Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Goroka (Agenzia Fides) – "Papua New Guinea is a country with great variety: over 6 million people, 800 languages, dialects, cultures, and ethnicities. The mission takes into account this diversity, recognizing that the people easily become enthusiastic. This is why young people are a privileged terrain for evangelization." This is what Fides was told by Fr. Valentine Gryek, Polish missionary and Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Papua New Guinea. He has spent 25 years in the country on a mission in Goroka.
The missionary told Fides: "The young people of Papua are in mid-stream. They do not want to be tied down to tradition and yet, on the other hand, they do not blindly accept the Westernized lifestyle. Oftentimes they live in an emptiness that they try to fill by following their emotions. That's why they often move from one church to another in search of something that satisfies them. This situation and this desire is a challenge for the Church's mission in Papua New Guinea."
In reaching out to the youth, the local Church promotes “centers of socio-economic development and schools for professional activities. Education costs and is an investment for a family, and the Catholic community is very engaged in this field, which allows to maintain contact with the youth and offer them Christian values."
Offering a general picture of the Church's mission in Papua, Fr. Gryek stresses that "we are a majority Christian country, where the Bible is a daily reference for people's lives, The people read it and use it as a guides in making everyday choices. But there is an excessive fragmentation of the churches: there are many Christian denominations, official and non alike. With the official churches, there is ecumenical dialogue, but with the others, it is impossible. Sometimes, in small towns, there are dozens of different Christian communities, and attention needs to be paid to the proliferation of sects."
But, the Catholic community in Papua New Guinea is also looking beyond its borders: "We are a Church that is open to the mission ad gentes: there are eight local priests in different countries on missions. This is a great hope for us, although here too, given the vastness of the territories, there is always a need for priests. But, the Holy Spirit is the one leading the mission, and we are happy to be his instruments." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 06/05/2010)
