Opening Eucharist held for General Assembly in Mingende
Mingende, Simbu Province: A special Eucharistic Celebration was held to mark the commencement of the 3RD General Assembly in Mingende Parish of the Diocese of Kundiawa.
The mass held at the St Joseph’s Grand Stand on Friday 22nd April 2022, was celebrated by His Eminence Sir John Cardinal Ribat MSC, and had the homily given by Bishop of Daru-Kiunga, Joseph Durero SVD.
Concelebrating the occasion were Bishops, Priests, Religious, Lay men and women, staff of the Catholic Bishops Conference PNG&SI, Parishioners of Mingende, surrounding communities throughout Kundiawa, students and Catholic Media personnel.
A captivating traditional dance commenced the Entrance Procession that was orchestrated by men from the Papa Grup of Neragima Parish. Liturgical hymns and music for the mass were provided for by members of Callan Services Simbu.
Cardinal Ribat said the General Assembly served as an occasion to help build better the Catholic faith practiced in the different dioceses throughout the country. “Nau em taim blong gutpla wok bung wantaim long strongim displa Katolik bilip blong yumi bai yumi ken wokim stretpla na gutpla pasin oltaim na long taim blong Generel eleksen wantaim,” he said.
Reflecting on the theme ‘Salt and Light’ in his homily, Bp Durero told the story of how Jesus died, was resurrected and later ascended into heaven. “The crucifixion of Jesus, the conquering of death through his resurrection, and his ascension into heaven is a clear reminder of the importance of perseverance in rising even after falling, to always have a positive outlook in life’s challenging hurdles,” he stated.
“After Jesus’ death, his disciples lost their moral in pushing forward with the sharing of the Gospel. It was only in a day after an unsuccessful night of fishing that Jesus appeared on the shores of the sea they were fishing in, almost immediately recognizing him, their faith was re-instilled. This is what the period after Easter is about, to celebrate the joy of Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and to not be afraid of falling while making sacrifices but to instead focus on the reward that lies ahead in the end,” he said.
Provincial Administrator of Simbu Province, Sebastian Ki, thanked the Catholic Church for its constant provision of aid in humanitarian and social works around Simbu Province despite numerous limitations. “The Catholic Church brought civilization into the Highlands region and has significantly contributed toward Integral Human Development particularly for our people of Simbu. Our faith and Simbu way of living are based on the principles of the Catholic Church and we are thankful to our Church and Community Leaders for their cooperation,” he said.
“In comparison to state entities, the Catholic Church is well established and is driven by faith where transparency, accountability and integrity is consistent, and much has been done in implementing and improving social services especially in Education and Health for the province. Rest assured, the Simbu Provincial Government will continue to support the works of the Catholic Diocese of Kundiawa in the province,” he added.
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