Catholic ’ Conference of PNG & SI - Commission on Social Communications, P.O. Box 398, Waigani, NCD Tel.: 325 9577 - Fax: 323 2551 May 2014 ISSUE: 105 80 years on: 500 pilgrims walk from Madang to Mt Hagen

By Paul Petrus at Womatne and Br Eugene Frank Mt Hagen at Anganere, where the local peo- ple attacked and killed them.Leav- ACTIONS speak louder than ing the Chimbu gorge at Ombondo words in cul- parish, the pilgrims travelled west ture. up the steep hills of the Gen- It is customary that when a per- amountains and arrived at Min- son does something good, gendi, ending the first week of the words do not fully express the pilgrimage. appreciation. One has to recip- Physically most pilgrims had rocate with action. A common body aches and blisters on their practice is the idea of saying feet but their spiritual strength mo- thank you with action rather than tivated them to continue. words. Accordingly, the Catholic The second week of the pilgrim- Archdiocese of Mt Hagen organ- age from Mingendi to Mt Hagen fol- ised a pilgrimage to say thank lowed the old highway and was the you for the 80 years of the route that Fr Ross and Br Eugene in the Highlands. took to travel to Mt. Hagen. This year is a special year for the Continuing west along the Waghi Catholic Archdiocese of Mt Hagen, valley, they passed Kerawagi the which includes both Jiwaka and last parish of Kundiawa diocese, Western Highlands provinces. then on to Nondugl, Banz and Fa- The Archdiocese is celebrating tima parishes in the Jiwaka province and entering the Western 80 years of the Catholic faith in the Highlands through Mun Parish in two provinces and the rest of the the Dei district.Finally on Palm Highlands.In 1934 the first Catholic Sunday, the pilgrimage ended at from the Society of Rebiamul, the Catholic Archdio- the Divine Word (SVD) led by Fr Pilgrims going up the Gena mountain near Mingendi in Simbu province. cese headquarters with many of William Ross, Fr Alfonse Schafer the pilgrims shedding tears of joy. and Br Frank Eugene with 72 carri- The Archbishop of Mt Hagen, health and education services in days in Rempi, on the north coast Bismarck range to Bundi Catholic ers from Rempi in Madang, entered Archbishop Douglas Young, wel- the highlands is provided by the of Madang, the pilgrims travelled by Mission, the last parish of the the highlands from the north. coming them back said the pilgrim- Catholic . PMV to Yakumbu along the Ramu Madang Archdiocese. Fr Schafer settled in Chimbu to age was a sign of a family walking After 80 years, the Catholic faith- to Madang highway to start their The pilgrims then crossed the evangelise and Fr Ross and Br Eu- together and sharing the Gospel, ful in the Archdiocese of Mt Hagen two weeks pilgrimage. steep ridges of the Bismarck and gene moved on to the Western as a Church alive in Christ. felt it is timely to say thank you and Sixteen young men from Rempi continued their journey on the Highlands. Most of the pilgrims reflected that acknowledge all the blessings from also joined the group, some of western side of the Mt Wilhelm The first missionaries’ sole pur- the long walk had been a perfect through the missionaries. them the descendants of the 72 through Mondia Pass on the border pose was to evangelise the people spiritual exercise to strengthen their An appropriate action was a pil- carriers of the first missionaries. of Madang and Chimbu. but services like education and Catholic faith during the Lenten grimage from Madang to Mt Hagen, The first week was a test of faith Travelling south along the health seemed necessary in order season. following the route of the first mis- and physical strength. Chimbu gorge, the pilgrims visited to evangelise meaningfully. And it was a good experience to sionaries.More than 500 Catholics They walked from Yakumbu Denglagu, Golgme and the Om- So schools and health services feel the similar pain and sufferings including three local priests and across the Ramu valley to Bra- bondo parishes. were established and contributed a of the first missionaries, 80 years nine seminarians travelled to haman, a Catholic parish, then con- They also had a chance to visit lot to the development of the re- ago, as they entered the highlands Madang on 28 March. After two tinued up the rugged terrain of the the memorial sites to two of the first gion. Today about 40% of the missionaries,Fr Carl Morschheuser region.

Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) and John XXIII (1881-1963) were canonized in on 27 April 2014. They are now to be called Saints. John Paul II made a pastoral visit to Papua New Guinea and Is- lands in May 1984. He came back in January 1995 for the of Blessed Peter ToRot in Port Moresby right after attending World Youth Day in Manila, The .

Pope John XXIII (1881-1963) Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) Pope John Paul II in PNG 1984 Page 2 Catholic Reporter May, 2014

BigTrain Di oKoko’scesan and hKona Child Protection Officers!

IT’S me again, . Re- solved to give top priority to In September, 2013 there were l To speak out on their against the child. Big Koko cently I teamed up with protecting our children and de- 36 Diocesan Child Protection behalf (Advocacy), once said (before he became Catholic Children’s Ministry veloping further in our Church, Officers trained for 15 partici- To nurture Christian Life in Pope) “…a people that does not PNG. We plan to do great Catholic Children’s Ministry. pating dioceses. They’re the the Child and in its Parents. care for its children and its eld- things to promote a Child-Safe They also issued a public State- ones who will train the Parish It’s not easy being a child, erly has no hope.” …. something Papua New Guinea. We can ment and Commitment on “The Child Protection Volunteers in Mate. Our world is neither safe to think about, Mate! Gutbai Appropriate Care of the their respective dioceses. Some nor friendly towards kids. If it for now. Look for count on your support; Right, Big Mate??? Child.” I’m sure you’ve read it, dioceses are already training were friendly and safe we ”in next month’s edi- Koko’Kona right Mate??? them. would not have: child brides, I’m sure you know that the tion of this great niuspepa! I Our Bishops also asked that Catholic Children’s Ministry child labour, child soldiers, Catholic Bishops’ Conference send you lots of happy kokomo has five Objectives regarding of Papua New Guinea and we train Diocesan Child Pro- child wasmamas, child waspa- Child Protection: wishes from my cage. Stap gut! Solomon Islands at its last Gen- tection Officers who in turn pas, child abuse, child exploita- l To Educate the Public, Lukautim Pikinini 0-18! eral Meeting, April 2013 at could train Parish Child Pro- tion, child neglect, child l To Empower Children, Alexishafen, unanimously re- tection Volunteers and we did. violence and/or discrimination l To Protect Children Big Koko The Teaching of the Second Vatican Council KINGDOM OF GOD

By Fr Roger Purcell MSC constant conversion, the servant of tion: that God's kingdom may Kingdom come!” the Kingdom. Any event, happen- the Kingdom of God. come.” [GS45] Jesus said, “Behold the Kingdom ing or situation is a tool for the work IN the Second Vatican Council We are not the Kingdom nor do To carry out the mission of pro- is upon you!” The Kingdom is here, of the Spirit. We can be part of it, or (1962-’65) the Church directed we own the Kingdom. We are here claiming the Reign of God we must it is already among us. Can we see we can stand on the side and us to look out to the world, to be with the mission of proclaiming the be its first converts, both individu- it? Do we recognize it in the hap- watch, or hide, or ignore what is part of the world, to engage with Reign of God, to promote it in the ally and as community; to hear and penings of the world around us? Do happening. We need to SEE the the world. world and build it up among all peo- know, to understand and accept we recognize it in the people we signs of the times, to UNDER- In seeing the presence of God in ple. the standards and values of the meet and live with? The Spirit of STAND, to DISCERN and to ACT the world, we see also that the • “The Church … receives the Kingdom; to be changed and con- God, alive and active in the world, in line with the Spirit. Kingdom of God is something mission to proclaim and to verted to live by the Kingdom every is bringing the Kingdom alive in the Reflection and discussion: greater than ourselves. spread among all peoples the day. Only then can we become world. The Spirit works in people, in • Where do I see the Reign of Wherever there is the love and kingdom of Christ and of God missionaries of the Kingdom of events and movements in the world God in my life and situation? law of God, there is the reign of and to be on earth the initial God. to establish the Reign of God. We • How can we as a community God. budding forth of that kingdom.” In this way our way of life in ac- need to see it, recognize it and live more by the love and law In this way we are a Church [LG 5] tion and words will be an expres- work with it. of God? which is not centred on itself, but • “While helping the world and re- sion of the love of God. It will lead The Spirit can use any person, • How can we change our world which is the sacrament of God's ceiving many benefits from it, us to live by the law of God, and believer or non-believer, good or to live more in the Kingdom of Reign, a pilgrim Church needing the Church has a single inten- bring others to follow the same bad, powerful or powerless, to build God? way. Then we can truly say, “Your New Milne Bay Teachers College in the making THE Catholic diocese of Alotau will soon open a Teach- ers College in cooperation with the provincial and national government. A Memorandum of Agree- ment to this effect has been signed on the 3rdof April in Alotau between the parties, while the groundbreaking cer- emonies took place on the 22ndof April. The College will be owned jointly by the Milne Bay Provin- cial Government and the Catholic Diocese of Alotau, but From left: Milne Bay Acting Provincial Administrator will be considered as a Kape, Provincial lawyer Atty. Simon Alberic, and Catholic Agency Institution with the Church taking overall Rolando Santos signing the Memorandum of Agreement for the responsibility in the manage- new Milne Bay Teachers College on 3 April 2014 in Alotau. ment, administration and up- shoulder most of the construc- as January 2016. keep of the facilities. tion costs estimated at about “Let us pray for the success It will be located on Church PGK 25 million, though the Eu- of this very important partner- land at Hagita, about 15 km POOR BUT GENEROUS. Adelbertha Wititi, 22 months old, joyfully gives her Turangu Appeal ropean Union cooperation and ship – Bishop Santos said west of Alotau, where a Pri- development office in Port after the signing of the agree- envelop to help the poor, the needy and the homeless to Fr Martin We-en in the remote parish mary and Secondary school Moresby has also shown inter- ment -: it can bring much ben- of Mukili, Sandaun province where the regular Sunday collection is less than five Kina. In spite are also run by the Missionar- est in the venture. According to efit to the development of the of the poor cash flow in the area, Fr Martin is confident to raise at least K 150.00 among Catholics ies of the Sacred Heart. local Bishop Rolando Santos province as well as the evan- and members of other Christian denominations by the time all envelops are returned on 18 May. The provincial and national the College will be able to ac- gelization of the young people (Photo by Fr Martin We-en) governments are expected to cept the first intakes as early of Milne Bay ”.(G.L.) Catholic Reporter May, 2014 Page 3 SORCERY THREATENS STUDENTS

University students at Kalibobo lighthouse in Madang (Photo: Faith Benhalyn Tigali)

Fr Giorgio Licini She maintained that about 20 of them outcasts and a target for mur- But they also think that the new movies, no computers, no good her relatives succumbed to sorcery der in their place of origin. generation should be taken out of communication networks. YES, Christian churches must in the last few years alone. According to their information, isolation through better education, The fight against sorcery can step up, as The National news- Her father barely survived it more poor and isolated youth are communication and travel. probably be won in a few genera- paper said on Thursday, 24 April when he travelled from Port turning to sorcery practices out of When asked about the main in- tions, but everybody has to do their (p. 32) in reference to sorcery. Moresby to the remote area to set- envy towards anybody who may frastructural difference between part - the Churches, the education But, as I was talking with a group tle some land issues. seem to be one step ahead of urban and rural areas, the students system and the government - by in- vesting in the electrification of the of university students about the Another student, originally from them. hardly mentioned electrification. country and what follows this. issue, a few insights emerged, in- Bogia, told a similar story.You could It is like the evil part of the human The reason is probably that they You remove electricity from a cluding that some students feel feel the sense of despair, suffering having the upper hand in the inner grew up in Port Moresby and never modern country and you go back personally threatened by sorcery. and injustice in their facial expres- struggle between good and realised that lack of electrical one thousand years. A girl originally from Gulf sions. bad.The students think that there is power in rural areas means long You put it in a developing country Province said she had never set The two wondered why the sac- a religious aspect of the problem to nights, no alternative entertain- and immediately you jump ahead. foot in her village since she was rifice of education should make be addressed by the Churches. ment, no radio and television, no PNGborn. and Solomon Islands at Signis world congress

By Fr Pereira SDB communicators to respond to media professionalsfrom different nity to celebrate the richness of our Guinea and the Solomon Islands as Honiara, Solomon Islands the Pope's challenge: audiovisual areas and expertise. diversity as atruly worldwide associ- part of the SIGNIS Pacific delegation "The revolutiontaking place in The participants wereable to ation of communicators. I am sure (pictured) included: Fr. Giorgio Licini, OVER 300 Catholic communica- communication media and in in- tackle among others, social that thisCongress will see old friend- Secretary of theCatholic Bishops’ torsfrom over 100 countries par- formation technologiesrepresents media, journalism, socialmarket- ships renewed and new ones formed Conference Commission on Social ticipated in the SIGNIS World a great and thrilling challenge; ing, cinema and spirituality, social as welearn from each other and are Communications, Fr. Ambrose Congress 2014in Rome on the may we respond to thatchallenge documentaries, multimediaradio, challenged and stimulated to think Pereira, outgoing SIGNIS Pacific theme "Media for a Culture of with fresh energy and imagination communication training and afresh.Sharing and listening to one President and Sr. SesiliaSala, Peace: Creating Images with the- as we seek to share withothers media education. another across generations we can CatholicCommunication Solomon Is- New Generation". The three-day the beauty of God." (Pope Fran- The opening address, given by startto co-create a new and effective lands Director. Congress opened on 25 February cis, Message for the 48th World- Jesuit Fr Antonio Spadaro, re- SIGNIS that is ready to respondcre- It is hoped that the experience of in thepresence of Archbishop Communication Day). flected uponthe ethical and spiri- atively and positively to the chal- this Congress will help itsparticipants Claudio Maria Celli, President of "Fresh energy and imagination tual dimensions of the emerging lenges of a fast-changingmultimedia return to their communication en- thePontifical Council for Social is what PopeFrancis is asking digital culture. and digital world." deavors renewed,energized and in- Communication. from us if we are to meet the chal- Augustine Loorthusamy, the Participants from Papua New spired. Introducing the event, Arch- lenges of thefuture with "dedica- outgoing President of SIGNIS, bishop Celli said that the SIGNIS tion and serious professionalism," the World CatholicAssociation for Congressis an answer to "the re- concludedArchbishop Celli. Communication, said that the pro- ality of our times." The SIGNIS Congress worked gramme of the Congresswill give Give us this day our daily bribe… The President of thePontifical its way through several confer- many opportunities to "renew our By Abp. Douglas Young SVD – Mt Hagen - Easter message 2014 Council for Social Communication ences,workshops, screenings thinking". encouraged Catholic and events aimed at Catholic "Every Congressis an opportu- THIS year my thoughts turn to a Christian country which celebrates passage from the New Testament the factthat the greatest gift of all is that forms part of the Easter Vigil, St givenfreely to those who ask for it in Paul’s Letter to the Romans, chap- faith. ter 6, verses 3-11. I have only one prayer this Easter, In this passage St Paul reminds that all who call themselvesChris- us that through our baptism we die tians, born again in the waters of with Christ in order to rise with him baptism,would truly turn from sin to an entirely new life. daily more and more, especially the Although we have many signs of sin of bribery, asking for bribes or new life in active church life and “incentives” and giving them. many acts of kindness and gen- May we all begin tolive truly the erosity, we also have many very se- life of someone who is born again to rious signs of death and dying. a new life, who not only carries out The mostserious of thesemustbe their duties and responsibilitieshon- the creeping corruption that we now estly but has space left for the same begin to face almost daily. kind of generous loving kindness to- Wherethere is corruption there is wards others that has been shown bribery. to them in the free offer of new life Apartfrom those who pay bribes in Christ. to get something they have no right Easter celebrates the fact that to, we increasinglyhaveto pay bribes Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, to get what we are actually entitled and sin and death have no more to. power. Why would a of Bribery flies in the face of the au- Jesus want to return to the path of thenticChristian attitude of generos- death characterised by bribery and SIGNIS Pacific delegates (Rome, 25 Febr-1 Mar) from Australia, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, New ity which St Paul is speakingabout. corruption? Bribery must have no place in a Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, Guam, Kiribati and Mariana Islands. Page 4 May, 2014 Catholic Reporter Yule Island's pioneer Bishop de Boismenu on the path to sainthood

By Bishop Rochus Tatamai between 1888 and 1891 he com- riving in towards end of oc- Such an arrangement alleviated MSC Bereina pleted philosophical and theologi- tober. serious problems of isolation and cal studies in ; then taught However, some of his colleagues loneliness.the men were able to POPE Francis has officially in an apostolic school before being were skeptical about his suitability move out from the central station to recognised the “heroic virtues” ordained priest in 1895. for the vigorous life of the mission. minister at different outstations; but of Alain-Marie Guynot de Bois- Some years earlier, de boismenu they were very mistaken. also had a base, a community, to menu, former Apostolic Vicar of had written to Father Henry Verius He travelled to Yule Island, being which they could return for support Yule Island, who just before MSC, the pioneer who appointed bishop in 1900. He was and companionship. Easter was declared “Venera- arrived at Yule Island in 1885, in the office for 45 years, retiring to deboismenu believed in indige- ble”. seeking his advice about the best Kubuna in 1945 and dying on 5 No- nous vocations so he founded the there is now the need of a mira- way to prepare himself for life in the vember 1953. women’s Congregation of the cle to enable Alain de boismenu to mission.Verius’s advice was: deboismenu set out to improve Handmaids of our Lord and, for the become a “blessed” and from there “Here you need 100 times more the living conditions of the mission- men, the Little brothers of the Sa- a “”. virtue, spirit of sacrifice and spirit of aries and to strengthen the admin- cred Heart. deboismenu was born in 1870 in faith than in Europe… Consider ex- istration to offer better support to Later he promoted the first in- britanny in , the 11th and cellent the day when you are op- the missionaries in the field. digenous priest, Fr Louis Vangeke Alain-Marie Guynot de Boismenu last child in his family. He never posed, exercise yourself often in He was a very good diplomat in MSC, who was ordained in 1937 knew his mother since she died 15 patience, in putting up with the tribal conflicts and in dealing with and consecrated bishop in 1970. hedeveloped an interest in social days after his birth; so his elder sis- faults of your brothers; this point is the colonial Administration and the Just before Easter, the Catholic questions. He was concerned ter brought him up. essential, patience with yourself, rival Protestant missions as the Church in PNG received news that about the working conditions of the He always wanted to become a with others and above all with the churches developed the policy of Archbishop Alain Guynot de bois- poor and theological aspects of the missionary and during his novitiate natives who discourage you in the “spheres of influence” in Papua and menu, former Apostolic Vicar of Pope’s teaching. in he displayed a strong mission; such a habit of patience is New Guinea.He reorganized the Yule Island, has been declared Alain de boismenu received missionary spirit and made his first so necessary.” structure of mission life to regroup “Venerable”, the first step along the news of his appointment to the Yule profession as a Missionary of the As a teacher, de boismenu was missionaries into communities of pathway to sainthood. Island mission in August 1897, ar- Sacred Heart in 1888. popular amongst his students and about six or seven members.

PRAYER FOR Rebuilding Solomon Islands after the floods THE By Fr. Ambrose Pereira - Honiara OF ALAIN DE tHE floodwaters have left a BOISMENU trail of destruction. Lives and property have been lost. WE praise you Lord, for Most of the disaster vic- the life of Alain de bois- tims have returned to re- menu, spent in the serv- buildtheir homes and their ice of your Gospel and lives.We applaud the efforts of the People of Papua of the authorities and the New Guinea. Aid agencies to reachout to the disaster victims, to see that they are housed and We thank you, Lord, for fed andfinally returned THE worst ever recorded floods in Solomon Islands left DON Bosco welding students in Honiara getting drum his simple, deep faith, home with food, household about 30 people dead in April. ovens ready for flood victims at Solomon Islands. lived in each moment of and other necessaryequip- the most needyfamilies who the carpentry students of reconstruction needs for- frastructure specifications everyday life; for his ment. were housed at Don bosco, will be preparing tables and- ward planning and commit- be made clear and that trusting abandonment to to assist the people as Henderson. chairs for the tumurora Pri- ted action over the months building codes be strictly they rebuild their lives, the your will; for the gentle- the Machine Fitting stu- mary School. and the years ahead. adhered to and followed. Salesians of Don bosco, ness of his welcome to dents have commenced While rehabilitation goes With no doubt, education We are grateful to all who through Salesian Missions fabricating drum ovens. on, long term solutions to plays an important part in have assisted in several all in need; and for his Australia have funded Priced at SbD 1,500 the deal withdisasters - natural the ability toassist and deal ways to ensure that those wisdom and courage in household items. ovens will be for the families or manmade - need to be with difficulties and disas- affected are able to deal serving them. Drum ovens, tables and in the Foxwoodand Nalibiu worked out. ters. amicably with the situation. chairs will be fabricated for area. More important, the task It is also important that in- We ask you, Lord, for your greater glory, to glorify on earth, Youthful Easter celebration through his canoniza- About five hundred stu- Chaplain Fr Giorgio Licini re- tion, this apostle of your dents, staff and visitors called during the Easter Vigil merciful love. packed the DWu Chapel in the untimely passing of Madang for the Easter Vigil DWu Vice-President br An- through his example celebration on 19th April. drew Simpson last year in and intercession, may It was the highlight of an in- June and student Nigel Laki, your Holy Spirit unite us tense three day commemo- killed just outside the cam- ration of the Passion, Death pus on 14 March this year. ever more intimately and Resurrection of the Lord He also invited those pres- with you in the heart of Jesus Christ which also saw ent to offer prayers and soli- your Son, the PNG Highland students darity to people affected by so that through us also organize a moving Way of the recent floods at Solomon your love may transform the Cross in campus on Islands, the earthquake in the world. Good Friday. bougainville, and the ty- Students from all PNG phoon Ita in Milne bay provinces and Solomon Is- province and Queensland. We make this prayer lands cooperated for the through Christ, our fourteen stations with the Ji- (Pictured: DWU students Lord, Amen. waka boys enacting a fight at the Easter Vigil – Photo that to many appeared to be and story by Michelle real (and… scaring) at first Steven, DWU Journalism glance. student)