Catholic archbishop calls stigmata a ‘blessing’

SAMOA – The head of the Catholic Church in Samoa, Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga described the appearance of a young woman with Christ’s stigmata as a “blessing” for Samoa.

The 24-year-old had been suffering from an illness for three years where blood occasionally seep through her eyes and wounds to her body oozed blood, Talamua News has reported.

The young woman, Toaipuapuaga Opapo Soana’i, spoke of having visions in the weeks before Easter leading up to her playing the part of Jesus in a church passion play on Good Friday where she passed out while suffering the ordeal that saw the stigmata wounds appear.

Many negative comments have been made on social media against the young woman’s testimony and her wounds which have been seen to have blood oozing on several occasions.

While the young woman is a pastor’s daughter and a member of his protestant Congregational Christian Church, the Catholic Church in Samoa was the first to host a mass and a public forum where Toaipuapuaga and her father – Reverend Opapo Oeti – made their public testimonies to a packed cathedral a week after the stigmata was revealed.

In an exclusive interview with Talamua Media and broadcast on Samoa FM, Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga described the occurrence as a blessing for Samoa and asks the people not to be too quick to make judgments, but to listen deep in prayer for the message.

Stigmata usually appears in a Catholic context but he said having this happen to a young woman of another faith shows the world that God does not discriminate and who he chooses to bring a message for the people.

“The real miracle is the soul of the person whether we accept the message or not,” says the Archbishop. “Because if we do accept, then we should make changes to our lives rather than making judgments and pointing a finger.”

Asked if the clothes and garments that bore the stigmata signs be kept for research, the Archbishop said this will have to be a decision of Toaipuapuaga’s parents who are church ministers in another Christian faith.

It is understood that the occurrence will be part of the Congregational Christian Church’s annual conference next month.

“I do respect the Congregational Christian Church and any decision they will make – but the Catholic Church has the expertise and knowledge if they want to have the garments and clothing sent to the Vatican to be tested scientifically as with other stigmata occurrences elsewhere in the world,” says the Archbishop.

“The Catholic Church is never too quick to any final decision on such matters. But we need to listen deep in prayer for the message but these are reminders for us all and centred on the Love of God,” the Archbishop said. - PNC/Talamua