Archbishop of Port Moresby

Clergy reminded to fulfill God's plan

Cardinal Ribat encouraged them to commit to their pastoral ministry in evangelisation.

This reminder comes amidst the recent attack on priests in Milne Bay Province, who were in the provincial capital of Alotau for a presbytery council meeting and celebration of the Chrism Mass.

Bishop Roland Santos, Bishop of Alotau, said all seven priests, including a deacon, received injuries; among them a Filipino missionary was severely beaten, while another young priest was stabbed.

Bishop Santos said they were traumatised but resumed duty because of the Holy Week.

Centenary celebration for AD Sisters observed

The Centenary celebration was held at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, Boroko, where Archbishop of Port Moresby, John Cardinal Ribat, was the main celebrant.

“The Lord calls us and brings out the best in each one of us. Your lives have inspired and evoked a response in all of us,” said the Cardinal in his homily as he thanked and congratulated the Ancilla Domini (AD) sisters for giving generously to the people of Papua New Guinea for the past century.  

Cardinal Ribat’s reflections

“One thing Pope Francis speaks about is the concern for the environment and for those who are suffering. His words are encouraging and are a challenge to me to move forward.”

These were the words of PNG’s first Cardinal of the Catholic Church, in an interview on Monday, 05th of February 2018.

The interview highlighted his first year as Cardinal and his reflections on the example of Pope Francis.

Cardinal Ribat, Archbishop of Port Moresby, was elevated as the first Papua New Guinean Cardinal of the Catholic Church by Pope Francis on the 19th of November 2016.

Churches, Govt to tackle issues

The government is considering death penalty in response to this.

But it is still an area they will work closely with the churches to see through, says Minister for ICT and Energy, Sam Basil.

In an event with the PNG Council of Churches yesterday, Minister Basil touched on the need to include churches in addressing these issues.

The Archbishop of Port Moresby, Sir John Cardinal Ribat, said the churches are ready to confront this issue in a common effort.

Pacific Bishops discuss Climate change and West Papua

In their recent meet in Auckland, New Zealand, the ECFCB of Oceania (Australia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, New Zealand, CEPAC- the rest of the Pacific discussed their knowledge, awareness and impacts of climate change in the region.

In a statement together, all the Bishops of the Pacific agreed that the place of the sea in the lives of the people would be a central focus of their meeting.

PNG part of signing for climate change and its impacts

The signing supports Pope Francis’ call to protect God’s creation and the poor who suffer most from its exploitation.

Ribat is the President of the Federation of the Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO) while Roche is the General Secretary of the FCBCO.

Roche explained that  the 10-point proposal calls for governments throughout the world to approve legally binding limits to global average temperatures set a mid-century goal for complete decarbonisation.