Mar 2021

Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea was fully packed out for the state funeral service of former prime minister Michael Somare, known as "the father of the nation". The "Grand Chief" died of pancreatic cancer on February 26 aged 84, with the government declaring two weeks of mourning, ending with Friday's 12th of March four-hour requiem mass and farewell. The funeral was led by Cardinal Sir John Ribat. 

On the same Friday at 9:00 am a memorial service was held at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Suva in honour of the Late Grand Chief. The service was led by his Grace, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong of the Archdiocese of Suva and was attended by the Prime Minister of Fiji, Voreqe Bainimarama, Church leaders, parliamentarians and members of the Diplomatic Corps, and a large number of Papua New Guinea nationals residing in Suva.

Sir Michael Somare was the longest serving prime minister of Papua New Guinea. He was in office for 17 years over four separate terms. He was widely known as "papa blo kantri" or Father of the Nation. He led the country into Independence in 1975. He will be remembered as a peacemaker, a man of great mana, a regional statesman contributing to the unity of the Pacific and the solidarity of the Melanesian countries and the Pacific Forum. He was also a champion for climate change and a true environmentalist. Above all, the late Grand Chief was a man of great faith as he lived his Catholic Faith throughout his life up to his death bed. Cardinal Ribat anointed him before he passed away. Sir Micheal Somare is survived by his wife of 56 years, Lady Veronica, their five children and grand children and respective families. 

One Kantri, One pipol, One solwara.  May he rest in Peace!!

Ipolito was born on the 11th of August 1958 in Rabi, Fiji. He was professed in the Society on the 2nd of Jan 1985. He did his philosophical and theological studies at the Pacific Regional Seminary and he was ordained in his home parish of Rabi on the 8th of December 1989. From 1990 he was at St John College for 7 years, Buma mission in the Solomon for 4 years, Sacred Heart Parish, Levuka for 2 years, Mt St Mary's Parish, Nadi for 6 years, Chanel College, Samoa for 4 years, and Laucala Parish for 4 years. During his active ministries he was able to attend renewals at EAPI in the Philippines. He has also undergone a couple of bypass operations which has affected his health markedly in the last few years of his life. Due to his health situation, he was retired to the Sector House of Fiji at Varani St from 2018 until his death at 63 years old and after living a Marist life for 36 years.

On the morning of the 11th March 2021, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong presided over the requiem mass for the late Fr Ipolito Bakaua Teburea sm at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Suva. He was assisted by the diocesan and religious priests of the Archdiocese. Fr Justin Ratsi sm gave the homily and Fr Lewis Henry sm led the commendation before Fr Ipolito was laid to rest in the Suva cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Francis Takaku was born on the 21^st February 1961 to Mr Anthony Takaku and Mrs Cecelia Tubio of Turiboiru, Buin, Bougainville.

He entered Tutu Novitiate in 1985 and was professed on the 4^th of January 1986. He completed both his philosophy and theological studies in the Bomana seminary, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. On the 20^th of December 1992 he was ordained to the priesthood at the Tinputz parish, Bougainville.

From 1993 to 1999 he was appointed to parish ministries in Buin and Borontui, Bougainville. He was transferred to Fiji from 2000 until 2009 where he worked in the Levuka and the Lami parishes. In 2010 he returned to Bougainville where he joined the community of Hahela (2010-2011 & 2014 – 2017) and also the Buin community in 2012-2013. At various times he had the opportunity to participate in two renewals in Sydney, the Marist renewal and the Spirituality and Lifestyle.

In 2018 he was appointed to the Kanosia community, Papua New Guinea where he was the assistant parish priest of St Vincent de Paul parish at Kanosia. In the second week of February 2021, he was forced by ill health to be hospitalized in Port Moresby. Francis was only in the hospital for a few days before he died, 2 days short of his 60^th birthday, from an alleged liver complication in the evening of Friday the 19^{th of} February 2021. Francis died after 35 years as a Marist religious and 29 years as a Marist priest. He was laid to rest in his home parish of Turiboiru, Buin, Bougainville on the 26^th of February 2021.

Eternal Rest grant to him O Lord.

Soane Patita Hautaufa’ao was born on the 13^th of April 1955 to Mr Silino Hautaufa’ao and Mrs Lamata Anaise Hautaufa’ao of Mua, Wallis Island. In 1981 he was called to enter the Novitiate of the Oceania Province to follow his vocation to be a brother in the Society of Mary. He was professed in Tutu on the 10 January 1982.

From 1982 to 1986 he was in training at Tutu as a brother. He then joined the Buma mission in the Solomon Islands from 1987 to 1991. In 1992 he felt the call to pursue his vocation as a priest in the Society of Mary and he entered Bomana seminary in Port Moresby in 1993 until 1996 and in the Pacific Regional Seminary from 1997 until his ordination in Wallis on the 30^th of December 1998.

His ministry as a priest began in Tonga in the parish of St Joachim and Ann in Longoteme from 1999 – 2000. From 2001 to 2004 he was appointed to Lepea Parish in Samoa. He returned to Wallis to be the parish priest of his home parish, Mua, from 2006 to 2008. From Wallis he was assigned to be the parish priest of Kolopelu in Futuna from 2009 to 2010. From 2011 to 2012 he returned to his place of initial training, Tutu. From Tutu he was transferred again to Samoa to be assistant parish priest of Lepea from 2013 to 2016. In 2017, due to ill health, he was appointed back to Wallis and joined the retirement community of Finetomai. Even though greatly impeded by a leg amputation he was still active in his ministry to the sick and the elderly. He finally surrendered to his illness and died in the hospital in Mata-Utu on the 16 of February 2021 after 22 years as a Marist priest, 39 years as a Marist religious. He died aged 65 years old.

Eternal rest grant to him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace. Amen.