The Solemn Declaration of the Elevation of the Regional Shrine of Muli to the Dignity of National Shrine
Muli Fatima Shrine Proclaimed His Excellency, Most Rev. Donald Lippert, OFM Cap., Bishop of Mendi and host Bishop
MULI, Diocese of Mendi – In a moment of profound grace for the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea, the regional shrine at Muli in the Diocese of Mendi, was canonically elevated to the dignity of National Shrine. On Monday, 13 October 2026, the Church and sacred grounds of Muli, Southern Highlands Province, were formally declared the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Papua New Guinea and proclaimed as the World Center of Prayer for Peace for Oceania.
The historic liturgy was presided over by His Eminence, Sir John Cardinal Ribat, MSC, Archbishop of Port Moresby, as principal celebrant of the Holy Mass.
Concelebrating at the altar were His Grace, Most Rev. Clement Papa, Archbishop of Mount Hagen; His Excellency, Most Rev. Donald Lippert, OFM Cap., Bishop of Mendi and host Bishop; His Excellency, Most Rev. Valentine Gryk, SVD, Bishop of Goroka; His Excellency, Most Rev. Justin Ain Soongie, Bishop of Wabag, together with numerous priests from the Diocese of Mendi and beyond, consecrated religious, and thousands of faithful. The Shrine at Muli, together with its Rector and Custodian, Rev. Fr. Damian Szumski, MSF, and its people, enthusiastically welcomed its new national dignity.
Four Days of Prayer and Culture
The elevation was celebrated over four days of prayer, culture and reparation, as announced in the official program:
10 October – Welcome ceremony for His Eminence Sir John Cardinal Ribat, MSC began the celebration. Traditional Singsing followed. Cultural groups from different provinces offered traditional singsing in honour of Mama Maria, opening the festival of faith with a distinctly Papua New Guinean expression of Marian love.
11 October – MAMA MARIA Festival.
A day of music, drama and catechesis dedicated to Our Lady, Mother of God, and to Marian apparitions in the world. Led by Bishop Donald Lippert, the day reflected on Fatima and other Marian shrines that call the world to conversion and peace. Also on that day, two men were ordained to the diaconate: diocesan seminarian Robert Tugube (Hela) and Capuchin brother Joseph Umba (Chimbu).
12 October – Mumu and Liturgical Program.
In the afternoon the community shared a traditional mumu. At 3:00 PM the Official Liturgical Program began with the Stations of the Cross, followed by a Candlelight Rosary Procession. The night vigil was led by the Rector of the Sanctuary, Fr. Damian Szumski, MSF. Thousands took part in a moving candlelight procession with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, then kept vigil with adoration and confessions.
As Bishop Lippert explained, this devotion has been at the heart of Muli: “From May on, every month to today, they have been gathering in prayer in remembrance of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. Every 12th and 13th from May to October, marking the apparition months of 1917, the faithful gather. The 12th October vigil was its culmination.”
13 October – 8:00 AM – Solemn Eucharistic Celebration and Declaration. The Solemn Mass, the reading of the Decree, and the Declaration of Elevation.
The Homily: We Are To Be The Shrine Ourselves
In his homily, His Eminence Cardinal Ribat placed the mystery of the Incarnation at the centre of the shrine’s meaning.
“We are to be the shrine ourselves, home of Jesus who came down. This place is the place and home of Jesus. Blessed Virgin Mary made Jesus welcome and she was in a way a shrine of Jesus,” the Cardinal said.
Switching to Tok Pisin, he told the faithful: “Dispela Shrine em peles bilong em na yumi wanwan mas stap peles bilong em olsem Shrine.”
“He came down to be with us and the first place He made His home was in the womb of Mary,” Cardinal Ribat recalled, inviting every Catholic in Papua New Guinea to become a living shrine where Christ dwells.
The Profession of Faith was then proclaimed in Tok Pisin, the language of the people’s prayer:
"Nau, nau, yumi autim bilip bilong mipela: Mi bilip long God wanpela tasol. Long God Papa i strong olgeta. Em i mekim kamap heven na graun, olgeta samting, mipela i save lukim, na olgeta samting, mipela i no save lukim. Mi bilip long Bikpela, Jisas Krais, em wanpela tasol i Pikinini bilong God. Long taim olgeta samting i no kamap yet, em i stap pinis wantaim Papa. Em i God, i kamap long God. Em i lait, i kamap long lait, na em i God tru, i kamap long God tru. Em i kisim laip long God Papa, na i no gat wanpela i bin kamapim em. Em i wankain tru olsem Papa. Long em olgeta samting i bin kamap. Em i laik kisim bek olgeta manmeri, na em i kam daun long heven. Nau olgeta i daunim het inap long tok: “na i karim em.” Long strong bilong Holi Spirit Maria Virgo i kisim bel, na i karim em..."
The Official Decree of Elevation
The Decree was solemnly read before the Assembly. Acting under the norms of the Code of Canon Law, specifically Canons 1230, 1231 and 1232, the Decree states:
“This sacred place, elevated to the dignity of a national shrine, to further promote spiritual renewal, ecumenical healing, and the message of peace brought by Our Lady of Fatima. Whereas the General Assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, having carefully considered the spiritual fruits, the continuous influx of pilgrims, and the pastoral significance of this holy site, voted unanimously to grant this dignity. According to the norms of the Code of Canon Law, specifically canons 1230, 1231, and 1232, by means of this formal decree, We hereby, with immediate effect, declare and erect the church and the sacred grounds of Muli as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Papua New Guinea.”
By virtue of the Decree, the National Shrine is granted all canonical rights, privileges and obligations proper to such a spiritual institution. The Decree further establishes:
1. Approved Statutes: The Shrine shall be governed by its own specific statutes, approved concurrently with this Decree, which outline its purpose, the duty of the Rector and Custodian, and the administration of its temporal goods, according to universal law.
2. Pastoral Purpose: The National Shrine of Muli shall remain a sanctuary of liturgical life, a center for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a place for fervent recitation of the Holy Rosary, and a beacon of hope and peace for all pilgrims.
3. National Consecration: The annual feast days of the Shrine shall be celebrated with solemnity on the 13th of May and the 13th of October, recalling the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, during which the nation of Papua New Guinea shall be commended to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Given at Muli, Southern Highlands Province, on this, the 13th day of October, in the year of our Lord, 2026, coinciding with the solemn proclamation and official opening presided over by His Eminence, Sir Cardinal John Ribat, MSC, in the presence of His Grace, Most Rev. Clement Papa, Archbishop of Mount Hagen, His Excellency, Most Rev. Donald Lippert, OFM Cap., Bishop of Mendi and host Bishop, His Excellency, Most Rev. Valentine Gryk, SVD, Bishop of Goroka, His Excellency, Most Rev. Justin Ain Soongie, Bishop of Wabag, priests, consecrated religious, and the faithful of Papua New Guinea.
The Offering of the Nation
A moving highlight of the liturgy was the Offering of the Nation. The faithful processed with all the flags of Papua New Guinea – provincial and national – presented in the sacred liturgy of canonical elevation, symbolizing the offering of the entire nation to Our Lady of Fatima. It was a powerful sign of a country placing itself under her maternal mantle.
Proclaimed World Center of Prayer for Peace
In the same celebration, Muli was proclaimed a World Center of Prayer for Peace, as part of the international project of 12 Stars in the Crown of Mary, Queen of Peace.
Muli now joins a spiritual communion of shrines across the world – Bethlehem in the Holy Land, Ozorne in Kazakhstan, Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast, Namyang in South Korea, Kibeho in Rwanda, Tagaytay in the Philippines, Niepokalanow in Poland, and Beloit, Kansas, USA. In this crown, Muli covers Oceania and Australia.
The proclamation was made by Mr. Piotr Ciołkiewicz, President of the Comunità Regina della Pace and President of the Regina della Pace Association, Poland, who declared in English and Tok Pisin:
“It is with great joy, gratitude, and deep conviction that we wish to announce the decision, to recognize the shrine of Muli as the world center of prayer for peace. And as an important part of the international project, 12 Stars in the Crown of Mary Queen of Peace... The International Project seeks to create a spiritual communion of places, located in different parts of the world. Each of these places, while preserving its own history, culture, and spiritual identity, become part of a greater home, a symbolic crown of Mary composed of 12 stars... Perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament can, therefore, become a spiritual source, from which an unceasing prayer for peace flows.”
He was accompanied by the key figures of the project:
Mr. Mariusz Drapikowski – Co-founder of Comunità Regina della Pace, renowned Polish sacred artist and goldsmith, creator of the 12 Stars Monstrances, artist of St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Mr. Drapikowski brought a stone from the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel in Gargano, Italy, as the foundation stone for the new perpetual adoration chapel to be built at Muli.
Mr. Andrzej Gacek – Architect and Chief Conceptual Designer of the International Project 12 Stars in the Crown of Mary, Queen of Peace – presented the
plans for the construction of the new Shrine Church and the perpetual adoration chapel attached to it.
Rev. Fr. Damian Szumski, MSF – Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Muli, and Custodian of the Shrine, Missionaries of the Holy Family.
Rev. Fr. Robert Ablewicz, MSF – Vice-Provincial of the Polish Province of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Family (MSF), Missionary of Mercy and Exorcist, former missionary in Papua New Guinea.
At the conclusion, a crucifix representing all the 12 Stars shrines – from Kibeho to Beloit – was entrusted to the National Shrine, and a Living Rosary was prayed, with intentions from all dioceses placed in baskets before Our Lady.
The Simple Faith That Moved the Bishops
What will remain most in memory, beyond decrees and architecture, is the attendance. Thousands came – mothers with babies on bilums, youth, elders, seminarians, priests and sisters – walking for hours, sleeping in the open, praying in silence. Their simple faith, their natural love for Mary, their joy in Eucharistic adoration and confession, their reverent Rosary – this is what made the General Assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands vote unanimously in favor of the elevation.
As Bishop Donald Lippert confided to the Catholic Bishops Conference Media Team, three points must be emphasized for the future storytelling of the Shrine:
First, a cry for peace for the world – particularly urgent today, from Ukraine to the many tribal and family conflicts within PNG itself.
Second, the transformative power of simple faith – faith that is natural, joyful and unforced, as witnessed at Muli and throughout PNG.
Third, a return to basics – the Sacraments, Adoration, Confession, Rosary – which, in Bishop Donald’s words, “still free our people and bring happiness.”
The celebrations ended with the distribution of gifts to all dioceses present – rosaries, holy water, and the promise of prayer.
The next National Celebration will be held on 13 May 2027 – the First National Feast as National Shrine. All are welcome.
God i ken blesim yupela. Mama Maria i laikim yupela olgeta.
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