Missionary priest in Papua New Guinea reflects on Pope’s Apostolic visit
The second stop in the Pope’s historic 45th Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania brought him to Papua New Guinea.
Vanimo, in Northern Papua New Guinea lies with the blue ocean on one side and the jungle and forests on the other. Villages are scattered between the beach and the highlands, without electricity; without water pipes; without supermarkets.
Pope Francis travelled here on the second day of his visit, and spent a few hours with local Catholics and missionaries who live alongside them.
He listened to testimonials and conveyed his gratitude for the missionary work being carried out in the area, and urged the entire community to support the Church’s efforts by being missionaries themselves, be it at home, at school, or in the workplace.
He said that by loving one another they would be able to overcome personal, family, and tribal rivalries and divisions, to drive out fear, superstition, and magic from people’s hearts, and to put an end to destructive behaviours, such as violence, infidelity, exploitation, and alcohol and drug abuse.
After addressing the faithful, Pope Francis made a short visit to the nearby village of Baro to meet a group of Argentinian missionaries and religious sisters belonging to the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE).
One such missionary is 51 year old Father Alejandro Diaz, who lives in a monastery in the village of Wutung (in the north, a few kilometres from the border with Papua).
“I came here a year ago to live in the first male monastery in Papua New Guinea,” Fr Alejandro told Missio, the Pope’s charity for world mission.
“We live the contemplative life typical of monks, we dedicate ourselves to prayer and live from what we produce. But we are also missionaries and the garden is not only in the monastery. We have encountered various villages in the jungle, and teach the people how to cultivate the land, raise cows, geese or chickens.”
With regard to the Pope’s visit, there was a lot to do and prepare Fr Alejandro shared: “Fortunately, many have accepted the Gospel and when they heard that the Pope was coming, everyone agreed to help us.”
The bond of friendship between the Holy Father and the community of missionaries working in northern Papua New Guinea began years ago.
“He has always supported us,” Fr Alejandro explained. “Thanks to the help he sent us, we were able to build a boarding school for boys and find off-road vehicles to move through the jungle… we were also able to buy a small bus that serves as a school bus for the villages.”
Preparing for the Papal visit
Vanimo is a small town of around 150,000 inhabitants, and it is very poor. But the Holy Father has long ties of friendship here and insisted on coming to meet the local community. He visited a nearby village, Baro, to see the school and other initiatives which the missionaries have put in place. There he was welcomed with a concert prepared by the students of Holy Trinity school, who had practised their instruments for weeks.
For days before the visit, many people flocked to Baro and Vanimo, not only to hear and see Pope Francis, but above all to help set up the premises for the ceremony.
At the time, Fr Alejandro shared: “People ask us for accommodation; they come without anything because they have nothing. Many have come on foot, some without shoes. They have walked for days and are happy to help us prepare what is needed.”
Father Alejandro reports that relations between the missionaries and the population are ‘very good.’ He affirms: “They welcomed us well … They are open to the encounter with Christ and to the Catholic faith as it is offered to them.”
Everyone has participated in meetings, celebrations and Eucharistic adoration in recent days to prepare for the Pope’s arrival, says Fr Alejandro.
“Even non-Catholics have done this. We live here in mutual respect. Unlike in other parts of the world, here everyone has a religious sense. A few days ago we had a night procession with the Bible. Many people participated, including non-Christians. And we prayed with a universal prayer that puts God at the centre.”
And this unity is was also evident in the preparations for the Pope’s visit: “Even the leaders of other religions asked us for permission to participate because they understand that it was an important event.
“Faith is strong here. I was in the jungle, and it is beautiful to see that in the small streets you find people who, with a simple heart, ask you to stop and say Mass and give Communion. They tell us: “We need confession.” They have great respect for the priest and the Eucharist, especially the children. The churches here are full of young people and children. And that is exactly what the Pope will find: a young Church thirsting for the word of God.’‘Their joy lies in faith. It is their wealth and their precious possession, and that alone is enough for them.
‘All we can do is accompany them and help them on their journey of faith.’
