OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - In Port Moresby, where violence and crime among youth is rampant, Salesian missionaries intend to build a new Marian shrine dedicated to “Our Lady Help of Christians” to be a haven of peace and a place for education to solidarity and non-violence

Monday, 20 September 2004

Port Moresby (Fides Service) - Aware that violence and crime among young people can only be combated with positive socialisation and education to the values of mutual respect, love and solidarity Salesian Missionaries in Port Moresby have decided to build a new Youth Centre and a church dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians.
“I rely on you lay men and women called in particular to contemplate the face of Christ, learning from Mary”: with these words taken from Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Bishop Cherubim Dambui, auxiliary of Port Moresby, addressed the crowds who had gathered for the blessing of the land which will host Campus Don Bosco and the new Marian shrine in Port Moresby.
The Holy See is very interested in the project and through the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples it has offered to provide concrete help to obtain the materials for the building and all possible support to ensure the project is a success.
Among those present at the ceremony Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, papal Nuncio in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, Father Francis Gustilo, Salesian Provincial in the northern Philippines, many local Salesians, and crowds of local people including many young people.
Archbishop Yllana congratulated the Salesian family on the decision to build a Shrine in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Don Bosco’s Salesians have always been involved in apostolate among young people with schools and other centres of formation. Now they are demonstrating another important aspect of the mission ”, the Nuncio said. “This shrine in honour of Our Lady help of Christians will lead to genuine renewal in Christ the Guinea, the goal identified by the Church in Papua New during the recent General Assembly which was to reflect on her vocation and mission”, he said.
Mary Help of Christians is widely venerated in this part of the world as Pope John Paul recalls in the post synodal exhortation Ecclesia in Oceania written on the basis of the findings of the special Synod for the Church in Oceania held in Rome in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 where he says; “In churches, chapels and homes case, images of Mary remind the people of her loving presence and maternal protection. In areas of the Pacific region she is especially venerated with the title of Mary Help of Christians” (EO 53).
Father Valerian Barbero, Salesian delegate for Papua New Guinea, who will follow the work to construct the centre, hopes the building will be terminated within twelve months. The centre will include rooms for various pastoral activities, in particular initiatives of educating young people to solidarity and non violence.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 20/9/2004 lines 31 words 321)


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