Islam is growing rapidly in Papua New Guinea, converts finding Muslim customs have more in common with their traditions than Christianity. Catholic priest Franco Zocca, based at the Melanesian Institute research centre in Goroka, said Islamic leaders explained to him that “Islamic beliefs and practices are more compatible than Christianity with traditional Melanesian values”, especially Read more
Church groups are among organisations saying they will mount a rescue after four people were accused of sorcery in a Papua New Guinea village. The four were accused of witchcraft and allegedly tortured in the village of Kaiwe, following recent deaths in the community. Human rights defenders, church groups and police were preparing to stage Read more
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBC) condemns corruption by ministers, public servants, church leaders and all the leaders in power, says Fr Victor Roche, CBC’s general secretary. Roche gave the following reasons for the condemnation: Elected leaders are for the people. They have been mandated to represent the people. Read more
The Catholic Church of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands launched its first child protection policy on February 24. The policy outlines clear steps for investigating abuse within the Church and encourages members of report abuse. Br Frank Hough, who helped formulate the new policy, said he hoped Church members would find reporting abuse less Read more
The Bougainville Government has adopted a missing persons policy to try and determine what happened to those who vanished during the Bougainville Civil War. The Red Cross helped formulate the policy and says it’s ready to help locate, identify and return human remains. Listen to Interview The new approach could see the possible exhumation of Read more
A Catholic priest in Papua New Guinea has condemned the nation’s shocking child health statistics. Writing in PNG’s Catholic Reporter, Fr John Glynn of the We Care Foundation in Port Moresby pointed to United Nation’s statistics that he called “terrifying in their implications”. Fr Glynn wrote that 45 per cent of PNG children have stunted Read more
A Papua New Guinea lawyer says the influence of fundamentalist Christians from oversees is partly to blame for a proposed crackdown on sexting in PNG. Constitutional lawyer Tiffany Twivey-Nongorr has called the proposed PNG ban an outrageous breach of human rights. As part of a review of the Censorship Act, PNG’s Censorhip Board is considering Read more
Helping Melanesian Catholics better appreciate the Bible is one way of combating propaganda from sects and increasing fundamentalism in the region. That was one of the outcomes hoped for from a Bible Sunday organised by the bishops of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands for August 3. The day was intended to move “the Read more
On 15 April Pope Francis authorised the Congregation of the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree regarding the heroic virtues of Bishop Alain-Marie Guynot de Boismenu, the second vicar apostolic of Papua New Guinea. This is the first step in the process that leads to sainthood. His cause was opened in 1984 and was forwarded Read more
As soon as issues related to poverty, population growth and sexual behaviour arise, contraception is also called into question. At the moment this is also the case of Papua New Guinea. There is indeed a form of “voluntary” or natural contraception when people decide to avoid procreation by orienting their sexual behaviour; and a form Read more