St Charles Lwanga Parish hosts FCBCO Executives

Gerehu, Port Moresby: The parishioners of St Charles Lwanga, Gerehu stage 2 were blessed to host the executive members of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO) on the evening of Tuesday May 13, 2025, with a lively Eucharistic celebration.

(Group picture taken after the Eucharistic celebration)

Joining the parishioners of St Charles were the parishioners from St Martin de Porres, Morata and parishioners from nearby parishes. The parish choir group’s angelic voices added a special touch to help the congregation fully partake in the solemnity of the mass.

The mass was celebrated in tok pisin and had His Lordship Auxiliary Bishop Justin Ain Soongie from the Catholic Diocese of Wabag, Papua New Guinea as the main celebrant.

In an inspiring homily, FCBCO President Bishop Anthony Randazzo from Broken Bay Diocese, Australia encouraged everyone

Bishop Randazzo began with a word of thanks for the warmth and beautiful hospitality that they have been shown since they arrived.

“It reminds me very much of a beautiful experience I had in 1990 when I was a seminarian, about to be ordained. My Bishop thought it would be good to have an experience of the Church beyond my diocese and so he sent me on a mission to the Diocese of Alotau – Sideia. I went to Fergusson Island and Goodenough Island”.

He then shared of his encounter with an elderly woman who was little when the first missionaries arrived on Goodenough Island to proclaim to Goodnews.

“She received the word of God into her ears. And it didn’t stay in her ears, it went deep into her heart, and there, for over 50 years nurtured and kept living on the word of God. She did not have a degree in theology, or philosophy or higher learning, but that beautiful elderly woman taught me the value of the Gospel through her actions”.

Bishop Randazzo emphasized on Pope Leo XlV’s call for us to continue together in the Holy Year of Hope and challenged the congregation to reflect on what they hope for.

“Hope is not just wishful thinking. Nor is hope pretending that things will be good. Nor is hope something vague in abstract that we might read out on a book. Hope, my dear sisters and brothers, is a person. Hope is the person of Jesus Christ and we uphold in our Christian faith in the altar Jesus Christ, our only hope. The only hope that never disappoints”.

He concluded by reminding the congregation that through their faith and hope, they can be pulled more deeply into God’s love.

“Faith, hope and love; these are the very heart of our life, the very heart of our mission as sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ and as disciples”.

After the eucharistic celebration the bishops were treated to a hearty meal at the parish hall before retiring to the Catholic Bishops Conference headquarters.

The FCBCO unites the Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (CEPAC) Its purpose is to provide a platform for sharing concerns, planning for common pastoral action, and engaging in collaborative efforts within the Catholic Church in Oceania.