when in 1996 he died protecting his Cambodian students from a hand grenade. He is now on the road to sainthood, thanks to a norm issued by Pope Francis this summer that opens the door to canonisation for those who have “voluntarily and Read more
A Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) charity gave some computers to the Samoa Social Welfare Fesoasoani Trust last week. According to Elder Clifford Vellinga the Latter-day Saint Charities computer project cost about $25,000. “We hope we have made it possible for them to be able to have a much more effective way Read more
A protest is continuing at the refugee prison camp on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island. On Wednesday, speakers addressed a rally of about 900 detainees demonstrating against moves to evict them. Under PNG law the Australian-run facility must close by November after four years of operation. The protest was a response to cuts to water Read more