The new building has two blocks.

ToRot Block (Building A) has a conference room with a capacity of 100 people, 25 workstations and 11 living rooms.

Mazzuconi Block (Building B) has a fireproof archive room, office space for 15 workstations, parking space and two residential flats.

According to CBC General Secretary Father Victor Roche, there is also a recording studio space for the commission of communication with the possibility of a future radio or television station.

The money for the construction came from:

• Fundraising
• The prime minister's office - 3 million
• MISSIO Aachen - 1.08 million.
• Other leaders and generous donors - 1.22 million

Those attending the ceremony included Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, Papua New Guinea's first prime minister, and the current prime minister, Peter O'Neil.

In his speech, Somare acknowledged the role of the Catholic Church in the development of the country.

'The Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have, through their efforts, made a contribution to keep alive the teaching of Christ in the country," the Grand Chief said.

O'Neill congratulated the architect and the builders who had constructed a wonderful building.

"It will not only serve the Church but also serve our people in Papua New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands. It is important that the government continues to support the work of the Church.

"The government and the church must work hand in hand in partnership to not only develop our country but to also provide spiritual guidance for our people and make sure that they have the services they deserve in education and health," said the prime minister.

TSource

• onepng.com
• looppng.com
• Image: looppng.com

Periera is a Salesian priest and secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands Commission for young people.

The young people challenged the bishops to spend time with them, accompany them in the reality of day-to-day life, and form and fully involve young people in the life of the Church.

They made mention of the need for good marriages that lead to stable family life.

Other speakers on Friday included:

• Mr Powes Parkop the current Governor of the National Capital District
• Ms Melissa Hitchman the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See
• Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar Auxiliary Bishop of Jayapura
• Archbishop Mark Coleridge Archbishop of Brisbane.

On Friday evening, Cardinal Parolin and the bishops and members of the Catholic Professional Society joined Peter O'Neill, the prime minister of Papua New Guinea, for a special dinner.

O'Neill spoke about the invaluable role played by the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea.

He renewed his invitation to Pope Francis to visit the country.

Speakers on Saturday included:

• Prof Kaluwin Chalapan from the University of PNG
• Msgr Gerard Burns President of Caritas Oceania

On Sunday the bishops celebrated the Eucharist in 14 parishes across Port Moresby.

On Monday, a Eucharistic celebration was held for differently abled persons and Street Kids at St Charles Lwanga, Gerehu.

This was followed by a visit to La Salle Technical College, Hohola.

On Tuesday, a concluding Mass will be held at 6.30am at the Airways Hotel. A handover to the new President will be made by Cardinal John Ribat.

Source

• Supplied: Fr Ambrose Pereira
• looppng.com
• Image: Supplied Fr Ambrose Pereira

On July 5 the University of Papua New Guinea Council (UPNG) made a decision to terminate the 2016 academic year.

The decision comes after more than six weeks of protest and boycotts over the prime ministership of Peter O'Neill.

The Bishops' Conference recognises the difficulty of the situation.

However it thinks the UPNG has not looked into all possibilities in addressing the situation.

General Secretary of the conference Fr. Victor Roche said the closing the academic year and sending the students back home is a big financial loss to the students and the government.

Roche said if 5000 students go back to their villages and towns to do nothing for the rest of the year, there would be more likely social issues brewing over the recent issues and can go out of control.

The Bishops' Conference is appealing to the University Councils and administration to seek the help of the Chaplaincies or the Conference itself to assist with a process of reconciliation.

It has also called for a proper inquiry into the whole situation by a neutral party for a peaceful solution and a way forward.

The UPNG Council also suspended of the Student Representative Council (SRC) and for ordered students to leave the campus by Saturday.

Source

• news.pngfacts.com
• asiapacificreport.nz
• Image: asiapacificreport.nz

In a new Pastoral Letter on the issue of the death penalty the bishops say capital punishment has "no place in a Christian country, where true justice and mercy should prevail."

The bishops say where executions are performed by the State, people develop the attitude that it is acceptable to respond to violence with violence.

"We pray that the rejection of this form of public violence will set an example and lead to a rejection of domestic violence and all other forms of violence in our society and open the way to a lasting peace."

In 1991 the Papua New Guinea Parliament reintroduced the death penalty.

In 2013 the Criminal Code was changed to set out the acceptable ways to do it: to hang, suffocate, electrocute, shoot or poison someone with a deadly injection.

The government argued that "this is the best way to protect society from the repetition of terrible crimes."

"It is in response to this political legislation and this popular reaction that we, the bishops of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, are addressing this letter in defence of life, highlighting several main reasons to say "no" to the death penalty," the bishops say.

The prime minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O'Neill, said the death penalty is "under review" in Papua New Guinea after recent global outcry over the execution of foreign drug convicts in neighbouring Indonesia.

O'Neill's comments came on the eve of a two-day visit by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, under whose brief leadership 14 drug convicts have been executed, 12 of them foreigners.

Jakarta put to death two Australians, a Brazilian, and four Nigerians on a prison island, along with one Indonesian last month despite worldwide calls for them to be spared and heartrending pleas from their families.

Widodo was unmoved, arguing that Indonesia is facing an emergency due to rising narcotics use.

In response, Australia, a close friend of Papua New Guinea, recalled its ambassador from Indonesia for what it called the "cruel and unnecessary" executions while the United Nations expressed deep regret.

PNG has also faced national and international opposition to the reintroduction of the death penalty in a country where an execution has not been carried out since 1954.

Source

• Fides
• The Peninsula
• Image: asiapacific.anu.edu.au

Roche gave the following reasons for the condemnation:

• Elected leaders are for the people. They have been mandated to represent the people. Hence, they are obliged to be their voice.
• As mandated by the people, they are entrusted to deal with public issues and act in the best interest of the people and not abuse their powers for their own benefits.
• People suffer at the hands of those who misuse power for their selfish needs. This affects all levels of the society and generates instability at all levels of the government.

In the last few days, there has been an inquiry into allegations of two ministers who during their time in office breached and acted contrary to their duties and responsibilities as leaders.

On Tuesday Radio Australia International reported that an anonymous text message line has uncovered 250 cases of potential corruption in the Papua New Guinea's Department of Finance.

Source

• The Catholic Reporter
• Radio Australia
• Image: Pacific Scoop

The document was officially launched in Goroka on Sunday and is the culmination of two years of work within the church.

It is the first time that Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have developed a common Pastoral Plan.

When he presented the plan the president of the Bishops' Conference, Arnold Orowae of Wabag, said that young people especially live in uncertainty and fear of the future, adding that family breakdown, violence and corruption are on the rise.

Arnold also noted "an identity crisis in the priesthood and religious life".

Source

• CatholicReporterPNG
• Asopa
• Image: CatholicReportPNG

The The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands has consistently spoken against offshore processing in PNG of asylum seekers who are seeking asylum in Australia.

When the Manus detention centre was reopened in the context of a deal with the Australian government the Bishops protested in the strongest terms.

They questioned the legality, in the light of the PNG Constitution's protection of freedom (section 42), of bringing people who have not broken of the nation's laws, into the country and imprisoning them.

"Detaining people against their will in PNG, even if it "works" as a deterrent is not a just solution worthy of a great nation otherwise proud of its human rights record. It clearly places an intolerable strain on the capacity of Papua New Guinea to manage, and might lead to even more deaths, injury and trauma. Close the centre and manage the problem in Australia."

Read Full Statement

Source

• Supplied: Fr. Victor Roche, SVD, General Secretary Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
• Image: Sydney Morning Herald