OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Bishops' Pastoral Plan: "Go and tell everyone"

Monday, 19 January 2015

Madang (Agenzia Fides) - "Go and tell everyone": this is the theme of the five-year pastoral plan launched by the Episcopal Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. As reported in a note sent to Fides by Fr. Roger Purcell MSC, of the Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference, the plan is strongly missionary: "all our dioceses, parishes, apostolic works and institutions will find ways to put this plan into action", he explains. The plan was passed in principle as a working document, for improvement and endorsement, by the Bishops in the Annual General Meeting in May, 2014. The process since then, explains Fr. Purcell, has been to present the Pastoral Plan to the dioceses. This presentation has happened already in many dioceses; Daru-Kiunga, Port Moresby, Bereina, Kerema, Alotau, Kimbe, Madang, Wewak and Aitape. Still to come are Lae in January, the Highlands Dioceses planned for March with Kavieng in February; Vanimo, Rabaul, Bougainville and Solomon Islands, Honiara, Auki and Gizo. "Each diocese will then discern how to implement the plan in the diocese according to its own Pastoral Plan and situation". In March they will do a similar presentation to the Federation of Religious who will then be able to work with all their members, who are active in many of our dioceses, parishes and institutions".
"It is early days yet, with much to do in the coming months and years. However we can be happy and proud as this Pastoral Plan is the probably first of its kind in the world. It is a Plan yet to be developed fully and for this everyone at every level has a contribution to make from community to parish to diocese to Conference level" he said. "Jesus told the apostles, and tells the Church today: go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News. The task is still there for us, and before us", he concludes. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 19/01/2015)


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