CBCPNGSI General Secretary Welcomes Appointment of New Bishops for Alotau and Wabag

Port Moresby – 7 July 2025

Father Lawrence Arockiaraj, General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBCPNGSI), has extended heartfelt congratulations to the newly appointed bishops of Alotau and Wabag Dioceses.

CBC PNGSI General Secretary Rev. Fr Lawrence Arockiaraj

In a statement, Father Lawrence said, “The Church in Papua New Guinea is blessed to have two new bishops to guide and shepherd the faithful.” He acknowledged the appointments of Bishop Justin Ain Soongie for the Diocese of Wabag and Father Jacek Piotr Tendej for the Diocese of Alotau, calling them a “sign of the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV’s closeness to the people of these dioceses.”

Bishop Justin Ain Soongie previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Wabag and succeeds the late Bishop Arnold Orowae. Meanwhile, Father Jacek Piotr Tendej, a Vincentian missionary and Rector of Holy Spirit Seminary in Bomana, has been chosen to lead the Diocese of Alotau following the retirement of Bishop Rolando Santos.

The Catholic community across the nation has welcomed the news with joy, recognizing it as a moment of renewal and spiritual leadership for the faithful in both dioceses.