Catholic Bishops Conference

On Saturday 30^th July 2022, 16 young men, women, elders and a priest from various dioceses around Port Moresby attended the 4^th Laity Consultation Workshop.

The participants were Fr. John Pulpulio, St. Charles Lwanga Parish together with 5 young men, 4 representatives from the University of PNG Catholic Students Association with their president and others from St. Michaels and St. Joseph’s parishes.

The signatories to the partnership included, Director & Chief Executive Officer of NOCFS, Simon Yanis, Rev. Fr Giorgio Licini PIME, General Secretary CBCPNG&SI; and Most Rev. Rozario Menezes SMM, Bishop of Lae and Bishop Deputy for Right Relationships in Ministry.

The official signing was held in Port Moresby recently.

The program titled Chatroom, was held at the NBC studio and aired its first episode for 2021 this week on NBC radio and TV, and it was also streamed live on Facebook. The 4 participants on the program were staff from the Catholic Bishops Conference PNGSI.

Participants discussed the issue of Environmentally Displaced People (EDPs), touching on Pope Francis’ encyclical entitled ‘Laudato Si’ and its connection with today’s natural disasters that are forcing people to abandon their homelands.

Held from 26^th to 28^th June at the Emmaus Conference Centre, Boroko, the short films focused on the theme ‘Keep it Clean. Go Green’ and the COVID-19 precautionary measures.

“The important aspect of this program is not merely to communicate an idea or a news item but how we can elicit change in ourselves, make sure that there is community change and ultimately to ensure that there is change at the level of government,” said Fr Ambrose Pereira sdb, Social Communications Commission Secretary.

The CBC hopes that the newly-appointed government will immediately turn to assisting the vulnerable people, the society and the environment.

Their points include:

Over 60 Catholic students gathered at the first seminar for 2019, which was hosted on February 23^rd at the Catholic Bishops Conference.

Facilitated by the Social Communication Commission (SOCOM) of CBC, the program focused on communicating positive messages through logos, posters and photographs.

“The Media Education Seminar for school students gives selected students an opportunity to be critical consumers and creative producers of the media,” said Fr Ambrose Pereira sdb, CBC Social Communications and Youth Secretary, in the opening session of the program.

On November 1^st last year, a panel discussion was hosted by the Catholic Bishops Conference over the health status of asylum seekers and refugees in Manus, and the alarming rate of self-harm and attempted suicide committed in the last five years due to depression.

“Poverty remains widespread in the countryside with a lack of health services, roads and market opportunities for agricultural products.

“Tens of thousands of youth can only avail of primary education and never dream of going through the secondary and tertiary level.

“In urban centres, settlements keep on mushrooming. Jobs are scarcely available. Alcoholism remains rampant.”

This is the stance taken by the Catholic Bishops Conference regarding the amended APEC Safety and Security Act 2018.

The Catholic Bishops Conference says over the years, there have been a number of special operations and in all of those operations, there have been concerns about the infringement of basic human rights, as set out in the Constitution of Papua New Guinea.

“Section 38 of the Constitution acknowledges that there can be restrictions to basic rights and freedoms,” says CBC.

Fr. Victor Roche, General Secretary CBC, calls on the government to bring those people, including the leaders, to justice.

“They have not only damaged the public property but also irreparably damaged the image and dignity of our country,” said Fr. Victor.

“We have given wrong signals to the participants of APEC; we may be ready with roads, buildings, hotels, high powered security and well trained staff. But we, the people, are not ready for such an international meeting.