CBC PNGSI HEAD OFFICE, PORT MORESBY: The Pope’s visit is now confirmed as per the Bishops’ Representatives during a press conference that was held on Thursday the 18th of April.
The information as per the bishops was released by the Director of ‘Holy See Press Office’, Matteo Bruni on the 12 of April in an official communique.
Accepting the invitation of the respective Heads of State and Church Authorities, Pope Francis will undertake an Apostolic Journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore from 2 to 13 September. He will visit Jakarta from 3 to 6 September, Port Moresby and Vanimo from 6 to 9 September, Dili from 9 to 11 September and Singapore from 11 to 13 September. (Declaration by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni (vatican.va))
The panellists/ Bishops’ representatives of the press conference comprised of the Bishop of Bereina, and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands’ (CBC PNGSI) President, Otto Separy; Bishop of Vanimo, Francis Meli; Bishop of Lae, Rozario Menezes; and His Eminence, Archbishop of Port Moresby, Sir John Cardinal Ribat.
Addressing the press as the first panellist was Bishop Otto Separy, who told them that with the long-standing rumour and prayers for the Pope’s Visit to PNG, the Vatican has released an official answer for the visit on the 12th of April.
“The Pope is now confirmed to be coming to Papua New Guinea”, said Bishop Otto. “His journey will start on the 6th to 9th of September this year”.
Adding more to his official statement, Bishop Otto also highlighted that the Pope’s visit will be a special visit. For his Holiness will be coming for both a “State Visit” and “as a Pastoral leader and the head of the Catholic Church”.
Giving now the official locations within Papua New Guinea for the Pope’s visit to be “Port Moresby and Vanimo”, as per Bishop Otto.
Breaking it down for the state visit into tentative programs and schedule for the 3 days, Bishop Rozario as second panellist told the press that “the Pope will be arriving in Port Moresby on the 6th of September” from “Jakarta”.
For as per the visit schedule from the Vatican, the Pope will be coming to PNG after visiting Indonesia, then to East Timor, and then Singapore before going back to Rome.
Bishop Rozario also highlighted that the Pope will be visiting scheduled places within Port Moresby for the first and the half of the second day. Before leaving for Vanimo at around 2 pm in the afternoon and returning at around 8 pm in the night.
Adding more to the trip to Vanimo, the Bishop of Vanimo, Francis Meli told the Press that Pope specifically requests for the trip to Vanimo for several reasons.
One being that he would like to visit the peripheries, and as it may seem, Vanimo is yet one of these still developing places that he would like to visit.
And, on other hand, the Pope’s visit to the place is for him to have a see for himself the first-hand work of the missionaries at Vanimo, as per the bishop of Vanimo.
In concluding and ending the press conference, His Eminence Sir John Cardinal Ribat as the final panellist told the press that it is of grave respect and privilege for the Pope to include Papua New Guinea in his visits.
For as per known, the Pope is in his late 80s and not in good health condition but decided to travel from one side of the globe to this side. Making it a great must for all to at least keep Pope in prayers for a successful visit without harm, added the Cardinal in his conclusion.
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