Item 37 - Press statements and pastoral letters from the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

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AU PMB MS 1400-37

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Press statements and pastoral letters from the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

Date(s)

  • 1999 (Creation)

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55pp.

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Biographical history

Catholic Missionaries came to Papua New Guinea in 1848. Marist Missionaries landed on 28 May 1848 in Siassi Island (Morobe Province) and then the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions (P.I.M.E.) started evangelising in Woodlark Island on 8 October 1852. Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) began the Mission in Matupit Island, Rabaul on 28 September 1882. The Catholic Church grew rapidly in different parts of PNG.

In 1848 the Catholic Church was called the “Vicariate of Melanesia” which included all the islands of Melanesia and Micronesia. On 15 November 1966 the Hierachy of Papua New Guinea was established with Archdiocese and Dioceses. The Catholic Bishops Conference (CBC) has 19 Dioceses in Papua New Guinea and 3 Dioceses in Solomon Islands with a total of 23 Bishops.

PNG Dioceses: 1. Vanimo, 2.Aitape, 3. Wewak, 4. Madang, 5. Lae, 6. Wabag, 7. Kuniawa, 8. Mendi, 9. Goroka, 10. Mt. Hagen, 11. Kavieng, 12. Rabaul, 13. Kimbe, 14. Buka, 15. Alotau, 16. Port Moresby, 17. Berena, 18. Kerema, 19. Daru/Kiunga.
Solomon Islands Dioceses: 1. Auki, 2. Gizo, 3. Honiara

The Catholic Church is the largest Non-Government body to provide services – including education and health care – in Papua New Guinea.

The office of the first Catholic Bishops Conference in 1966 was at the residences of the Priests who were the General Secretaries. The First General Secretary with a structured office was Fr. Dennis Rochford, MSC in 1983. The first buildings housed CBC, Caritas offices and one residential building. Many Commissions of the CBC were operating from Port Moresby, Goroka, Rabaul or other cities as the need arose. As more offices were needed, additional buildings were added in 2000.

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Pastoral letter on the year of God the Father by the Catholic Bishops of PNG and Solomon Islands 1999 (5p.), Media Release on East Timor: unconfirmed death of Aid Agency Director (1p.), Press release re violence against women (p1.), Media Release on East Timor: unconfirmed death of Aid Agency Director (10 September 1999, 1p.), Media release: Statement About Guns (23 September 1999, p1.), MEdia release on slush fund (29 September 1999, p1.), Press statement about Islands' Police Commander's Call for Weapons disposal in Bougainville (24 September 1999, p1.), Press Release: Guns in Bougainville (24 September 1999, p1.), Media Release EMTV (11 October 1999, p1.), Press Release Security Guards Must be Restrained (11 October 1999, p1.), Press release on University closure is a national tragedy (October 1999, p2.), Media release on women in society (November 1999, p1.), Statement on Why is there still rejection and discrimination against HIV/AIDS persons? (November 1999, p1.), Press release on Pastor Sioni Kami, United Church Missionary from Tonga to Papua New Guinea (10 November 1999, p1.), Press release re support for Archbishop Brian Barnes (11 April 1999, p1.), Statement re Respect for Human Life (p3.), Press statement on polygamy (p2.), Pastoral leta long yia bilong God Papa ol Bisop bilong PNG/SI i raitim (1999, p8.), Statement on the problem of rape (p4.), Press statement on The State of the nation issued by the Catholic Bishops Conference Annual General Meeting (April 1999, p3.), Statement on Bougainville (April 1999, p2.), Press release on a Meeting with the Prime Minister on Education (1999, p2.), Press statement on What the Churches are doing (2p.), Press statement on Health Services in PNG, Government and Church Agency partnership in Funding (p2.), Press statement on Leadership (April 1999, p1.), Statement re A Call for the Abolition of Slush Fund (April 1999, p1.)

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  • English
  • Tok Pisin

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Archive of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Waigani, NCD, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

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