Toa and her family have been in Rome for six months.

Photographs sent to the online news organisation Talamua from Rome show Toa in Rome greeting the Pope.

However, the photograph appears to have taken place during one of the Pope's walk-abouts.

It is unlikely that she had a private audience with Pope Francis regarding the stigmata.

The archbishop of Apia, Alapati Mataeliga told group meeting in Apia last week that both Toa and her new born baby Agnes are doing well.

"It is hoped that Toa will share her experience in Rome with the church, but that is Toa's decision," said the archbishop.

The claim that Toa had experienced the stigmata created friction between Toa's father who is a Congregation Christian Church church minister and the leaders of the Congregational Christian Church.

The friction worsened when Toa later married and converted to the Catholicism.

There was also disagreement over the presence of Catholic images and statues inside the village church where her father was the minister.

Talamua previously reported that authorities in Rome had declared Toa to be medically fit and sound of mind.

Lance Polu, the publisher of Talamua and said Toa's time in Rome had been extended after assessments by Vatican officials.

Source

• talamua.com
• niufm.com
• Image: talamua.com

Toaipuapuaga Opapo and her father Reverend Opapo Oeti have used the mainstream media in Samoa to dispel rumors circulating on social media that she is dead.

Oeti appeared at a press conference with his daughter at his side.

She showed her hands still with the marks to prove that she is well.

Her family have also dismissed numerous other reports going around about her.

Oeti said there are so many stories being spread on social media about his daughter but none of them are true.

"People have been saying on social media that she has been in hospital for two weeks and that our family is looking for blood because she has lost so much blood," he said.

"None of these reports is true, my daughter is well and she is nowhere near the hospital."

"The more they say things about me, the stronger I am in preaching Jesus message," said Toaipuapuaga.

"It is up to the individual whether to believe the message I was told to deliver or not, as my role is to ensure that the message reaches everyone."

A week after she went public, a huge crowd gathered at a special Mass at the Immaculate of Mary Cathedral to hear her testimony that she was taken by the Lord to see Heaven and Hell so she can reveal the message to the public to make the right choice.

Oeti, a pastor for 21 years at the Congregational Christian Church at Siufaga, Falelatai, said negative comments are not important, as long as the message is delivered to everyone.

One reason for the split in opinion may be that many Samoans are Protestant Christians, while stigmata has been a mostly Catholic phenomenon.

Toaipuapuaga is a Protestant.

Merita Huch, a news editor with TV1 Samoa, told the BBC: "This is a huge thing, it's dividing the whole country across the faiths."

"The Catholic Church has since been taking care of her, they have held a Mass for her.

There have been villages who have invited her as they want to meet and touch her.

"But there are other churches who are warning people not to believe it, saying it is the work of the devil... Some people say she was possessed by an old boyfriend's spirit."

Watch interview (in Samoan Language)

Source

• sobserver.ws
• talamua.com
• www.bbc.com
• Image: sobserver.ws

However, that ban comes with exceptions, urging that "wisdom and conscience" are used.

C.C.C.S. Secretary General, Reverend Dr. Iutisone Salevao said the decision was finalised during last year's gathering.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer yesterday, Dr. Salevao made it clear that the change is to "lighten the burden on people".

Reading from the Annual Meeting's Resolution 2013 booklet, he said, "There shall be no more traditional presentation of fine mats inclusive of food feasts presentation in dedication of church buildings."

Around this time last year, at the 2013 conference, many Reverends voiced their dismay on the traditional practices causing "people to leave churches".

One of the Ministers told the conference last year that the church should set an example to "stop taiga sua to avoid the heavy burden on people".

"If we take these gifts away we would feel a lot cooler and relaxed."

Under fa'alavelave custom, family and friends are expected to donate money, food, clothing and artefacts during a wedding, funeral or other significant occasions.

This is on top of regular tithes, with some church goers donating up to half of their income.

Source

• Samoa Observer
• Samoa Observer
• Image: unesco.org

Samoan church bans gift-giving]]> 58395 https://cathnews.co.nz/2014/02/28/samoa-retired-senior-police-officer-drops-case-pastor/ Thu, 27 Feb 2014 18:30:07 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=54936

Ater reconciliation meetings, Samoa's former assistant police commissioner has dropped his court case against a minister of the Congregational Christian Church. Pagamalie Penani Lemuelu, and his wife had been accused of alleged theft of 5,000 US dollars of church money following a fundraising drive in Australia last year. Pagamalie says he dropped the complaint after Read more

The general secretary of the Church, Rev. Dr Iutisone Salevao, said the idea has been in the pipeline for about five years but after its General Meeting in May, the church finally decided to go through with it.

Talks have been held already with those whom the church think should carry out the transmission work. The only cable TV company in Samoa, Pro-Com, have been contacted to assist in ensuring that full national coverage is established by May next year.

A committee handling programmes and other aspects of television work has also met and will continue to meet and establish staff, equipment and sales and marketing strategies within the next ten months.

Source

• Island Business
• Image Arthur Henrique