Father Tomaž Mavrič, CM, Superior General, during his fourth year in office, visited the Vincentian International Mission of Papua New Guinea for the first time. The canonical visitation was part of his visit to the Pacific, spending five quality days (February 22 – 26) visiting Port Moresby and Alotau (Milne Bay Province). The present International Team is composed of nine confreres from different countries and cultural backgrounds (Australia, Colombia, Philippines, Poland, and Vietnam). The confreres are engaged in multiple complementary ministries and geographical contexts: seminary formation (Holy Spirit Seminary in Bomana/Port Moresby), pastoral/parish administration (Bomana/Archdiocese of Port Moresby, Kiriwina/Diocese of Alotau), school chaplaincy (Hagita Secondary School/Alotau), diocesan finance administration (Diocese of Alotau), and socio-pastoral research and culture-related courses (Melanesian Institute/Goroka, Highlands Region). The “ad Gentes” team of four Indonesian confreres in the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga (Western Province), where the Indonesian Province has been extending missionary services since 1996, was not covered by the short visit. Other work and mission sites in Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands and Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province likewise were not visited due to time and travel constraints.
Father Tomaž Mavrič, CM, arrived at the Jacksons International Airport (Port Moresby) on a sunny Saturday noon. He managed to get through the entry procedures with relative ease despite the prevalent Coronavirus (COVID-19) alert. Coming to Papua New Guinea for the first time, he was welcomed warmly by the five confreres missioned in Port Moresby (Holy Spirit Seminary and Holy Name of Jesus Parish) and in the highlands of this country (The Melanesian Institute). The final stop in his canonical visitation to the Pacific Region and his first visit to this country was about to be begin.
A ceremonial welcome greeted the Superior General as he entered the Holy Spirit Seminary (the central Diocesan Seminary for Papua New Guinea) in Bomana (Northeast District of Port Moresby). The Bomana seminarians of different ethnic backgrounds had prepared a cross-cultural ceremony to welcome our special visitor (they wore “het-bilas” (headdresses) and there was a procession to his “home in Mission,” where he would spend the next couple of days).
After a mid-afternoon lunch of pasta and wine, the Superior General began individual communications with confreres ministering in the seminary.
The regular Sunday celebration at the Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Bomana was made extra special by the presence of the Superior General. He joined the parish priest (Father Emmanuel Lapaz, CM) in celebrating the Sunday Eucharist at the Parish Center and in one of the outstation chapels. The multiethnic parish community animated the liturgy with the traditional “danis na singsing” procession by Bougainvillean men in grass skirts and lively songs in Tok Pisin and other vernacular languages (Tok Ples). Father Thomaž also was welcomed and gifted with a traditional “bilum” (woven bag) from the Sepik (Northwest Coastal Province). A brief forum and dialog allowed some parish leaders to express messages of solidarity, hopes, and challenges for the Vincentian mission.
Father Tomaž went the extra mile as he celebrated another Sunday Mass with the village community of the “Kunis” and “Goilalas” (Central Province) at the Sabusa outstation. The chapel was filled with men, women, and children solemnly praying and singing in harmony. After celebrating the Eucharist, the community shared food with the members of the Congregation and their Superior General.
On his third day, the Superior General celebrated an early morning Mass with the formators and seminarians of Holy Spirit Seminary. An inspiring homily on Saint Vincent’s deep trust in Divine Province ushered in a long day of providential travels outside Port Moresby by air, on land, and even a brief chance to sail on Milne Bay. An unexpected delay in the morning flight to Alotau, the southern tip of the mainland, was eclipsed by a grand noontime welcome at the Gurney Airport. The Vincentians of the Diocese of Alotau came in full force, led by their confrere-Bishop, Rolando Santos, CM. In order to greet Father Tomaž with the best traditional welcome Milne Bay Province can offer, there was a popular Trobriand dance performed by traditionally clad Kiriwinian students of the diocesan-run Hagita Secondary School.
The out-of-town visit to the maritime province had to be confined to a day, but was filled with meaningful onsite visits and meetings. The Alotau-based confreres brought the Superior General to some of the key sites and services of the diocese (Hagita Secondary School, Diocesan Administration Offices, and Social Service Centers). His stay here included an afternoon boat ride on board the diocesan-owned mv, “Morning Star.” There were also meetings with the Bishop, members of a local Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Conference, the school Principal of Hagita, the three Daughters of Charity from the Philippines, and the confreres. The long day concluded with a dinner with the confreres along the Milne Bay shore.
Day four of the Superior General’s visit started with a morning Mass with the faculty and students of Hagita Secondary School. Amidst persistent constraints in resources, the diocese has managed to keep the coed school competitively running, with a current enrollment of 860 students from the different islands of Milne Bay Province. Traditional songs and dance accompanied the daybreak liturgy.
Father Tomaž then traveled back to Port Moresby with the three Alotau-based Vincentians. The gathering with the International Team began with a buffet meal. Cardinal John Ribat, of the Archdiocese of Port Moresby, also shared this time with the Superior General and the Vincentian Mission Team.
Back at the Bomana Seminary, the Superior General spent the afternoon session with the 54 seminarians and faculty. The dialog included insightful reflections on the Vincentian charism and the founding mission of formation of diocesan clergy and evangelization of those who are most abandoned. The seminarians were able to ask questions and address some of the critical issues that they were confronting. The seminarians also expressed their appreciation for the ministry of the confreres in the seminary.
The final day of the visit was still a working half-day. It started with an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Sivarai Namona Pastoral Center of the Archdiocese of Port Moresby. Light breakfast at the nearby presbytery/residence of the local superior preceded the final agenda of the visit – the community meeting of the CM-PNG Team with the Superior General. The community then accompanied Father Tomaž to Jacksons International airport and saw him off on his return flight to the Curia.
Father Joel Y. Bernardo, CM
Research and Education Unit
Melanesian Institute (MI) for Socio-Pastoral Services
Papua New Guinea
