Bishop Lippert Announces the "Year of Reverence" for the Diocese of Mendi

Call for Renewed Adoration, Holiness, and Reverence Across the Diocese

MENDI, Papua New Guinea – On the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 2025, Bishop Donald Francis Lippert, OFM Cap., issued a pastoral letter to the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Diocese of Mendi, declaring a "Year of Reverence" set to begin on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 2025 and concluding on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Corpus Christi) in 2026. The initiative calls for a focused renewal of reverence toward God, self, and others throughout the Diocese.

His Lordship Bishop Donald Lippert OFM Cap

In his letter, Bishop Lippert emphasizes the critical need for Catholics to rediscover and live out the fundamental truth of God’s holiness, urging a return to a life marked by humility, obedience, and reverence. Drawing inspiration from Scripture, he reflects on key passages such as Exodus 3:5 ("Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground"), Leviticus 11:44 ("For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy"), and 1 Peter 1:15-16 ("But be holy in all you do, just as God, the One who called you, is holy"), urging the faithful to heed the call to holiness and live reverently in response to the divine nature of God.

The Year of Reverence: A Call to Action

The Year of Reverence is a spiritual journey that aims to reawaken the profound understanding of God’s holiness in the hearts of the faithful. It challenges each individual in the Diocese of Mendi to reflect deeply on their relationship with God and with others. Bishop Lippert writes:

"We have, sadly, forgotten the holiness of God in many parts of the world, and by extension, we have forgotten the duty of the human person toward God. This forgetting is manifest in many tragic ways: from Sorcery Accusation-Related Violence (SARV) to tribal violence, from the abuse of women and children to the despair faced by many young people, leading them into destructive behaviors such as drug addiction and suicide. These social ills are a direct consequence of forgetting the reverence that is due to God."

Through the Year of Reverence, Bishop Lippert calls for repentance and reparation, asking Catholics to restore the sense of God’s holiness in their lives. He also points to the need for the faithful to reclaim their reverence not only toward God but also toward themselves, as temples of the Holy Spirit, and toward others, as people created in the image and likeness of God.

The Focus Areas for the Year of Reverence

Bishop Lippert outlines three central areas for reflection and action throughout the Year of Reverence:

1. The Reverence Due to God

   The most significant focus will be on the Sacred Liturgy. It is in the liturgical celebration where Catholics express their deepest adoration, love, and reverence toward God. Bishop Lippert emphasizes the need to reflect on the importance of sacred worship and to participate in the liturgy with full awareness of its profound significance as a communal expression of reverence.

   
   

2. The Reverence Due to Ourselves as Temples of the Holy Spirit

   Reverence also involves recognizing the sanctity of the human person. In his letter, Bishop Lippert urges the faithful to honor their bodies and souls as temples of the Holy Spirit, which requires living lives of purity, integrity, and grace.

   
   

3. The Reverence Due to Others

   Lastly, reverence extends beyond God and oneself to others. Bishop Lippert stresses the importance of treating every person with respect and dignity, acknowledging that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God. This call for reverence toward others seeks to counter the rampant violence and injustice that has scarred communities in Papua New Guinea.

   
   

A Call to Repentance, Reparation, and Renewal

Bishop Lippert believes that the Year of Reverence will require a period of deep spiritual renewal, one that will not only affect individual lives but also the broader community. He acknowledges the pain and suffering caused by the disregard for reverence, but he believes that through focused prayer, repentance, and reparation, the Diocese of Mendi can become a place of healing and transformation.

The Bishop writes:

"In this Year of Reverence, we will call upon the Holy Spirit, who has been generously poured out upon the Church, to renew our hearts and guide us toward a deeper understanding of God’s holiness and love. This journey will involve repentance and reparation, and through this, we hope to bring about renewal in our lives, our community, and the Church."

A New Chapter in the Diocese of Mendi

This initiative comes at a critical moment for the Diocese of Mendi, where Bishop Lippert’s vision is to foster a deeper relationship with God through prayer, worship, and reverence. The Year of Reverence, he says, is not simply a time of personal reflection but a collective endeavor for all members of the Diocese to engage with one another in creating a more holy, peaceful, and loving community.

"May the Lord draw us ever more deeply into His holy presence and transform our lives (and the Church and world) through adoration, reverence, and love," concludes Bishop Lippert.

This bold proclamation is a significant step in the ongoing spiritual journey of the Diocese of Mendi, as it calls all faithful members to reflect on the sacredness of their lives, live more reverently, and share the message of God’s holiness with the world. The Year of Reverence is an invitation to all — from clergy and religious to laypeople — to unite in a shared effort to sanctify their lives and become a beacon of holiness in a world that so desperately needs it.

About the Diocese of Mendi

The Diocese of Mendi encompasses the Southern Highlands Province (SHP) and Hela Province of Papua New Guinea. It serves a diverse and vibrant Catholic community, striving to foster the spiritual growth of its people in the face of contemporary challenges. For more information on the Year of Reverence and upcoming diocesan events, visit the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands’ official website.  https://www.pngsicbc.com 

You can find the Pastoral letter in English and Tok Pisin on this link. https://www.pngsicbc.com/_files/ugd/3da999_9bfffb6361d44febb90ecd5c3e056bb9.pdf