Melanesian Brotherhood

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The Melanesian Brotherhood is an Anglican religious community of men in simple vows based primarily in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea.

1 History
2 Structure
3 Daily cycle and vows
4 Tragedy
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

The Melanesian Brotherhood was formed in 1925 by Ini Kopuria, a policeman from Maravovo, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. He and the Bishop of Melanesia, the Right Reverend John Manwaring Steward, realised Ini's dream by forming a band of brothers (known in the Mota language as 'Ira Reta Tasiu') to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the non-Christian areas of Melanesia.

The Brothers (or 'Tasiu', as they are more generally known in the islands) were responsible for the evangelisation of large areas of Guadalcanal, Malaita, Temotu, and other areas in the Solomons, for Big Bay and other places in Vanuatu, and the Popondetta area of Papua New Guinea.

[edit] Structure

After training for three years, a novice is admitted as a brother by the Archbishop of Melanesia in his capacity as Father of the Brotherhood, or his deputy, or the Regional Father, who is a diocesan Bishop in his role as a Regional Father of the Brotherhood. This admission usually takes place on or near the feast of Saint Simon and Saint Jude (28 October) at one of the three regional headquarters.

The Head Brother is the leader of the whole Brotherhood and is based at The Mother House at Tabalia. Tabalia is the place given by Ini Kopuria on northwest Guadalcanal. Three regional Head Brothers assist the Head Brother, and work supervising the Brothers' ministry in the three regions of Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, based at Popondetta, and at Tumsisiro, on east Ambae, Vanuatu.

Each of the three regional centres supervises the life and mission of the brothers in Sections (which are coterminate with the dioceses of the Church of Melanesia). The Sections are led by a Section Elder Brother. Under the Sections are the Households, which are led by an Elder Brother, and under the Households are relatively small communities of 3 to 6 brothers in Working Households, who are led by a Brother-in-Charge. Below the Working Households are Mobile Households with no full time Brothers. Mobile Households have two or more Brothers, and may develop into Working Households.

Each Mobile Household, Working Household, Section, Region, and the entire Brotherhood has its own chaplain, responsible for the daily celebration of Mass and the spiritual lives of the Brothers in his care. He may or may not be a member of the Brotherhood.

[edit] Daily cycle and vows

The Brothers follow a sixfold cycle of daily office and Eucharist consisting of First Office (Prime), Morning Prayer, Mass, Morning Office (Terce), Midday Office (Sext), Afternoon Office (None), Evening Prayer, and Last Office (Compline). The text for Morning Prayer, the Eucharist, and Evening Prayer are from the Melanesian English Prayer Book, or its authorised alternatives, the lesser hours are simple offices in the "cathedral office" tradition rather than monastic, and the devotion of the Angelus (or Regina Coeli) is prayed daily.

The Brothers follow the evangelical councils under the vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience. These are taken for a term of three years, which are renewable. The constitution of the brotherhood permits some brothers to take life vows, but most brothers serve from seven to twenty years and are released. The released brother go back into the world, usually finds a wife, and resumes life as a Christian layman in his village.

Several brothers, however, and many more former brothers are ordained to the diaconate or the priesthood. Although called the Melanesian Brotherhood, there are many Brothers who are from Polynesian islands, and several Filipinos and Europeans have joined the community.

[edit] Tragedy

The Melanesian Brotherhood experienced tragedy in 2003 when seven brothers went to the Weather Coast in Guadalcanal. The first brother went to see the terrorist Harold Keke, during the time of the ethnic tension (civil war) in the Solomon Islands. The brother was tortured for three days and then murdered. Six other brothers went to find his body and take it back to the Mother House at Tabalia. They were all tortured and killed. They were buried at Tabalia in 2003, and in 2005, their graves were cemented on 28 October with fourteen thousand people coming for the ceremony. On that day, their murderers were sentenced to life in prison by the Solomon Islands court.