Melanesian Brotherhood

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

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.

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 the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Simon & St. 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.

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 counsels under the vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience. They spend three year as novices and then take vows for terms of five 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.

Peace-making

Icon of the Melanesian Martyrs at Canterbury Cathedral

During the "ethnic tension" of 1999–2000 in the Solomon Islands, the Brotherhood participated in peace-making efforts which led to a ceasefire and to the Townsville Peace Agreement of October 2000. They then gathered weapons from combatants and discarded them at sea.

One rebel leader, Harold Keke, did not comply with the agreement and continued to cause trouble. Brother Nathaniel Sado, who knew Keke, went to reason with him, but did not return. On 2003-04-23, six brothers went to investigate reports that Keke had murdered Br. Nathaniel, and they did not return either. Scanty reports indicated that Keke was holding them hostage, but on 2003-08-08, the Police Commissioner was able to inform the Brotherhood that all six were dead. Keke and his men surrendered several days later, and the bodies of the seven brothers were exhumed and brought back to Honiara for autopsy. Br. Nathaniel had been tortured for several days before dying, three of the others had been shot on arrival and the remaining three had been tortured and shot the next day. The bodies were interred at Tabalia on 2003-10-24. ^[1]

On 2004-02-20, Prime Minister of Fiji, Laisenia Qarase presented the Brotherhood with the first prize in the regional category of the 4th Pacific Human Rights Awards "for its sacrifice above the call of duty to protect the vulnerable and build peace and security in Solomon Islands during the civil conflict and post-conflict reconstruction". ^[2]

On 2008-08-03, the seven martyred members of the Anglican Melanesian Brotherhood were honoured during the concluding Mass of the Lambeth Conference, at Canterbury Cathedral. Their names were added to the book of contemporary martyrs and placed, along with an icon on the altar of the Chapel of Saints of Our Times. When the Eucharist was over, bishops and others came to pray in front of the small altar in the chapel.^[3] Now their icon stands at the Cathedral as a reminder of their witness to peace and of the multi-ethnic character of Global Anglicanism.^[4]

References

↑ "Funeral of the seven martyred Melanesian Brothers". Anglican Communion News Service. 2003-11-07. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
↑ Mavunduse, Diana (2004-02-27). "Melanesian Brotherhood wins the 4th Pacific Human Rights Awards". Anglican Church of Canada. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
↑ "Lambeth bishops attend closing Eucharist; Martyred Melanesian brothers honored in Canterbury Cathedral". Episcopal Church. 2008-08-03. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
↑ "The Gathering". Canterbury Diocese. 2009-09-04. Archived from the original on September 16, 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-03.

The Brothers: The Story of the Native Brotherhood of Melanesia, by Margaret Lycett 1935 account.
Ra Retatasiu Ta Melanesia. Rules of the Retatasiu (Melanesian Brotherhood) with the Order of Admission and Daily Offices; in the Mota Language (1953)
Na Sata Baranwaefuta ki ki saea lau ania na fikutai Companion Rules, Order of Admission, and Office of the Companions of the Melanesian Brotherhood (Retatasiu) in Qara'ae (1953)
"In Search of the Lost: The Death and Life of Seven Peacemakers of the Melanesian Brotherhood", by Richard Anthony Carter, Canterbury Press,· 2006

External links

The Melanesian Brotherhood – official website
The Melanesian Brotherhood (Solomon Islands) – Anglican Communion Official Website
Historical and bibliographic material on the Melanesian Brotherhood from Project Canterbury
Anglicanism in Oceania

Active religious orders and communities of the Anglican Communion

For men	Alton Abbey Brotherhood of the Ascended Christ Brotherhood of Saint Gregory Community of the Divine Compassion Community of the Resurrection Company of Mission Priests Ewell Monastery Franciscan orders Korean Franciscan Brotherhood Little Brothers of Francis Melanesian Brotherhood Oratory of the Good Shepherd Benedictine orders Order of the Holy Cross Order of the Teachers of the Children of God Salisbury Priory St Gregory's Abbey Society of St. Francis Society of St. John the Evangelist Society of St. Paul

For women	Augustinian orders Benedictine Sisters of Bethany Chama Cha Mariamu Mtakatifu Chita che Zita Rinoyera Chita che Zvipo Zve Moto Christa Sevika Sangha Community of All Hallows Community of Christ the King Community of Jesus' Compassion Community of Nazareth Community of St. Andrew Community of St. Clare Community of St. Denys Community of St. Francis Community of St. John Baptist Community of St. John the Divine Community of St. John the Evangelist Community of St. Laurence Community of St. Mary Community of St. Mary at the Cross Community of St. Mary the Virgin Community of St. Mary of Nazareth and Calvary Community of St. Michael & All Angels Community of St. Paul Community of St. Peter Community of St. Peter, Horbury Community of the Blessed Lady Mary Community of the Companions of Jesus the Good Shepherd Community of the Good Shepherd Community of the Holy Cross Community of the Holy Family Community of the Holy Name (Europe & Africa) Community of the Holy Name (Australia) Community of the Holy Spirit Community of the Resurrection of Our Lord Community of the Sacred Name Community of the Sacred Passion Community of the Servants of the Cross Community of the Sisters of Melanesia Community of the Sisters of the Church Community of the Sisters of the Love of God Community of the Transfiguration Congregation of the Sisters of the Visitation of our Lady Daughters of St. Francis Fikambanan'ny Mpanompovavin l Jesoa Kristy Franciscan orders Malling Abbey Order of St. Anne Order of St. Anne at Bethany Order of St. Benedict Order of St. Helena Order of the Holy Paraclete Order of Women (South India) Sisterhood of St. John the Divine Sisterhood of St. Mary, Bangladesh Sisterhood of the Epiphany Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity Sisters of Charity Sisters of the Good Shepherd Sisters of the Incarnation Sisters of Jesus Way Sisters of St Francis (Korea) Society of All Saints Sisters of the Poor Society of Our Lady of the Isles Society of Our Lady St. Mary Society of St. John the Divine Society of St. Margaret Society of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus & Mary Society of the Holy Cross Society of the Holy Trinity Society of the Precious Blood Society of the Sacred Advent Society of the Sacred Cross Society of the Sisters of Bethany

Mixed	Anglican Order of Preachers (Dominican) Community of the Glorious Ascension Community of the Holy Transfiguration Community of the Servants of the Will of God Companions of Saint Luke (OSB) Franciscan orders Mucknell Abbey Order of Julian of Norwich Benedictine orders Society of the Sacred Mission

Related articles	Topics closely related to active religious orders: Former religious orders in the Anglican Communion

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