New House for Priests Blessed in Memory of Wabag Pioneer Priest

Priests House at Imangapos, built in memory of the late Fr Lawrence Kambao.

IMANGAPOS, Pumakos Parish, Diocese of Wabag: A New Priests House at Imangapos was solemnly blessed on 15 September 2025, on the eve of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence anniversary. The house was built in honour of the late Rev. Fr Lawrence Kambao, the first diocesan priest from Pumakos.

Fr Kambao was ordained for the Diocese of Wabag in 1992 and died in 1995 while serving as parish priest of Mariant in Kandep District. His priestly ministry remains an important part of the history of the local Church.

The blessing followed the celebration of the Eucharist, presided over by Most Rev. Justin Ain Soongie, Bishop of Wabag and Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBCPNGSI). Priests of the Diocese, men and women religious, and the faithful participated in the celebration.

In his homily, Bishop Justin thanked the benefactors and all who contributed to the construction of the house for priests. He said it was a visible sign of gratitude, pastoral responsibility, and the faithful’s shared participation in the mission of the Church in Enga.

The Bishop also encouraged professionals, businesspeople, and community leaders to remain rooted in their faith, remember the communities that nurtured them, and support the Church’s work of evangelisation.

The four-bedroom house for priests was funded by Mr Greg Manda, a lawyer and the son of one of Imangapos’ pioneer catechists, with support from Mr Adam and other benefactors.

This newly constructed and fully furnished house for priests in Imangapos village, within Pumakos Parish, honours Fr Kambao’s enduring legacy as the first diocesan priest from the area.

Today, under the pastoral leadership of Most Rev. Justin Ain Soongie, the Diocese has more than 20 local diocesan priests serving across 18 parishes. The New Priests House at Imangapos is therefore both a practical gift to the Diocese and a fitting tribute to Fr Kambao’s priestly service and the continuing growth of the Church in Enga.