Home Blog Page 801

Pope washes feet of Muslim migrants, says ‘We are brothers’

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of Muslim, Christian and Hindu refugees Thursday and declared them all children of the same God, as he performed a gesture of welcome and brotherhood at a time of increased anti-Muslim sentiment following the Brussels attacks.

Francis denounced the carnage as a “gesture of war” carried out by blood-thirsty people beholden to the weapons industry during an Easter Week Mass with asylum-seekers at a shelter in Castelnuovo di Porto, outside Rome.

The Holy Thursday rite re-enacts the foot-washing ritual Jesus performed on his apostles before being crucified, and is meant as a gesture of service. Francis contrasted that gesture with the “gesture of destruction” carried out by the Brussels attackers, saying they wanted to destroy the brotherhood of humanity represented by the migrants.

“We have different cultures and religions, but we are brothers and we want to live in peace,” Francis said in his homily, delivered off-the-cuff in the windy courtyard of the center.

Several of the migrants then wept as Francis knelt before them, poured holy water from a brass pitcher over their feet, wiped them clean and kissed them.

Francis was greeted with a banner reading “Welcome” in a variety of languages as he walked down a makeshift aisle to celebrate the Mass. But only a fraction of the 892 asylum-seekers living at the shelter attended, and many of the seats were left empty. Those who came out, though, received a personal greeting: At the end of the Mass, Francis greeted each refugee, one by one, posing for selfies and accepting notes as he moved down the rows.

Vatican rules had long called for only men to participate in the foot-washing ritual, and past popes and many priests traditionally performed it on 12 Catholic men, recalling Jesus’ 12 apostles and further cementing the doctrine of an all-male priesthood.

Francis shocked many Catholics within weeks of his 2013 election by performing the ritual on women and Muslims at a juvenile detention center. After years of violating the rules outright, Francis in January changed the regulations to explicitly allow women and girls to participate.

The Vatican said Thursday that four women and eight men took part. The women included an Italian Catholic who works at the center and three Eritrean Coptic Christian migrants. The men included four Catholics from Nigeria, three Muslims from Mali, Syria and Pakistan and a Hindu man from India.

The Vatican’s new norms said anyone from the “people of God” could be chosen to participate in the ceremony. While the phrase “people of God” refers to baptized Christians, the decree also said that pastors should instruct “both the chosen faithful and others so that they may participate in the rite consciously, actively and fruitfully,” suggesting that the rite could be open to non-Catholics as well.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the Vatican norms are meant for traditional liturgies in Catholic communities, not necessarily a unique papal Mass where the overall message is one of universal brotherhood and the love of God for all his children.

“We must always take the pastoral context into account,” Lombardi said in an email. “Norms that are appropriate for a parish celebration aren’t to be considered binding on a very unique celebration of the pope in a refugee center with a non-Christian majority.”

Francis clearly intended the message to be universal.

“All of us, together: Muslims, Hindi, Catholics, Copts, Evangelicals. But brothers, children of the same God,” he said. “We want to live in peace, integrated.”

– Washington Post

Tongan policeman’s son killed in US shootout remembered as man of faith

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The 20-year-old Tongan man who was gunned down in a shootout in the United States early this week was described as a man who committed to his faith and took special care for his sister.

William Huluholo Greathouse Fifita Jr’s  body will be laid to rest on Monday while Police investigation is currently underway to find out his killer.

It has been revealed Fifita Jr’s father, William Huluholo Fifita Snr,  is currently a Policeman in San Bernardino County, California.

Fifita Jr was the eldest of six children, two brothers and three sisters,  and they were devoted members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.

His family was described as “very close happy” and he and his cousins called each other “brothers and sisters”.

Fifita Jr had recently completed two years of missionary service that is often undertaken by young parishioners of LDS church.

The car-to-car shooting that killed Fifita Jr occurred near the border between Gardena and Hawthorne after Fifita and three others were returning home after a church function in Torrance.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said a dark-coloured sedan pulled up and opened fire on the victims’ Volkswagen Jetta about 2:15 am Monday 21.

Fifita who was the driver of his car was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

The two male passengers were also struck in the upper torso and taken to a hospital. Their condition was still unknown. A woman was also in the car but was unhurt.

Fifita Jr’s death has left family and friends with many treasured memories of him.

“Our family is a very close happy family … and we are mostly members of The Church of Jesus Chist of Latter-day Saints. We believe in God the Father & his Son Jesus Christ & in the Holy Ghost,” Fifita Jr’s cousin Kolokiholeva Sekona Fifita said.

“We will meet with Junior again through Christ Jesus atoning sacrifice.

“There is no ill feelings towards those that took William Jr.’s life.

“We pray for them. That is what Junior would like his families to do. Forgive.

“William Jr. His whole life he committed to his faith… family & education.

“He was a 4.0 student. He had several cousins. They were all very close and called one another brothers and sisters.

“He was very close and watched over his sisters protecting them”.

Kolokiholeva confirmed Fifita Jnr’s “dad is a policeman” and is named after the Late President of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, Dr. Huluholo Moʻungaloa.

The Fifita family come from Kolovai, Fo’ui  and Kanokupolu.

Tonga Supreme court rejects ex-Leiola supervisor’s wrongful dismissal claim

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Tongan Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a claim of wrongful dismissal brought by a former sales supervisor of Leiola Group Ltd in Vava’u amid an investigation by the company into  a “significant amount of missing stock”.

The supervisor, Semisi Vaitaki, was suspended in June 2014  while an investigation was undertaken and before his employment was advised to be terminated on June 29.

However the Leiola company argued “Vaitaki was initially suspended from his employment while investigations were made into stock variances and that on around 22 July 2014 he voluntarily resigned from his employment”.

The judge, Lord Chief Justice Owen Paulsen, said: “Mr.  Vaitaki has  failed  to  prove  that  he  was  dismissed    from  his employment with Leiola and his claim must  fail”.

The court was told the Manager of Human Resources and Corporate Services, Viliami Takau, and Mr Jagjeet Chand, the Chief Operations Officer of Leiola, “discovered about TP$5,500 value of stock missing from company’s office in Vava’u”.

Mr. Vaitaki was suspended from his duties on June 20,  2014 while an investigation was undertaken.

Mr Paulsen said: “ it is clear to me  that he was told of the reason for his suspension. He was also told of the approximate value of the missing stock. He did not challenge his suspension”.

The investigation took about three months and although it appeared to be longer that normally expected of such an investigation the court was told Vaitaki had travelled overseas during that period.

On July 18 Takau emailed Mr. Vaitaki and told him that  the  amounts he owed Leiola were $4,122 for stock and $1,298 for sundries.

Takau advised  Vaitaki about the details of the amounts and said: “I’ll write to you on the weekend to let you know the decision regarding your employment”.

However no decision was ever communicated to Mr. Vaitaki about his employment before he emailed Mr. Takau on July 22, 2014 and  advised that he was travelling to the United States, the judgement said.

Vaitaki disputed the amount of the stock variances, but he appeared to accept the amount owing for sundries and said that they would sort the matter out when he returned from his travels, Mr Paulsen said.

Mr. Vaitaki confirmed that he was not told by Mr. Takau that his employment was terminated and he did not advise Mr. Takau or anyone else at Leiola when he would be returning from the United States.

When he returned Vataki did not contact  Mr. Takau or Leiola.

“He said that he opened his mail and saw that there was no contact from the company and he just stayed at home”.

“There was no evidence either of any contact by Mr. Vaitaki’s lawyer with Leiola”, Mr Paulsen said.

“It appears that the first Leiola knew of either Mr. Vaitaki’s return from overseas or his claim to have been wrongfully dismissed was when it was served with these Court proceedings in around June or July 2015

Mr.  Vaitaki  has  failed  to  prove  that  he  was wrongfully dismissed from  his employment and Mr Paulsen dismissed his claim.

Vaitaki was represented in court by Legal Counsel ‘Ofa Pouono and Dana E. Stephenson was acted for the Leiola Company.

Former Haʻapai MP Viliami Pousima Afeaki dies

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The former Haʻapai MP Viliami Pousima Afeaki has died today March 22 (US Time) at the age of 65 in McKay-Dee Hospital Ogden, Utah in the United States.

His daughter Victorina (Dorina)  Afeaki Kioa has confirmed this to Kaniva News.

Afeaki was MP for Haʻapai from 1987 until 1993.

He was beaten in the general election by ʻUliti Uata.

His daughter Telesia Afeaki Tonga wrote on Facebook and said:

“My father Viliami Pousima Afeaki has left this mortality to prepare a place for his faithful eternal companion Henilieta Wolfgramm Afeaki, his loving children and wonderful grandchildren”.

Man dies at sea in Ha’apai named, post mortem out

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A man from ‘Uiha who died after he collapsed and fell into the sea before he was taken to hospital has been named as Fenuki Kauvaka.

A post mortem report says the 64-year-old man died from heart attack on March 19.

Police said Kauvaka and the passengers were travelling to Lifuka to attend a church meeting in Pangai.

Tonga celebrates world meteorological day

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Tonga celebrated the World Meteorological Day today under the theme Hotter, Drier, Wetter: Face the Future.

The earth’s climate is changing according to experts and it will continue to change over the coming decades as more and more heat-trapping greenhouse gases emitted by human activities accumulate in the atmosphere.

“Each of the past several decades has been significantly warmer than the previous one. The period 2011–2015 was the hottest on record, and the year 2015 – with an extra boost from a powerful El Niño – was the hottest since modern observations began in the late 1800s.

Climate change is disrupting the natural pattern of the seasons, and it is increasing the frequency and intensity of certain extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall. These ongoing changes provide a foretaste of a hotter, drier, wetter future”.

The kingdom became a member of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) in 1996 opening the opportunities for training of local meteorological personnel and providing facilities.

“One of the big projects that WMO and its Members has assisted Tonga with is the capacity building of the Meteorology Department to establish Tonga’s own autonomous and Weather Forecasting Centre in 2007,” said ʻOfa Faʻanunu, Tonga’s Director of Meteorology.

Currently WMO is also financing the drafting of Tonga’s first Meteorology Bill.

The Meteorology Department’s Office was opened to the public today and tomorrow as part of the celebration.

“Tonga’s Contribution to WMO is through annual membership subscriptions as well as the engagement of Tonga’s Director of Meteorology, Mr. ‘Ofa Fa’anunu as the Vice President of the Southeast Asia and Southwest Pacific WMO Region”.

The celebration marked the 66th years since the international organisation was established.

Government restructures SPG committee after Lord Sevele refuses to step down

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Tongan government said Lord Sevele’s committee for the South Pacific Games 2019 (SPG) would continue on in its assigned roles but said it has removed the role to oversee the construction and gave it to the Government Facilities Committee.

The government said an Audit and Governance Authority committee was also established to make sure a mechanism is in place to provide oversight of the financial reporting process and system of internal controls and compliance with laws and regulations.

It said the move has been made to make sure the preparation for the Games would be successful and fast.

The announcement comes after the Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva wrote to Lord Sevele and his Tonga Pacific Games Organising Committee members in December 2015 and demanded they submitted their resignation no later than December 18, 2015.

The Prime Minister claimed the committee was making slow progress in preparation for the Games.

The Prime Minister told Lord Sevele, the Chair of SPGC 2019, the Secretary General Takitoa Taumoepeau, Committee Member Sakopo Lolohea and Newly Appointed Consultant Ringo Fa’oliu on December 15 last year to voluntarily resign by December 18.

However, Lord Sevele responded and told the Prime Minister he and his committee disagreed with his concerns and claims.

The Former Prime Minister told Hon Pohiva he and his committee would not step down.

In January the Prime Minister’s Office said Hon Pohiva was waiting for an advice from government department heads before he could respond to Lord Sevele’s refusal to resign.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office last week said the government has formalised three government bodies to take care of the preparation for the Games and they were the Government Facilities Committee, South Pacific Organising Committee and the Audit and Governance Authority Committee.

It said the  Organising Committee would continue on with its roles for the Games while the two other new committees were established to take part in monitoring the operation.

READ MORE:

PM waits for advice from department heads after Lord Sevele refuses to resign from Olympic body

LDS schools warned of possible shut down over student brawl

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) schools in Tonga have been warned by the church’s Commissioner of Education they could be shut down if students will continue their involvement in fighting with students from other schools.

Elder Kim B. Clark has issued the warning while he visited the kingdom last week to give “advice to Tongan students, teachers and parents”.

He said if “violence and fighting” … “becomes the nature of these schools, then yes, the church will shut it down”.

The fighting between groups of students from different schools in Tonga has been going for years.

Recently, violent incidents occured quite frequently between students of the LDS largest high school known as Liahona High School and the government owned Tonga College.

Earlier this month a number of videos were uploaded to social media of fighting between students from various schools.

One video shows a student from Liahona High School emerging from a brawl with his face covered in blood.

In a press conference in Nukuʻalofa during his visit Elder Clark spoke about the role of parents, and he said, “Parents have a huge influence in their children’s education. The Lord wants His children to be better educated than ever before.”

He urged parents to support their children so they can acquire all the education they need.

“Teach your children, help them to learn and grow,” he said. “Take time to study and do homework with them; and to read with them.”

Tongan bank customers hit by Fiji ATM targeted scam

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Hundreds of Tongans have had their bank cards blocked and reissued with new cards after they fell victim to regional scammers.

Customers who had  unauthorized transactions on their account as a result of this fraudulent activity will be reimbursed, a statement from Tonga National Reserves Bank said.

The National Bank said it was aware customers of banks in Tonga have been affected by the fraudulent activities in Fiji which involved obtaining customers’ bank card details using ATM and EFTOS skimming devices.

The local banks are dealing with customers that have used their cards in Fiji in the past 12 months.

“Customers with unauthorized transactions on their account as a result of this fraudulent activity are to be assured that they will be reimbursed for the amount of the unauthorized transaction after banks verify the legitimacy of dispute”, the statement said.

“Members of the public and bank cardholders who have travelled to Fiji in the past year are urged to reconcile your bank account statements to ensure your accounts have not been victimized.

Customers were warned to be vigilant whenever they used their VISA Cards “at ATMs and EFTPOS machines, when accessing their bank accounts online and when conducting online purchases or payments”.

“Customers whose cards were used for unauthorized transactions should immediately contact their respective bank. For BSP customers please contact ‘Amateila Tonga at telephone number (676) 23933 ext.6178 or email  atonga@bsp.com.pg and for ANZ Bank customers please contact Tevita Fakapulia at telephone number (676) 20-525 or email  Tevita.Fakapulia@anz.com“.

Customers may also report any fraudulent or suspicious transaction to the Complaints Unit of the NRBT at telephone (676) 24057 or email nrbt@reservebank.to.

FWC disqualifies three ministers at Sydney-based Pulelalaʻā church  

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga has disqualified three church ministers who were serving its churches in Australia and based at its main office at Pulelaʻā in Sydney.

The ministers are Rev Matafonua Fotofili, Viliami Tu’akoi and  Sione M. Pīnomi.

In a letter addressed to the trio, the church’s Secretary General Dr  Tēvita Havea said in Tongan:

“Once you receive this letter you no longer have the authority to be ministers of the church under the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga’s constitution.”

Dr Havea told the ousted ministers the church had done its best to observe all the procedures that were required. This included sending the three ministers letters detailing the complaints against them. However, the ministers had not responded.

Dr Havea said the church’s 92nd annual conference last year had decided to take action, but because accusations had been laid against them their ministerial posts were terminated once they received his letter.

The disqualifaction was the latest in a series of decisions made against the ministers since a series of disastrous financial decisions led to the collapse of its Pulela’a church in 2012.

The Pulelaʻa church was de-registered after legal action by Westpac to recover millions of dollars owed to the bank. The church lost its multi-million dollar church in Sydney and five other properties that were used for security of a loan.

Dr Havea said the ministers had told the church to communicate with them through their lawyers.

“I believed that has been fulfilled,” Dr Havea said in his letter.

“We served all prosecution documents and evidences against you to your lawyers.

“We expected you would respond in writing to all the accusations made against you in writing.

“Unfortunately, you did not complete that part according to our agreement at the court.

“After seven months we have not heard from you.

“We then took the next step which we announced at a meeting and your lawyer was informed.

“You did not respond,” Dr Havea told the ministers.

The Secretary General said the final decision on the ministers was taken at the Ministers’ Conference Committee met on March 3. The three ministers  did not attend.

The committee will report to this 93rd annual conference on what has been done and advise it to take whatever further action is required.

Dr Havea will be in Sydney on April 17 and 19 to conduct the Fakavahefonua quarterly meeting, which will be hosted by the church led by Dr Siotame Havea.

Dr Siotame was ordered by the FWC’s 92nd annual conference last year to replace the outgoing ministers in August last year.

However, when Dr Siotame arrived in Sydney, Rev Matafonua accused him of starting a new church and the congregation split, with some following Dr Siotame and some staying with  Rev Fotofili and Pinomi.

The main points

  • The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga has disqualified three church ministers who were serving its churches in Australia and based at its main office at Pulelaʻa in Sydney.
  • The ministers are Rev Matafonua Fotofili, Viliami Tu’akoi and Sione M. Pinomi.
  • The disqualifaction was the latest in a series of decisions made against the ministers since a series of disastrous financial decisions led to the collapse of its Pulela’a church in 2012.
  • The Pulelaʻa church was de-registered after legal action by Westpac. The church lost its multi-million dollar church in Sydney and five other properties that were used for security of a loan.

READ MORE:

Australian FWC church fear the worst as Pulelaʻā leaders refuse to step down

Free Wesleyan Church name can still be used in Australia, but way is open for legal action

Time to audit Pulela’ā church’s accounts, says Wesleyan General Secretary

Promises over Pulelaʻā church ‘make-believe,’ FWC conference tells members

1...800801802...951Page 801 of 951