Catholic Church Rejects PNG’s Christian Bill, Calls for Better Consultation

The Catholic Church has raised concerns about the new Christian Bill in Papua New Guinea, which officially declares the country a Christian state. 81 members of PNG government voted in favour of the bill on March 12, 2025, but many church leaders believe there was not enough consultation before it was approved.

From left to right: President of the Catholic Professionals Society Mr Paul Harricknen, OL, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNGSI His Lordship Bishop Otto Separy and Dame Jean Kekedo after the Press Conference.

At a press conference on Tuesday, March 25, compromising of Mr. Paul Harricknen, President of the Catholic Professional Society, Bishop Otto Separy President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNGSI and Fr Lawrence Arockiaraj General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNGSI as the panellists.

Paul Harricknen a lawyer by profession said that the government only allowed six weeks for public consultation instead of the six months that were originally planned. He argued that the process was rushed and focused only on a few areas. The government claimed that 80% of the people supported making PNG a Christian state, but Harricknen believes this conclusion is flawed because churches, especially the Catholic Church, were not properly consulted. He stressed that religious leaders and people who understand faith should have been involved in the discussions, not just the general public.

Harricknen also said some sections of the Bill need to be rewritten for clarity before they are finalized. He warned that these changes could shift PNG’s government from a secular state, where all religions are treated equally, to a confessional state, where only one religion is officially recognized. He also noted that some of the ideas in the Bill seem more influenced by Jewish beliefs than Christian teachings. He fears this could create divisions in a country that has always promoted peaceful coexistence among different religious groups.

Harricknen urged lawmakers to respect the Constitution and carefully consider any changes that could affect national unity and peace. He said that decisions like this must be well thought out.

Other Catholic leaders also spoke against the Bill. Fr. Lawrence Arockiaraj, General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and Solomon Islands (CBCPNGSI), said the Catholic Church does not support the Bill and shares the same concerns raised by Harricknen.

Bishop Otto Separy, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, also opposed the Bill, arguing that faith should be a personal choice, not a law. He said, “Faith must be a choice, not something forced by law.” He explained that Christianity teaches free will, meaning that people should choose to follow God out of love, not because a law requires them to do so.

The Catholic Church is calling for a fair and inclusive consultation process when making decisions about PNG’s religious identity. Church leaders believe that faith should remain a personal decision and not something controlled by the government.