The conferences, including the Federation of Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Oceania, to which Papua New Guinea belongs, decided that climate change warranted the unusual time and attention to develop a globally united statement.

The reason is that climate change calls on the beliefs and values that are core to our faith.

Climate change challenges our commitment to protect "the least of these."

Climate change is driving an increase in the likelihood of extreme storms, growing deserts, and rising seas.

In turn, these weather disasters affect the human family, increasing the risk of hunger, migration, and conflict.

These consequences are not equally borne.

• The very poor and the very young, who are the most vulnerable members of our human family, bear the brunt of these disasters.
• They are more likely to live in a house that can be washed away by a strong storm.
• They are more likely to lack the resources needed to escape the storm's path.
• They are more likely to have no way to rebuild a home, replant a field, restart a school. In the Carteret Islands, for example, villagers are seeing their gardens and wells salinated by the rising seas.
• They often have no recourse but to start over elsewhere.

The same is true of other countries in the Central Pacific who face relocating people.

Finally, it deeply saddens me and my brother bishops that the most vulnerable among us do often pay the ultimate price of climate change.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 200 children now die each year in Papua New Guinea from effects related to climate change.

The failure of food gardens due to drought or the increased salinity of ground impacts heavily on subsistence farmers.

This challenge to our conscience is why the bishops of the world said that "human dignity and rights, in particular of the most vulnerable, must always be at the centre of the climate agenda."

We in Papua New Guinea do not face this challenge alone.

We are joined by nearly 50 nations of the Earth in the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a platform for vulnerable countries to discuss their shared challenges and strive for shared solutions.

The forum is intended to build consensus and advocate for sensible, timely solutions to the crisis we face.

The Climate Vulnerable Forum recently concluded its summit, and at the top of the agenda was limiting global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels.

The difference between 1.5C and 2C of warming is the difference between prosperity and poverty, life and death, protecting "the least of these" and ignoring their pleas for help.

The summit shared stories of people in countries like Papua New Guinea who are already affected by the climate crisis, and stories of people who are moving forward in hope and courage to achieve solutions.

These stories of hope are crucial as we chart the unknown waters that lie before us.

The good news is that primary solution to the climate crisis is clear: we must stop using fossil fuels, and we must do it as quickly as we can.

Around the world, farsighted men and women are already taking this solution in their grasp.

The clean energy industry now employs nearly 10 million people and generates over $1 billion per year around the world. Continue reading

• John Cardinal Ribat is the Archbishop of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and past president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Oceania.
• Image: Kiz-Online

They were on a fact-finding mission to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville ahead of next year's planned vote on possible independence.

The aim of the mission was to understand the role churches could play in a peaceful and credible referendum on Bougainville.

They were officially welcomed by Bishop Abraham Toroiod the United Church.

Toroid the party and wished them a successful outcome for their visit.

In his response, Ribat said that his team were happy to visit and get to educated on the issues confronting the region as it prepares for the referendum next year.

After their arrival, the team met with the Autonomous Bougainville Government's President, Chief Dr John Momis at the Administration Conference room in Buka town.

They met several groups and individuals before they return to Port Moresby on Wednesday.

The Church leaders who accompanied the Cardinal were, Reverend Roger Joseph, General Secretary PNG Council of Churches, Bishop Rochus Tatamai, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and Solomon Islands, Colonel Kevin Alley from the Salvation Army, Pastor Daniel Hewali Chairman AGAPE International, Bishop Denny Bray Guka, Chairman PNG Council of Churches Board, Josephine Advent Pitmur and Beatrice Tabeu from the UN Women.

The United Nations sponsored the trip.

Source

• bougainville.typepad.com
• radionz.co.nz
• Image: bougainville.typepad.com

Climate change is a key issue for the pope and Ribat has been outspoken about the effects that rising ocean levels have had on his people.

The other three president delegates are Louis Sako of Baghdad, the Chaldean patriarch; Desire Tsarahazana of Toamasina, Madagascar; and Charles Bo of Yangon, Myanmar.

All four come from what Francis has described the "peripheries" of the world.

Each of the president-delegates also come from places that reflect a major issue outlined in the synod's "instrumentum laboris" ("working document").

• A martyred church (Iraq)
• A missionary church (Madagascar)
• A church for migrants (Myanmar)
• A church for the care of creation (Papua New Guinea)

The presidents-delegate take turns in presiding over the synod assemblies on behalf of the Pope.

Though a "president delegate" post doesn't necessarily mean much in terms of the ability to shape discussion or ram through decisions, the choices are nevertheless telling as to where Francis wants the conversation in October to go.

A president-delegate is responsible for guiding the work of the synod and assigning special tasks to certain members when necessary so that the assembly proceeds efficiently.

He also signs the documents of the assembly. When there are several presidents-delegate, they all sign the final documents of the synod.

The synod will meet at the Vatican from 3 to 28 October to discuss "young people, faith and vocational discernment."

Source

• cny.org
• catholicregister.org
• cruxnow.com
• Image: umatuna.org

During a 12-day U.S. trip along the East Coast that concludes March 22, the head of the Port Moresby archdiocese on the South Pacific island nation has in numerous settings expressed his worry with the continuing impact of climate change on his and other islands, as well as the development of first-of-its-kind deep seabed mining in waters off his homeland.

Ribat, 61, has long spoken out about the impacts of climate change on the people of the Pacific islands, considered one of the ground zeros of global climate change, where rising seas have submerged portions of islands and have already led to communities relocating from their homes to nearby islands.

Last week, Ribat raised his concerns about climate change again on Capitol Hill in meetings with Sen. Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts) and officials for Sen. Jeff Markley (D-Oregon). Both sit on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and its subcommittee on fisheries, water and wildlife.

In their meeting, the cardinal pointed out on a map to Markey, who is Catholic, the locations of the islands as he described how rising seas have forced people to relocate farther inland every few years as the tides rise and come in farther themselves.

On Bougainville, one of Papua New Guinea's roughly 600 offshore islands, the diocese has offered a piece of land to help people resettle from the Carteret Islands, which have shrunk under rising ocean tides.

Ribat said that during a trip around Easter last year to Ahus and Andra islands he witnessed similar scenes of shorelines and agricultural lands that had washed away.

Sea level rise is driven by two primary factors: the oceans expanding as waters warm, and increased water mass due to melting ice from glaciers and ice sheets.

According to a climate science special report, published in November and compiled by 13 U.S. federal agencies,

• global mean sea levels have risen roughly 7 to 8 inches since 1900
• three inches since 1993, with
• human-driven climate change making "a substantial contribution" during that period.

Scientists project further rise of 1 to 4 feet by 2100 and have not ruled out a rise as high as 8 feet.

"When you're on an island, you get it, when you got to keep moving your house," said Franciscan Fr. Michael Lasky, who helped organize the cardinal's trip.

In the Capitol Hill meetings, Ribat also raised another problem accompanying rising tides: seawater seeping into the freshwater table underground and turning some crops inedible. "When they harvest them it's salty.

They cannot eat them anymore because the sea is rising," he said.

Clean water impacted

The impact of rising seas on clean water came up as well during a meeting March 15 with officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

He also reiterated concerns he shared with the senators' offices about new seabed mining technology set to begin next year in waters east of Papua New Guinea.

Nautilus Minerals, a Canadian-based company, in 2011 received a mining lease from the Papua New Guinea government for extracting deposits of copper and gold from the floor of the Bismarck Sea.

The project will be the world's first attempt at mineral extraction from the deep sea.

The mining operation — which would occur 1,600 meters, or nearly 1 mile, under the sea about 20 miles off the western coast of New Ireland and 31 miles north of New Britain, both islands east of Papua New Guinea — is set to begin in 2019.

According to Nautilus, the deposits of the deep sea Solwara 1 Field ("salt water" in the Tok Pisin language native to Papua New Guinea) contain copper and gold at grades much higher than typically found in land-based mines.

The potential mining site holds added significance for Ribat, who calls home Watom Island, off New Britain's north coast.

While on the island at Christmas, fishers shared with him anxieties over how the mining may impact fishing grounds. Continue reading

• Image: NCR

Ribat is the Archbishop of Port Moresby and the chairman of Papua New Guinea Christian Leaders Alliance.

"I'm afraid to say that people and the Government are thinking that this is a small thing now and is not of grave concern.

"But the alarming situation is that while we stop thinking about it and worrying about it, it continues to rise and this a worrying thing for me."

Ribat asked people to think seriously about this issue and not to engage in practices that would allow this virus to continue to spread and affect the people.

"Partners must be faithful in the living of their marriage promises and be faithful to one another. Abstain from sex because it is through this that this infection is spreading."

Ribat also addressed the issue when he spoke at the UN AIDS and UN Women media awards night.

He acknowledged the efforts the journalists had made and linked it to the work being done by the churches.

"Seeing what the journalists are doing, you encourage us to be with you and help you to bring the message out clearly to the people of PNG, knowing that we are united to address these recurring issues in the country."

Previously Ribat had addressed the issue at a service at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Koki.

He said as a church, they must be part of the lives of people living with PLHIV and AIDS and provide the love, care and support they need and stand united with them.

He encouraged the churches to put their differences aside and work in unity to address the fight against HIV and AIDS and be the voice of the needy.

Source

• Post Courier
• Post Courier
• Loop
• Image: The National

They also must ensure the promotion of good governance "as we continue to provide vital basic services to our people in PNG."

Chairman of PNG Christian Leaders Alliance on HIV and AIDS, Cardinal Sir John Ribat made these comments when he presented the acquittal of K300,000 to the National Gaming Control Board (NGCB) community benefit fund this week.

"NGCB supported the first HIV Summit for Heads of Churches with K300,000, and as our commitment we are honouring it by documenting our acquittals report and presenting it back to our sponsor," he said.

An acquittal report is a financial report which includes an income and expense statement to show how a grant has been used.

The HIV Summit was launched in Port Moresby in March.

More than 20 heads of churches took part.

Ribat said at the time one of the great intentions for the HIV summit was to bring the heads of churches together so they could speak about the virus, which is a public health issue in Papua New Guinea.

He said the summit was the first of its kind and is critical for the PNG church leaders, as it would help them to strategise more proactively towards addressing sensitive issues relating to the spread of HIV.

The leaders will be able to "... further discuss HIV and other cross-cutting agendas, learn from the current HIV situation, identify existing gaps in the response and how we as a collective voice can address these issues within our networks," he said.

Source

• Asia Pacific Report
• Post Courier
• Sunday Chronicle
• Image: The National

"As a visitor to a country, or even to a home, you're always conscious you're a visitor," he told Crux in a lengthy on June 13.

"You go there with a sense of respect, and you appreciate what they're offering you."

"You remain there on those terms, in order to maintain that relationship."

Ribat is in Rome to take part in a conference sponsored by Pope Francis's new Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, intended to present a set of recommendations to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees towards a proposed "Global Compact" on refugees to be presented later this year.

"Many countries are ready to help, but when all they see [of immigrants] is the negative side, it doesn't help," Ribat said. "People become less ready to accept others.
.
"People who are arriving at the doorstep of different cultures … have to accept the fact that people are ready to receive them, but they have to behave in a way that they will be welcomed and accepted," he said.

Ribat said the matter of immigrants and refugees is a challenging issue. "The Church speaks about caring for, loving and accepting [new arrivals]."

"But on the other hand, there's also a challenge that's there, a reality people face, which is fear."

"That's what always comes up, and some recent happenings have deepened these fears in people in countries who are receiving [migrants]."

"They see migrants as criminals, and then there's the problem of ISIS and so on, which creates fear around security and terrorism."

"That makes it more difficult to receive people peacefully."

Source

• cruxnow.com
• Image: catholicworldreport.com

The number attending the celebration was variously reported to be to 1000 and 20,000 and people from other mainline churches.

Government and diplomatic heads and friends from the Diocese of Townsville, Australia also at the event.

As he walked up the red carpet laid out to welcome him, Ribat was accompanied by the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Kurian Mathew Vayalunkal and 49 priests.

The four-hour-long celebration included the celebration of the Eucharist, contributions from the various dioceses, a combined male and female choir, speeches by the various dignitaries and church leaders and representatives.

About 28 lay church workers from 9 parishes received awards in recognition of their commitment and contribution towards building the archdiocese.

Ribat called for unity and cooperation in building the church and the country as well.

"Today we are uniting to build the church in all areas in cooperation with our sister churches, the government and others."

He also acknowledged the work and sacrifices made by the early missionaries who came and planted the faith.

Ribat said Port Moresby Archdiocese was a young diocese. It has been part of the Bereina Diocese until 1966. It has had only 5 bishops.

The nuncio Archbishop Kurian congratulated Ribat whom he referred to as "a simple and humble person", for his contribution in the work and development of the church in Port Moresby and the country.

He said that the appointment of Cardinal Ribat is a sign by Pope Francis of his love for Papua New Guinea the people and the church, and recognition of the work of the church in this part of the world.

Governor General, Sir Michael Ogio thanked the new cardinal for his working relationship with the Government.

"I admire the work of this new cardinal. He has been vocal on issues and we will work alongside him," Ogio said.

Source

• wantokniuspepa.com
• www.emtv.com.pg
• Image: emtv.com.pg

"But that for the moment this is what they all have to live with as they push towards full Christian Unity." he added

He was speaking on Vatican radio in an interview with Linda Bordoni while in Rome to receive his red cardinal's hat.

Ribat said full Christian unity is a "pathway that leads to lasting peace and friendship especially at this moment in history which is seeing so many divisions and conflicts."

He talked about his personal, very deep, experience of dialogue and sharing with other communions as he comes from a family where many of his relatives are from the Methodist tradition.

Ribat suggested that perhaps his ecumenical commitment is one of the reasons Pope Francis chose him to be part of the College of Cardinals.

Ribat is the chairman of the ecumenical movement in Papua New Guinea - to promote ecumenical dialogue in a region where a large percentage of the faithful belong to protestant denominations.

"While we are saying that the Catholic Church is the mother church, then we have to be true to our name and embrace all" he says.

Regarding other issues that he feels are particular challenges he is called to address, the cardinal spoke of the relationship his Bishops' Conference has with Muslims - who are a minority in his geographical area - but whom have been invited to share their concerns with representatives of other faiths in this very difficult time.

Listen to interview

Source

• radiovaticanican.va
• Image: the-star.co.ke