Tanget No 72, December 2017

PNG TANGET News Leaflet of Mariannhill in Papua New Guinea No. 72, Vol. XIX/3 Mariannhill College Bomana December 2017 P.O. Box 54, Gordons, NCD _______________________________________________________ _________________________ resignation as Bishop of Lae. It Our two Fratres, Alois Gende must feel like waiting for a bus on and Wilfred Salhun , whose Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG! the beach. For Bishop Chris it may coming on home leave to PNG I sometimes even be heavier to bear mentioned in the Tanget of last This edition was meant to be than the pain of his arthritis. July, were received in Lae with the written in October but, as already Some more suffering may be going traditional festive evening in the in the past, time went faster than on in our small community, but “haus win” of Mariannhill House my typing. Sori tru! everyone is occupied in his pasto- at Eriku on the 23 rd of July. Their ral task, covering up with hard stories confirmed that the We are nearing Christmas and we, work and happy face the cleaning experience of their integration in Mariannhillers in PNG, are all in of his soul by bearing his part of our Zambian CMM community reasonably good shape, if this can the cross, following in this the has not only given them more also be said of Fr. Anthony example of our founder Abbot physical but also moral and Mulderink , who is just coming Francis, who envisaged his multi- spiritual weight and strength. out of the hospital in Lae, recove- ple sufferings exactly as such. ring from a typhoid which left him dehydrated, now, after due treat- Frs. Roland Matoyi and Brian ment, certainly reenergized and Nonde are adding a special note “full of sap” again. (cf. Psalm of devotional and spiritual com- 92,14) mitment to parish life in Lae. Deacon Daniel Apas is recove- In September there was a 21 day ring well from his intestinal TB, marathon of fasting and prayer in thanks to his faithful swallowing St. Stephen parish, where Fr. Brian of the corresponding pills and is the parish priest, and special capsules. He was again fully shape was given to the October engaged in the Rosary month, month of the Rosary in the parish accompanying daily the faithful at of St. Therese, where Fr. Roland is Frts. Wilfred and Alois with Fr. Bomana in their procession with in charge. As the Catholic Radio in Alfonso and Deacon Daniel. the statue of Our Lady from house Lae, under the direction of Fr. to house. Brian, is now in full swing, it On the 19 th of August they said irradiates the different pastoral goodbye again and flew back to activities into the wider Morobean Zambia to finish their studies in world, well beyond the borders of June next year. We hope to see our Catholic parishes. them soon back in PNG to rein- force our small community at least The church of St. Stephen is also for a few years before living out undergoing a physical renewal, their missionary vocation in other made possible by joined effort of parts of the world. parishioners and benefactors. A few days later, on the 22 nd of The statue of Our Lady of the Rosary, on its way through the parish, at our August Fr. Alfonso Voorn flew to Mariannhill College at Bomana the Netherlands for homeleave and to celebrate in his home- Bishop Christian Blouin has to village his golden priestly jubilee. carry the weight of another kind of He returned on the 13 th of suffering: the uncertainty about October. when his sucessor will be appoin- Renovation of the roof of St. ted. More than a year has gone Two confreres, Fr. Ludwig Stephan’s church at 3 Mile, Lae since Bishop Chris presented his Teika and Fr. Roland Matoyi , had an opportunity for ongoing only Mariannhiller. But it doesn’t infections being of children and forma-tion. mean isolation. adolescents. Fr. Roland participated in a course Eight communities and the on financial manage-ment in the welcoming atmosphere of the The PNG child mortality rate is Xavier Institute at Bomana from islands are waiting for him. still the highest in the Pacific. the 22 nd of August till the 15 th of People flock from rural areas to September, while Fr. Ludwig took town and the row of people you part in a 7 weeks course on find every morning at the entrance psychology and pastoral care in of our Mercy Clinic in Lae is Goroka in August/September. getting longer by the day. On the 23 rd of October Fr. Last time I wrote to you about the Alfonso flew to Lae to join the elections. They belong now to the confreres for some weeks and to past and we have a new govern-ment, organize a Regional Meeting which while Mister Peter O’Neil remains in power as Prime Minis-ter. He was took place on the 30 th of October. elected on the 2 nd of August. The new Main topic was the Chapter Government has many challenges you Mandate Booklet , fruit of the can find on Internet, among them the General Chapter of 2016 and wide-spread corruption, meaning that distributed by our General CMM for many government services you Government among all the have – if you want “normal” service - confreres in order to facilitate an to pay under the table the person who Siassi kids feeling at home authentic renewal of our is attending you. in the hand of a bush giant. communities. The meeting should I see this kind of “corruption” as a start off a process of reflection prevalence of the way of life of the As to our CPS Sisters , they are and discernment among us, traditional small community which finally again a community of four. actually quite a job for most of us has ruled in PNG – and in most After a year of leave, mainly because of the daily work load. countries - for thousands of years: sickleave with two operations, personal relations determine daily Sister Henriqueta Muchate life, not a set of rules independent returned at the beginning of from the mood of your boss or August. Also Sister Michaela neighbour! Kim is back from her holidays in Social rules, respected and applied Korea. The personnel of the independent from the mood of the Mercy Centre, the clinic where other or the personal relationship both Sisters work, is relieved, with him or her don’t have yet although, in general, Health much weight in the social fabric of Service remains in PNG a difficult PNG. Nearly everything depends Flying from Moresby to Lae means being task as the Government funding, on the favourable or disfavourable impressed ever again by the quiet majesty officially due, is many times not of the Markham River, seen from above. attitude of the other. Thus the provided or coming late. most important thing is to have It also remains an overwhelming In October our people at St. good friends everywhere and be at task as the country runs short of peace with others! Not a bad side Joseph’s Mission, 8 Mile, had health facilities and personnel. An again – not for the first time - an effect actually of social occasional relief will come with a dependency!. opportunity to witness the activity hospital ship, that will go all of “raskals” who visited the around PNG and be accessible Dear friends, Christmas knocks at Pastoral Centre three times. even to people from remote areas. the door. It is a Child that knocks On one occasion they were Israel will send in turns a total of welcomed, whowever, with bow at our heart, making us uncover 61 doctors with this ship. presents and treasures we had not and arrow and one of them st The 1 of December was HIV/ even suspected would be there! received an arrow between his AIDS Day. Cardinal John Ribat, ribs. This surprise action put them A Blessed and Happy Christmas Archbishop of Port Moresby and and a Prosperous New Year to all to flight. chairman of the Christian Leaders of you, also in name of all the Alliance against HIV/AIDS confreres in PNG! In November Fr. Krzysztof pointed out that HIV/AIDS cases Zacharuk returned from Lae to went up with 10,000 in the last Editor: Fr. Alfonso Voorn, CMM. his beloved Siassi, where he is the two years; 25% of the new Mariannhill College P.O. Box 54, Gordons 135 N.C.D. Papua New Guinea .

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