Catholic Bishops of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have been meeting at St.Anthony's Pilgrim House, Vanimo, for their Annual General Meeting from 4 to 15 April 2016.

The bishops had a meeting with 4 of the 5 bishops of West Papua.

They discussed issues of cooperation between the dioceses of West Papua and the dioceses of PNG/SI.

The issue of the refugees and the cry of independence of the people of West Papua were also discussed.

The bishops heard about on-going violence and repression faced by Papuan people.

In a letter presented to the bishops, Catholic Women of West Papua wrote of the significance of the visit.

"Few foreigners and even fewer esteemed guests like yourselves are able to get permission to come, or are willing to risk visiting our country," the statement said.

"We want you to know that we are not free.

We are confined in a situation that is full of violence.

Because of the Indonesian police and military we do not feel safe in our own land.

We desire to determine our own future, freely and fairly.

We want you to know that the United Liberation Movement for West Papua represents us. They have our full support.

Sadly the Catholic Church in West Papua is largely silent about this and does not give voice to our cry for justice."

The letter calls on the Conference of Bishops to encourage the Pacific Island Forum to immediately send a human rights fact-finding. mission to West Papua.

The bishops will come up with a statement at the end of the meeting.

The bishops' visit to Jayapura, follows the release of a Church report released last month containing allegations of recent military and police intimidation, beatings and torture, kidnapping and murder in West Papua.

The report author, Josephite Sister Susan Connelly, a respected human rights advocate, visited West Papua, accompanied by Brisbane archdiocese's Catholic Justice and Peace Commission executive officer Peter Arndt.

They interviewed more than 250 Papuan community leaders.

Connelly compared the situation there to "stepping back twenty years when I first went to East Timor".

"The same oppressive security presence everywhere, the same suspicion, bewilderment, frustration and sadness," she said.

Source

• catholicleader.com
• onepng.com
• Image: catholicleader.com

The election took place at the Conference annual general meeting, held between 1-9 May 2014.

The Deputy President is Archbishop Steve Reichert of Madang.

The Central Committee, which is elected every three years, is made up of Bishop Orowae, Archbishop Reichert, Bishop Rochus Tatamai of Bereina, Bishop Gilles Cote' of Daru-Kiunga and Archbishop.Douglas Young (Finance).

The Conference also elected office holders for its various commissions.

On Tuesday, 6 May the committee set up by the National Executive Council (NEC) of PNG Government for the resettlement of Asylum Seekers, addressed the Bishops and listened to their views on the issue.

Lady Kidu, the Chairperson of this Committee, Archbishop John Ribat, the Church representative, and others shared their findings.

The Committee is expected to present their report to the NEC this week.

The Bishops also discussed papers presented by

• Fr. Paul Jennings who spoke on education
• Mr. Pascoe Kase of the National Department who spoke on health
• Fr. Roger Purcel who spoke about the Conference pastoral plan

Source

Supplied by Fr Giorgi Licini

The churches say they want to provide counselling and reconciliation services for those affected by the violence.

Fr Victor Roache, General Secretary, PNG Catholic Bishops Conference, in an interview on Radio Australia said the churches asked "to be allowed to go into the centre and give some counselling to the people who are affected, and we were not given the opportunity, we were not allowed to go in."

"I think it is one church that had an access to go, which means it has obviously failed. So we are calling on both the governments that the churches, especially I think there are two, three mainline churches in Manus at this time, including the Catholic Church, which is the majority there, that a priest or a pastor of a church or some counsellor should be allowed to go in and help these people who are affected, or maybe a committee setup so that these reconciliation can take place that the local community and the refugees can live in peace."

Source

• Radio Australia
• Image: The Australian.com

Bishop Otto Separi of Aitape connected his reflection with the Synod on the New Evangelization last year in Rome of which he was a member.

Fr. Ben Maepaulo from the diocese of Auki in Solomon Island, but with years of pastoral service in Papua New Guinea as well, explained how this has to meet the concrete local community with its culture as an overall system of meaning.

It has been clearly noted by the Assembly that what makes thing difficult and therefore even more urgent is the fact that we live in a time of cultural transition.

Many components of the traditional Melanesian culture are still there, but regularly challenged by a more individualistic, sophisticated and consumerist modern and global culture.

This impacts in a particular way the individual person and the family. Accompaniment and formation is in great demand along with the renewal of the personal spiritual life.

Nobody is exempt from a new need of evangelisation in changing circumstances beginning with the clergy and the Church leaders.

Cultural traits that are not in accordance with the Gospel need to be overcome: "Teach the new generations - one participant insisted referring to the still widespread belief in sorcery - that sickness is caused by ‘something' not by ‘somebody'.

Continue reading about Assembly

Catholic Archbishop of Port Moresby, John Ribat, flanked by the General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference in PNG and Solomon Islands Fr Victor Roche, announced the church's position at a press conference in Port Moresby on Wednesday 1 May.

Archbishop Ribat said he acknowledged the immense pressure on the Government to curb law and order problems and its moves to introduce maximum penalties to crack down on the country's serious law and order problems.

Speaking on behalf of the other churches, he said the church would live by its principles.

"No life will be taken. We do not have the right to do that but we do have the right to better a person's life," the Archbishop said.

Papua New Guinea's government is considering backing the death penalty in a bid to deter crimes against women and "sorcery"-related killings.

On the same day Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said that legislation will be introduced when Parliament resumes in two weeks that would allow the country to implement the death penalty.

"Among the methods discussed include death by firing squad, which was considered more humane and inexpensive than other methods," O'Neill said in a statement following a Cabinet meeting Wednesday. He said an "execution center" would be attached to a new prison to be built in a remote location.

Source

• Island Business
• Stuff.co.nz
• Washington Post
• Image: ResourcesMMC.com

If it is also accepted by the Lutheran bishops at their meeting in Lae on 10-14 June 2013, plans may be made to formally launch it in March 2014.

Bishop Bill Fey, the Deputy Bishop for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands says The Catholic Ecumenical and Interreligious Commission has been in existence for many years. There has been ongoing dialogue with the Anglican Church in PNG.

Since 2000 there has also been dialogue with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in PNG. This led to the signing of an agreement on baptism in 2003 between the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in PNG.

Further dialogue meetings with the Anglicans led to an agreed statement on marriage that was signed by bishops of the two Churches. Further meetings with the Lutherans led us to also talk about marriage.

The draft Statement on marriage covers the theology of human sexuality and marriage.

It confirms the traditional Christian stance that:

• The couple must have achieved a mutual consent to live as husband and wife until the death of one or the other.
• Unless there is a special exemption, both Churches require of their members that this act of accepting each other be witnessed by an official minister of the respective Church.
• Married love is only possible between one man and one woman.
• Marriage commitment points to the love of Christ who bound himself in an irrevocable covenant to his Church and that therefore it is meant to be permanent and faithful.

The statement acknowledges that further discussion is required regarding "our understanding of marriage as a divinely instituted means of grace, the morality of contraception, appropriate ways to respond to the HIV-AIDS pandemic, divorce, annulment and remarriage, factors such as consanguinity of a certain degree that invalidate a marriage, required permissions to have a Lutheran/Catholic mixed marriage, as well as the baptism of children of polygamous or broken marriages or of couples living together without marriage."

Source

• The Bishops' Conference of PNG and SI
• The Bishops' Conference of PNG and SI
• Image: Anglican Diocese of Niagara

He said common concerns between government and Churches include education, health, public security, fight against corruption, infrastructures, and economic development for local communities.

O'Neill said that all children will have to be in school by 2014. The government will pay their school fees and the families will have to comply or be dealt with by the law. "We believe all children have a right to education"

Archbishop John Ribat MSC of Port Moresby, Chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference, in his address to Prime Minister O'Neill called for formal abolition of the death penalty in PNG, a better consultation and respect of Church stand in education and family values, checks and balances in logging and mining practices and special economic zones.

Source

• Bishop's Conference of PNG and the SI
• Mission frontier.org

The Catholic Bishops of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands tackled the issue of new media and social networks on the second day of their Annual General Meeting on 10 April at Alexishafen, Madang.

Fr. Giorgio Licini PIME, CBC Secretary for Social Communications, and Fr. Phil Gibbs SVD, CBC Secretary for Social Concerns, introduced the topic referring also to the 2013 World Communication Day Message by Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, "Social Networks: Portals of Truth and Faith: News Spaces for Evangelization".

While it is clear that Social Communication is now definitely interactive, the main problem for PNG and Solomon Islands still lies in weak, unreliable and expensive Internet services. Young people, however, already live online in urban areas while remote places also gain progressive access to the world wide web through Digicel services.

Source

• The Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
• Image: Eudemic.com

"I see the new Pope as somebody who could lead while the church is in turmoil, therefore, I ask people to pray for him. We are journeying together and sharing the same faith, and I think he believes in the spirit of unity," Ribat said.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill extended the nation's warmest congratulations and best wishes and said: "His election as Pope is a momentous occasion for the Catholic church in his home country, Argentina, and for the church throughout the developing world.

"Just as the Catholic church is the largest church in Argentina, it is the largest church in Papua New Guinea".

Source

• The National
• Mirror News

Cette prise de position, de la part de la conférence des évêques catholiques de Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée et des îles Salomon, intervient en soutient à des appels similaires émanant du Gouverneur de la capitale, Powes Parkop, qui a demandé ces dernières semaines à ce que l'armée soit mobilisée pendant au moins une année, pour rétablir l'ordre dans cette métropole. La conférence des évêques, dans un communiqué final, en fin de semaine dernière, a basé sa décision sur le fait qu'elle estime que la police n'est plus en mesure d'assurer seule le maintien de l'ordre public. Le père Victor Roache, secrétaire général de la conférence, a précisé que ces dernières semaines, Port-Moresby avait été le théâtre d'une vague sans précédent de criminalité, dont des meurtres particulièrement violents, dans un climat d'impunité. La police, de son côté, a de fait dressé un constat d'échec face à cette situation, en recommandant, faute de mieux, aux personnes, mais aussi automobilistes, de ne pas sortir après la tombée de la nuit.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands has supported the views of National Capital District Governor Governor Powes Parkop that the PNG Defence Force be called in to patrol Port Moresby for at least one year.

They made this call amid reports of worsening law and order situation in Port Moresby.

"Pick-pocketing, rape and killing have become part of the normal life in the city. Two weeks ago, we read in the newspaper of the cruel rape of a mother in broad daylight in Gordon's market. The culprits go scot-free and the victim is afraid of lodging a case with the police.

"The mindset of the criminals should be weeded out. They commit the crimes and they know that neither the police nor the public will do anything to deter them. The public is also of the same attitude. It takes a few months or perhaps a few years to take away that mind-set. It is good to start now."

General Secretary of the Bishops' Conference Fr Victor Roche, in a statement said: "The police are unable to curb the rising crime in the city. The public have become silent and passive observers of these crimes and the church supports the view of NCD Governor Powes Parkop that the army is called in to patrol the city for at least one year."

Source

• NewPad
• Post Courier
• Image: The Australian

He said this in his address to the Bishops the Bishops ,who are in Rome for their five yearly ad limina visits, when he met with them last Saturday.

In his address Pope Benedict also praised the Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands for their attention for the poor, the marginalized and the sick, especially those suffering from HIV/AIDS, and for speaking publicly "as an objective moral voice on behalf of those in need ... in order to contribute to the common good "

Source

• Full text of Pope Benedict's address
• The Vatican Today
• Image: The Vatican Today

This is what a document recently issued by Fr. Shanthi Chako PIME, Secretary of the Commission for Youth and Laity within the Episcopal Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, says.

Bishop Bernard Unabali of Bougainville, says in the past, the family ensured "adequate formation in prayer, spirituality and faith", but now this process has been weakened or stopped.

Source

• Fides - English
• Fides -French
• Image - Google

"Even if the document issued by the Ministry of Education has many positive points, we cannot be forced to follow a policy which contradicts with our philosophy of education," said Archbishop Francesco Panfilo of Rabaul, who is vice president of the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education.

According to the Ministry of Education, however, there is no way to fully control the sexual behavior of students. Since a high rate of infection with HIV-AIDS in recent years was recorded in the school population, condom use, according to the Department, is useful to limit the damage and infections.

Source

• Catholic.net
• The National
• Youth Visioning

The law, introduced on Tuesday and passed three times by a vote of 63-7 on Wednesday, gave parliament the power to refer a judge to the governor-general who, in turn, must appoint a tribunal to investigate the judge who would be suspended from duty.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands general-secretary Fr Victor Roche said churches "opposed the bill in the strongest possible terms".

He said the government had not taken the right direction in its decision to pass the Judicial Conduct Bill. Roche said despite the government having the majority to rule, "the decision further fails to serve the interest of every Papua New Guinean".

He said the National and Supreme Courts were the highest lawmaking body and it was not good to suppress them. Any country that "suppresses the conduct of judges of the National and Supreme Courts is in big trouble".

Roche said there was not enough time for non-governmental organisations, churches and public to gauge their views through a public debate on the law before it was passed.

He said they were pleased with opposition leader Dame Carol Kidu for opposing the Judicial Conduct Bill.

Transparency International (PNG) has also condemned the parliamentarians who voted for the Judicial Conduct Bill.

Chairman Lawrence Stephens said the good governance watchdog was horrified at the manner in which the legislation was rushed through parliament.

"This act by the members of the parliament is an attack to the rights of Papua New Guineans," he said. "The bill now passed by the national parliament will control and suppress the conduct of judges of the National and Supreme Courts."

Source

• The National
• The National
• Pacnews
• Image: AdelaideNow

The Bishops' statement says the decision to suspend the chief justice appears to them, and to many fair-minded people, to go against the independence of the judiciary.

"The court should be allowed to complete its business and establish the freedom of the truth," the Bishops' stament said.

"Under this principle of the separation of powers the three arms of government are expected to respect each others' independence and to co-exist in their duties and responsibilities for the common good of the people."

The statement says Papua New Guinea is already facing problems of corruption, poverty, unemployment, law and order, and many more and it is not a time for political instability and infighting.

"We appeal to all involved in this dispute to place the peace and good of the nation above self-interest."

The Papua New Guinea government has now lifted the suspension of the Chief Justice saying the move was in the national interest to prevent a constitutional crisis.

Source

• The National
• The West Australian
• Image: Australia Network News

The study is meant to help inform the Catholic Bishops' Conference of PNG and Solomon Islands about what is happening. Fr Philip Gibbs of Mt Hagen Archdiocese is carrying out the study with the help of students from Divine Word University.

The PMIZ would accommodate up to 10 more canneries, as well as fuel depots, container terminals and other facilities for fishing fleets.

The Madang government says its plans to grow Madang as the focal point of regional fishing will help maximise returns for Pacific countries from the important Western and Central Pacific fishery.

Villagers living near the proposed Pacific Marine Industrial Zone development, the majority of whom are Catholics, raised many issues about the project with the World Bank's Compliance Advisor Ombudsman Vice President Meg Taylor when she visited last month

Issues raised included land issues, increasing social problems such as prostitution and HIV and AIDS threat, the unequal distribution of economic benefits, lack of proper monitoring of foreign vessels and their cargoes, the issue of underwater lease in the village areas and social and environment impact studies.

The villagers said the project site has already become a high risk area for HIV and AIDS because of the ‘sex for fish' trade that is currently going on.

Source

• Island Business
• Radio New Zealand International

Image:Pacific Scoop