Capelli says many Islanders see China as a liberator when it offers to bring a certain degree of development. The nation lacks hospitals, infrastructure and airports.

However, what is certain is that there will be debts because Honiara, the capital city, will be asked to pay. It is just not known when.

"In the 23 years that I have been here, I have not seen any interest on the part of the United States. It has not even de-mined an airport runway. Half of it is still unusable because of their bombs dropped against the Japanese during World War II," comments Capelli.

The Bishop of Gizo continues to explain the local situation: "Guadalcanal, for example, the largest island, does not have a regional hospital, but only the national one, where all the patients sent from other regions arrive".

As a direct result, "when any 'China' comes to build us a hospital, it will always be welcomed as a liberator".

China has recently provided military support at the request of Honiara after the Solomon Islands police force struggled to contain anti-government riots in the capital's Chinatown in November.

"China's military presence on the Solomon Islands will be maintained under the supervision of local authorities", announced the ambassador of the Solomon Islands in Australia yesterday.

Ambassador Robert Sisilo wanted to reassure Western public opinion that the Chinese security forces will not use the same repressive techniques seen in Hong Kong.

However, these reassurances have failed to convince Australia and New Zealand. They have opposed the security pact signed in recent weeks between Honiara and Beijing.

It is unclear what percentage of the population opposes or favours these new security agreements. The Churches, says Capelli, are now "silent."

President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said, "I would say that the most important element going forward is that the United States has to step up its game across the board, and we've been encouraged strongly to do that by our Australian friends."

Sources

Asia News

Sydney Morning Herald

It has found nearly 13% of the population is poor.

Most of the poor live rurally.

It's the first time officials have been able to measure poverty in the Islands at a village level.

As a result, the survey found that the poor number 78,500.

That compares with a total population of more than 600 thousand.

The Solomon's National Statistics Office drew the map with help from Australia.

The map's basis is 2012/13 Solomon's household income and expenditure survey.

It includes data from the 2009 Solomon Islands census.

The 2012 data includes comprehensive questions on household consumption and expenditure.

The finance and treasury minister Manasseh Sogavare says it's a challenge to bring development to rural areas.

Elections

The country faces national elections in 2019.

In addition to the current government's actions, Sogavare says the findings will guide future leaders in reducing village poverty.

Furthermore, the Solomon's government statistician says the poverty maps are simple to read, and show the spread of high and low poverty through the provinces.

Sources:

• Radio NZ
• Solomon Star

Image credit: Solomon Star

For Rural Training Centres in the Solomons, the money saved by not having to buy costly diesel is a huge benefit.

"Most of the schools in Solomon Islands use around 50% of their total yearly budget on diesel to meet their energy requirements," says Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand programmes coordinator, Marion Ferguson.

"Saving most of this each year will provide a huge increase in resources that can be used for other critical needs..."

The project has been undertaken by a Dunedin companies Powerhouse Wind and Control Focus, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand and the Solomon Islands Association of Rural Training Centres (SIARTC).

Assistance was also received from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

To create the necessary power to replace diesel generators, the hybrid system harvests renewable energy from both wind and sun

A lithium ion battery provides a back-up of stored energy for when there is no sun or wind, and the existing diesel generator is also coupled into the system for backup.

Managing the system and doing the necessary power conversions is a Synergi hybrid power solution from Enatel in Christchurch.

All the unit's functions are provided by ‘hot swappable' modules.

This means that a failure in any module causes a reduced system output, not a total outage

Full capacity can be restored by plugging in a replacement without stopping the system.

"This means the power conversion equipment can be maintained by people trained to respond to alarms and diagnose, but who don't need advanced electrical skills to repair or replace components," says Bill Currie, Co-Director of Powerhouse Wind Ltd.

Source

• Supplied: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
• Image: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Actual topics brought up during meetings were much broader.

As well as the 'Western' topics, Synod fathers also developed themes such as domestic violence, violence against women, incest and abuse within families, marriage preparation and pornography.

The family is much more than divorce, remarriage and homosexuality.

"We are all, first and foremost, family men", Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher of Gatineau, Canada told the Synod.

"We have parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, cousins.

"Therefore, the families of which we speak are not alien to us, they form part of our lives. This must be transparent in our language, in our texts, in our care and compassion for the families of the world".

Synod very challenging for PNG and Solomons churches

With all the differences in opinions and expressions from around the world, a sense of collegiality among the bishops in the synod developed 94 paragraphs for Pope Francis' consideration.

While there was overall support for the Church's teaching and current pastoral practice to remain in place, the document addressed the Western issues of divorced and remarried couples, saying that while "avoiding every occasion of scandal", baptized persons must be "more integrated into the Christian community" .

However, on a more local perspective, since the dioceses of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands are moving from 'Missionary Churches' to the 'Local Churches' the formation activities for youth and families are becoming a more essential part of a different type of evangelization, a new way of evangelizing.

Therefore, if the Churches of PNG and the Solomons are really serious about the better future of the Church, this final Draft Document is an important and significant tool.

In other words, in every parish we need to

• create early child care centers for 3 to 6 old children,
• Sunday School with proper text books from Grade One to Grade Twelve,
• systematically organized youth groups,
• proper marriage preparation courses before people marry,
• regular gatherings and on going formation activities for couple's.

That is, every parish community in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands needs to become a conducive place for formation and learning; a center of faith, prayer and spirituality.

If these things happen they will be the greatest gift of the Synod of Bishops on Family to PNG and the Solmons.

However, in a local context all these things will be very challenging

While the final Draft Document, explains "Pastoral Care" as "appropriate formation activities" and "appropriate pastoral action", there are almost no 'regular pastoral activities' - and no 'regular formation activities' for the children, youth, couple's, men, women and elders at all in the parishes.

There are many pastoral challenges facing family life in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands and we remain grateful Bishop Anton Bal, Bishop of Kundiawa diocese, and the Deputy Bishop for Family Life Apostolate from the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands for representing our churches and participating in the Synod, helping to shape its outcome.

• Fr Shanthi Chacko Puthussery PIME is Secretary of Commission for Youth and Laity in Bomana, Port Moresby

He made the observation during last week's National Conference on Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative.

"I felt that there's no justification for the poor land owning tribes who were always the losers in their own lands.

"The country is not ready for mining!"

Nickel was discovered in Isabel more than 40 years ago, and an Australian mining company Axiom, has been speculating on the region's substantial deposits for several years.

Mining interests in the country have moved quickly in recent years from a single development at Gold Ridge, to recent operations in Rennell, and progressing plans for nickel and bauxite mining in Isabel, Choiseul and Wagina.

In 2011 the company signed a 50-year deal with landowners for a 45-square kilometre area estimated to contain nickel ore worth almost US$60 billion.

Mason said that before going into the mining sector, existing laws and legislations must be reviewed and land owning tribes empowered.

"Our existing laws seemed outdated and must be reviewed to patch up the loopholes.

This is to make sure we don't repeat what happened in our forestry sector.

"For us Isabel people and the entire nation, we need to understand mining because it would be worse than the logging industry if there's no review of our laws and people were not well aware of its impact."

"Land owning tribes were always blinded and bulldozed by little money that the companies lied to them with," he said.

"We must not repeat but to learn from our neighbouring nation Nauru, where what can only be seen were pinnacle of rocks standing idle there. Their resources have been taken away."

At the Forum the Minister for Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification David Day Pacha made the commitment to review mining legislation to ensure the industry is beneficial to its stakeholders.
at a national mining forum in Honiara last week.

Pacha says the reform programme will cover processing, negotiations, compliances, royalty, management and the protection of the environment from the effects of mining.

He says the reform will consider the loopholes and weaknesses within the Mines and Minerals Act and bring in amendments to ensure past mistakes are avoided.

In 2014 Mason was also called back to Melanesia to chair a discussion on plans for mining on the province.

The meeting brought together more than 150 delegates from the church and the community, as well as developers and government officials.

Mason was installed as a paramount chief of Isabel in 2010.

Before taking up his current position in England in 2004 Mason was the first diocesan bishop of Hanuato'o, where he served for 13 years.

He is presently vicar of St Maurice Church in Plypton and an assistant bishop of the Diocese of Exeter.

The Diocese of Hanuato'o was inaugurated at St. George Church now renamed as St. Peters Cathedral, Kirakira on 29^th day of June 1991.

There are no regions setups in the Diocese as in other dioceses, except for Parishes.

The diocese has 15 Parishes and 32 active clergy.

The diocesan headquarter is in Kirakira, Makira Ulawa Province.

Source

• solomonstarnews.com
• anglicannews.org
• books.google.co.nz
• www.acom.org.sb
• radionz.co.nz
• Image: melanesia.anglican.org

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 daunting.

He said societies in the Pacific are often male dominant with a great respect for church leaders and priests.

People also don't want to bring shame upon the Church and are reticent to bring claims against the church or a priest, he noted.

This is especially so in rural areas, Br Hough said.

People wanting to make a complaint will be able to discuss the matter with a contact person, who can explain what options are available to them with Church and/or civil authorities.

The policy aims to create more awareness of child protection and various forms of abuse.

It also provides standards to establish a safe environment for children and is a framework other organisations within the Church can emulate, said one of its co-authors.

The policy reportedly complements the PNG government's 2009 Lukautim Pikini Act, aimed at protecting children, which is up for review in the nation's parliament.

The act has been criticised because of a lack of manpower, political will and funding to carry out its functions.

The PNG minister responsible for Child Welfare, Delilah Gore, said the national government continued to acknowledge its partnership with churches in the country.

The minister urged other churches to come up with their own initiatives on child welfare and other social needs.

Sources

• EMTV
• ABC
• Facebook
• Image: Trek4Education

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who was making brief visits to Asia and Oceania Anglican primates, was in the Solomons before departing for Australia, New Zealand and Polynesia.

On August 11, Archbishop Welby and his delegation visited the cemetery where the martyred Christians are buried.

The archbishop unveiled and blessed a monumental cross.

In April 2003, seven members of an Anglican religious community known as the Melanesian Brotherhood were killed as they tried to bring lasting peace between rival factions waging war in the Solomon Islands.

Archbishop Welby paid tribute to the members of the brotherhood who lost their lives in the name of peace.

"The Church would always remember their service and work as brothers for this country,'' Archbishop Welby said.

He said he was very pleased to see the work and contribution of the Melanesia Brotherhood to the Anglican Common in the Solomon Islands and throughout the world today.

In 2004, the then-Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams visited the Solomons and also paid tribute to the fallen brothers.

During his visit, Archbishop Welby also met Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo.

They discussed recent flooding in the Pacific nation and its upcoming elections, as well as contributions by the Solomons to the international community and trade issues.

Archbishop Welby said a prayer and dedicated the Solomon Islands, its people and government to God.

Sources

• Solomon Star News
• Island Sun
• Vatican Radio
• Image: Island Sun

The Salesians through Salesian Missions, Australia, have funded the manufacture of drum ovens, tables and chairs for the victims of the recent floods in Solomon Islands.

The machine fitting students at Don Bosco Technical Institute are making drum ovens for the most needy families in the Foxwood and Nalibiu area.

The carpentry students will be making tables and chairs for the Tumurora Primary School.

240 flood victims from the Foxwood and Nalibiu areas, and from Tumurora Primary School, spent 15 days at the Don Bosco Technical School.

They were all transported back to their homes on 23rd April by the Guadalcanal Province.

Aid agencies provided them with tools and food to help them clean up their homes, and to help them to start re-planting their gardens and rebuilding their lives.

Fr Ambrose Pereira says that while rehabilitation goes on, there is a need to work out long term solutions to deal with disasters - natural or man-made.

More important, the task of reconstruction needs forward planning and committed action over the months and the years ahead.

"Without doubt, education plays an important part in the ability to assist and deal with difficulties and disasters."

Pereira says it is also important that infrastructure specifications are clear and that building codes are adhered to.

"We are grateful to all who have assisted in several ways to ensure that those affected are able to deal amicably with the situation," he said.

Source

• Supplied by Fr Ambrose Pereira
• ANS
• Image: Supplied by Fr Ambrose Pereira

The Wellington wind had fled; stillness paired with the embers crackling, huddled closer, marshmallows devoured in flame as stories swept us elsewhere and nothing mattered anymore save each other, the flame and the specks of light above.

The weekend meant laughter, wired smiles as morning broke and caffeine rushes; all for a good cause.

Beneath those same stars, rain was falling somewhere far away.

The water was rising, while we slept in cardboard shelters through a cloudless night.

Houses of living memories had been suddenly swallowed by the swollen rivers while we set out to make this weekend as memorable and life-changing as possible.

A day of difference for a lifetime of change.

Solidarity amidst reckless forces

What is solidarity in the face of such reckless forces and what is awareness going to change?

Us.

Though we feel so small, we must begin somewhere to pave the way for a lifetime of change.

We had gathered together to join with 6000 other young people across New Zealand who were also standing in solidarity with the people of Solomon Islands, as part of the inaugural Caritas Challenge, from Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.

A chance to find out more about the reality of people's lives around the world, to stand alongside them, and raise some money to support people who need it.

Throughout the 24 hours, we reflected on the cost of apathy and what it means to live justly.

Open eyes

During our discussions, one person stated that it is easy to ignore the need if you can't see it, and this simple truth reverberated throughout the room.

What does it mean to open our eyes to the need in Solomon Islands, within Aotearoa New Zealand, our communities, our families, and within ourselves?

What are the costs of ignorance and the costs of choosing to be aware?

I woke shivering; during the night I had kicked my blanket off and in a sleep-induced state, lacked the initiative to pull it back up.

For the rest of the night I rolled into a ball with hands buried deep in my pockets, wishing I had brought something warmer.

But even then I knew that a bed awaited me back home, food would be stacked neatly in the pantry and friends would enquire politely on how I slept and I'd describe the experience as "eye-opening."

But one of these days, we have to begin somewhere.

Huddled around the smoking ashes of yesterday, we knew what we had to do and began.

A day of difference for a lifetime of change.

Jacob Bang is studying English Literature with History at Victoria University. Last year he was on the Marist-Challenge 2000 gap year programme.

Source: CathNews NZ Pacific

Image: Stephen Davies/Caritas Aotearoa NZ

Everyone has been personally affected - directly or indirectly - and the weeklong floods have left painful memories that will be hard to heal.

The rector, Fr. Dominic Kachira, invited those who were struggling to travel each day to stay on the school campus. The boys will reside in the gymnasium and the girls will reside in the Savio Aspirantate. "It is important that your studies are not hampered due to long hours of exhausting and tense travel," he said.

The only main road leading to Honiara has now become a three-lane road with traffic moving at a gentle pace. The trip, which would take three quarters of an hour from Henderson to the center of town, now takes two hours and more.

While motorists wait their turn to cross the bridge in a single file, several hundred pedestrians cane be seen walking - right through the day in the heat of the blazing sun - till late at night.

Read also Displaced victims welcomed at Don Bosco

Source

Supplied: Fr. Ambrose Pereira read more
Image: Supplied Fr. Ambrose Pereira

On Sunday the Archbishop Honiara, Adrian Smith reported that Brother Joris had been isolated from the centre, stranded between two damaged bridges.

Joris eventually managed to return to the Society of Mary's Regional House at Tanagai, but he had to leave his truck behind.

Smith said the good news was the centre, which is to the west of Honiara, is not damaged by the floods.

In an interview with the Catholic Reporter PNG, on Sunday afternoon April 6th Archbishop Smith thanked people for their concern. He said it not was possible as yet to give not a comprehensive report on the serious floods in Guadalcanal.

"This is just an attempt to share with you the bits of information I have been gathering since the floods started."

He said information about the situation of the church's communities and institutions was very scant because institutions were without power and even the mobile phone connections were not working well.

"On April 2nd it was already clear that we were going to have problems as we had a lot of heavy rain. It would seem that the flooding problem is on the lee side of Guadalcanal and not on the weather coast. "

Going towards Visale, Sacred Heart Parish, "which is over 20 kilometers west of Honiara a number of the bridges have been spoiled. It may not be the actual bridge that has been spoiled but the approach to the bridges as the rivers in flood when they are obstructed by the bridges they eat away the approach to the bridges on both sides."

Smith said that the situation to the east of Honiara has been the cause of much worry for him.

• "The some of the bridges on the road to Tetere, Christ the King Parish, have been spoiled; again I am not sure of the details."
• The Good Samaritan Hospital at Tetere lost their ambulance, it seems that it was on a rescue mission and got taken away by the flood and is now useless.
• St. Joseph's Catholic Secondary School had to evacuate many if not all their students. The flooding waters covered the school area and went into the girls' dormitory. With difficulty they were able to get a high truck that could wade its way to reach the school and evacuate the students. Many of them are in Honiara with relatives and others are sheltered in Kukum parish hall.
• St. Martin's a Rural Training Centre close to St. Joseph's Catholic Secondary school had also to evacuate their students, "some of them are with us here at Holy Cross."
• Nazareth Apostolic Centre Tenaru has been under water, but there are no reports of buildings being destroyed.
• Holy Name of Mary Interdiocesan Seminary also in the Tenaru area has been under water, again there have been no reports of damage of building.

Smith said, "Of course in all three places the food gardens have been destroyed."

Read more firsthand reports from the Solomon Islands
Source

• Supplied by Fr Giorgio Licini Catholic Reporter PNG
• Image: Radio New Zealand

"We need to be far more grateful for all we have because they have so little and even that is being taken away from them," said Mareko Ennor, a Year 12 student at St Patrick's College, Wellington.

Mareko described his involvement in the Caritas Challenge as "life-changing", and said the challenge helped him put a lot of things in perspective.

Caritas NZ Director Julianne Hickey says the flooding in the Solomon Islands has made the situation that much more real for the students.

"They are reflecting on the situation there, sending their thoughts, prayers and fundraising for the people of the Solomons," she said.

The Caritas Challenge is an annual event to raise money for charity work in the South Pacific and prior to the severe flooding, was this year focussed on the Solomon Islands.

Caritas' response in place

Mrs Hickey confirmed Caritas New Zealand volunteers are already at work near the flooded areas.

"These floods will have a huge impact on people struggling to survive", said Mrs Hickey.

With no central sewerage system and septic tanks overflowing, Mrs Hickey identified the spread of disease as a major threat.

Most people in the Solomon Islands grow their own vegetables so if the crops have not been destroyed by floods, the threat of contracting illness due to bacteria and viruses present in the effluent is very real.

While winds are still strong in Honiara, the chance of the nearby tropical depression becoming a cyclone remains low.

Image: Twitter @_binbin

The Caritas Challenge is an annual 24-hour event for schools and youth groups during Lent

At Garin College in Nelson, for example, over 170 students are spending Saturday night in cardboard boxes on the school's tennis courts and going without food for 20 hours to experience and understand what living in poverty is like.

The Caritas Challenge is an annual 24-hour event for schools and youth groups during Lent.

The aim is for participants to join together in solidarity with the poor and in doing so to connect with the principles of Catholic social teaching while raising money towards one of the many international partnerships that Caritas supports.

Youth are encouraged to undertake an activity that brings them closer to the living conditions of those less fortunate.

There are four themes to choose from:

• ‘Move it' - 24 hours of physical activity like running or cycling;
• ‘Live it' - build a temporary structure from cardboard and sleep in it overnight;
• ‘Sweat it' - work in shifts over 24 hours, making products in a ‘sweatshop' environment;
• ‘Stop it' - give up something like technology or food for 24 hours.

Participants seek sponsorship for taking up and surviving the Challenge.

The 2014 Caritas Challenge focus is on the Solomon Islands which consists 992 islands spread across the southwest Pacific.

Ongoing recovery from conflict of a decade ago, presents daily challenges for its people to provide vital services like water, housing, health and education.

The People's Alliance Party says the involvement of churches in education was reduced in 1970 when they were allowed to administer only secondary schools.

Before that churches ran both primary and secondary schools throughout Solomon Islands.

The People's Alliance Party said it will return the control over schools to the churches in order to re-strengthen the future orderly behaviour of Solomon Islanders.

The party believes how young Solomon Islanders should behave depends on the discipline exerted at schools, and only the churches can ensure this.

Source

• Radio New Zealand International
• Solomon Star
• Image: Australian Government

The formal agreement was signed during the celebration of the 50th Golden Jubilee of SSEC in Ambu, Malaita.

Following the agreement, SSEC's Bishop Mathias Lima commissioned 10 Solomon Islands SSEC missionaries to serve with the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu.

Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu Moderator Kalarongo Ova earlier said the church was happy about the agreement they signed.

"I and my small delegate were invited and happy to be here. We are happy to formally have an agreement of Solomon Islands SSEC missionaries to serve in Vanuatu.

The South Seas Evangelical Church is an evangelical, Pentecostal church in the Solomon Islands. In total, 17% of the population of the Solomon Islands adheres to the church, making it the third most common religious affiliation in the country behind the Anglican Church of Melanesia and the Roman Catholic Church.

The SSEC is particularly popular on Malaita, the most populous island, where 47% of its members live; there are also smaller populations are on Guadalcanal, Honiara, Makira, and other provinces.

Source

• Solomon Star
• Wikipedia
• Image: ssecorgs

The sorcery offence workshop is part of the on-going review of the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.

The aim of the consultation was to have church leaders have their say about the issue as the commission was in a process of reviewing the matter.

One of the workshop's participants Fr Henry Paroi said that sorcery is part of the culture and the country must find ways to address it other than ignoring it.

"Sorcery is very much part of our culture, passed on from generation to generation, through our ancestors," Fr. Paroi said.

"We just cannot ignore it; the thing is to find ways to deal with it where it won't happen overnight. It takes time".

About 80 participants who are mainly, Priest, Pastors and church leaders and elders from various denominations were expected to attend the workshop.

Source

• Solomon Star
• Solomon Star
• Image: Pacificinstiute.anu.edu.au

The education secretary for the archdiocese of Honiara, Cypriano Nuake, was in New Zealand for three weeks from late August in what he called a "look and learn" visit. He was accompanied by Mr Schollum on visits to schools and education offices in Auckland, Wellington, the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Northland.

Nuake is keen to learn more about New Zealand integrated school funding models because the Solomon Islands' Government wants to decentralise education, with provincial administrations and churches running schools, but with the state continuing to fund them.

The Solomon Islands Government has chosen Honiara archdiocese as one of the pilot agencies to pilot this transition.

Source

• NZCatholic
• mahitahi
• Taiwanese embassy

Sometime in August our staff Josephine and I attended a Boroko Rotary Club dinner and made a presentation on the work of WeCARe! It went over very well and the club is very interested in helping us. They have already given us a handsome donation which is very welcome, and told us there is more to come. An Adelaide Rotary Club has been sending volunteers here to Port Moresby to do some work for the Lasallians and we have been taking them around to visit our supported Care Groups and to meet the people we work with. They also have begun to help us in many ways. God bless Rotary! Our friends in Ireland and Australia continue to help us with their donations in cash and kind, and we never forget to thank God for you all. And…

Miracles do Happen!

When I started the work that eventually became WeCARe!, back in 2002 or '03, the Catholic Archdiocese of Port Moresby was very nervous of it all, and I was strongly advised not to do this kind of work. Times have changed, and now, after all these years, the Church has asked me if a representative of the Archdiocese can be on our Board, and if our missionaries can become involved. Needless to say we are absolutely delighted at receiving this recognition from the Church at last. Perhaps in getting the ‘all clear' from the Archbishop some of our Catholic Parishes will be encouraged to start pastoral works for the poor and disadvantaged amongst them. WeCARe! will be there to give them all the advice and support we can.

Education in PNG

Education in PNG is really in a mess. A report has just been published on the level of literacy in five provinces - Chimbu, Sandaun, Gulf, New Ireland and the National Capital District (NCD). It was a carefully done study by an Australian based agency classifying people as Non Literate, Semi Literate or Fully Literate. It found that on average only 11% of people are fully literate. In Gulf it is only 4.2% and in New Ireland it is 25%. These results have not been publicised as the Government claims variously that 50% to 70% of our people are literate. Education in PNG is tuition free, and the Government is currently preparing legislation to make it compulsory as well. However, we have classrooms and teachers enough for no more than half the children in the country, and in the cities Primary Schools have 60, 70, even 85 - in one case I know of - in a class. In rural areas - where there are any schools at all - the numbers are better. For NGOs like We-CARe! the challenge is to find some ways of promoting literacy and numeracy training through the Care Groups we support.

P.S. It's my 77th birthday on Saturday, 14th September - I can hardly believe it!!!

Sources

• Father John M Glynn in Catholic Church of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands
• Image: The Global Mail

Fr John Glynn is the Founder of WeCARe Foundation.

CTI has been the academic wing of Holy Spirit Seminary since 1999 when the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea set up a distinct institute for the academic formation of seminarians and laity. Thus both Holy Spirit Seminary and its offshoot, Catholic Theological Institute, share this jubilee celebration.

Among the many highlights of the Jubilee celebrations two can be mentioned: first, the Singkai Lecture given by Fr. Ommerborn SVD which explored the beginning of seminary education in Melanesia culminating in the creation of Holy Spirit seminary and second, the presence of five bishops and many priests, all graduates of Holy Spirit Seminary-Catholic Theological Institute who shared their reflections of life over the years at CTI-Holy Spirit Seminary with the present student community.

Holy Spirit Seminary began in 1963 at Kap, Madang. At its commencement there were about thirty students from various regions of the country: Manus Island, Bougainville, Yule Island, Wewak, Goroka and four students were from the Solomon Islands. The staff in the early years were all members of the Society of the Divine Word. A few months earlier, on December 8th 1962, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) erected its seminary at Bomana and classes commenced early in 1963. The buildings were located on the grounds of what is now the campus of De La Salle Secondary School. Soon both communities were to be united.

In 1965 when the bishops were in Rome participating in the Second Vatican Council they made the decision to move Holy Spirit Seminary to Bomana, thus establishing one major seminary in the country for clerical religious and seminarians which was staffed by MSC and SVD priests. Over time other religious orders built houses on the seminary campus: Marist Fathers, Capuchin Friars, Franciscan Friars, Society of the Divine Word, Dominican Friars and Mariannhill Missionaries. The Passionist and the Salesian seminarians, while residing off campus, also attended Catholic Theological Institute.

Today the number of seminarians and clerical religious enrolled at Catholic Theological Institute is 120. Another 130 are enrolled in seminaries in other provinces of the country and in the Solomon Islands: Vanimo, Ropollo, Banz and Honiara, Solomon Islands. CTI's curriculum is primarily oriented to the formation of priests, but it warmly welcomes members of religious congregations and lay people. There are a small number at present enrolled. Also for much of CTI's existence the Anglican Church has sent some of its seminarians and priests to study at CTI. Their presence on campus has strengthened the already strong bonds between the two communions.

Source

• Fr. David Willis - President, Catholic Theological Institute
• Image: stevenswindow.blogspot.nz

Pope Benedict XVI had named Banach, a Vatican diplomat, to be an apostolic nuncio, which carries with it the title of archbishop, in February.

He was born the son of Wallace and Jane Banach. He grew up in Auburn and attended Pakachoag Elementary School and Auburn High School.

He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy at the College of the Holy Cross, then studied for the priesthood at the North American College in Rome.
He was ordained a priest by Bishop Harrington in St. Paul Cathedral. He served as associate pastor at St. Anne's Parish in Shrewsbury before beginning studies in Rome in 1992 at the Gregorian University and earning a doctorate in Canon Law in 1994.

Banach then joined the Vatican Diplomatic Service. He was named a monsignor on Jan 11, 1996 by Pope John Paul II. He served in Bolivia and Nigeria and, as desk officer for Central Europe for the Vatican Secretary of State, worked in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.

He was serving as the Holy See's permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (AIEA), to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and to the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), and Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations Organization for Industrial Development (ONUDI), and to the Office of the United Nations in Vienna, Austria.

Source

• Vatican Radio
• The Catholic Free Press
• Image: Catholic Free Press.com