Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Our job is to help the Church in Solomon Islands stand on its own feet ”, Archbishop Adrian Smith of Honiara capital of Solomon Islands told Fides. The Archbishop, of Irish origin, is in Rome for his ad limina visit with other Bishops of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. He kindly agreed to tell Fides about the situation of society and the Church in these Pacitic Islands.
“After the dark years of civil strife (1999-2002) - Archbishop Smith told Fides - security is now guaranteed. The country is at peace and there is no ethnic tension. Paramilitary groups have handed in their arms and Australian and New Zealand police continue to help maintain order. The country is busy rebuilding villages and infrastructures. The economy is still poor due to a weak currency and lack of industries. The main activities are subsistence fishing and farming. The rate of unemployment remains high and there are no jobs for school leavers except to work the family’s plot of land. The standard of living is simple and has remained unchanged for the past 30 years which is significant in a world where globalisation tends to impose rapid change”.
The Archbishop said that in the capital Honiara (45,000 population) there are sings of spreading poverty also because the civil war caused many to abandon their homes and move to towns and cities. “However, slowly tourism is picking up and we see the arrival of foreign investments which will boost the economy”.
Solomon Islands has a population of about 470,000, of these 90,000 are Catholics gathered in three dioceses: Honiara, Auki and Gizo, 40% of the clergy is local, the rest is still missionary. “The main challenges - the Archbishop said - include, the formation of a local clergy (although the first local priest was ordained in 1966). It is also important for people to realise that they must support the Church, be responsible for their parish and feel it as their home. This is why we give great importance to the formation of the laity e”.
“At the pastoral level - he continued - given the geographical distance between the islands the Church is structured on the idea of Small Christian Communities. Each village, an average of 15-20 families, forms a community with its own church, lay leaders for catechesis and liturgy of the Word. Everything is in small dimensions, we aspire to be a communion of communities”.
Before the Solomon Islands became independent in 1978 the Church was fully committed in the field of education. But then the Islands encouraged by Britain adopted a system of state education, “which was positive because education is no longer confessional, but it distanced the school from the family. Today the Churches are encouraged to get involved again in education and we are thinking about it”.
Archbishop Smith remarked: “In Solomon there are five main Christian confessions and good ecumenical relations. During the violence in recent years the Churches were a united front which worked for peace and reconciliation. The experience of conflict left a positive heritage of good relations among the Churches”.
In particular the Catholic Church is involved in activity to promote reconciliation programmes of “post-trauma psychological rehabilitation” with seminars and formation at various levels regional and local. “This- the Archbishop concluded - is an opportunity offered by many of our communities and it is much appreciated”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/6/2005 righe 42 parole 456)
