Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO)

The purpose of the visit was to bless CBC’s new conference room that is currently under construction.

Cardinal Soane Mafi of Tonga did the honour of blessing the building with Holy Water.    

Present at the reception was the FCBCO delegates, CBC staff together with Bp Rochus Tatamai MSC, CBC’s President and Cardinal John Ribat.  

They were warmly welcomed by two staff representatives dressed in traditional attire while the rest of the staff welcomed the Assembly with a song.  

Prime Minister O’Neill spoke about the invaluable role of the Catholic Church in PNG both in the humanitarian services provided and also in the positive values the Church continues to foster in the people of PNG.

He renewed his invitation to Pope Francis to come to PNG and also announced that a permanent diplomatic mission to the Holy See in Rome would be established by PNG.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin addressed the dinner expressing the Holy Father’s solidarity with the victims of the recent earthquakes in the Southern Highlands of PNG.

72 bishops attended the Mass, which included special musical composition from local PNG musician John Lavu. The bishops were inspired by the traditional dance and beautiful music that enriched the celebration of Eucharist.

The bishops began the day with prayer and Mass. Spirits were high following the uplifting Mass celebrated on Thursday afternoon together with Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Holy See Secretary of State) at the Caritas Technical School, Boroko.  

On Friday (April 13), the bishops returned to dialogue on serious and weighty issues of concern for Oceania.

The focus of yesterday’s meetings was the effects of climate change on nations and their economies.

All gathered were delighted that the key note address was delivered by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. He is “the no. 2” in the worldwide Catholic Church.

His focus, drawing on the writings of Pope Francis (Laudoto Si’), was to show the connectedness of the entire worldwide human family. His fundamental point was that we all share a common home which we call planet earth.