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Discipline Starts at Home, Says CBC General Secretary

  • Ahisha Mangot
  • Jul 1
  • 2 min read

Gordons, Port Moresby: The Family Life Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBCPNGSI) held a Child Protection Workshop for Diocesan Child Protection Volunteers (DCPVs) from June 9 to 13, 2025. The workshop was held at the CBC Conference Hall in Gordons, Port Moresby.

Fr Lawrence speaking and Mr Otto Trur from the National Office of Child and Family Services looking on
Fr Lawrence speaking and Mr Otto Trur from the National Office of Child and Family Services looking on

The event was organized in partnership with the National Office of Child and Family Services, with the theme: “Children and Addicted Parents of Drugs and Alcohol.” Twenty participants from dioceses across Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands attended the workshop, while four dioceses were unable to participate.


The main goal of the workshop was to help DCPVs gain knowledge and skills to deal with child protection issues. It also aimed to identify gaps and improve both prevention and response systems for childcare in the dioceses.


At the closing ceremony on June 13, the General Secretary of CBCPNGSI, Fr Lawrence Arockiaraj, gave the closing remarks. He thanked the participants, the Family Life Commission under the leadership of Sr Lucy Dsouza, and the National Office of Child and Family Services of Papua New Guinea for working together to support the event.


Fr Lawrence said the Family Life Commission plays an important role in society today as it addresses issues affecting families and children. He reminded everyone that children or young people should not be blamed for all the problems in the society. Instead, he said that parents must take responsibility because they are the first teachers of their children at home.


He added that many problems caused by young people today come from broken homes. He stressed the importance of the role played by parents, communities, the Family Life Commission, and the National Office of Child and Family Services in helping solve these problems. He also thanked the government and encouraged more support for such positive programs.


Fr Lawrence said that while education and health are important, the family unit is just as important. He also spoke about the value of cultural traditions, which used to teach people to respect others which is also vital for young people today. He said that times have changed, and so the way we deal with problems must also change.


He commended the positive parenting methods used by child protection officers and encouraged them to continue their good work for the future of the country.

 
 
 

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