In some parts of the world seminaries are closing, but this is not thecase in Papua New Guinea, where several new seminaries have beenopened in the last ten years. Divine Word missionaries have theirhouse of formation with the Catholic Theological Institute, Bomana,on the outskirts of the capital city, Port Moresby. Besides the DivineWord Missionaries, the Institute includes students from the twenty-one dioceses of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, andfrom other religious communities.

Papua New Guinea is situated on the border betweenOceania and Asia, with Australia on one side andIndonesia on the other. The four million people whomake up its population speak hundreds of different languages representing as many cultures. In recent times,with a failing economy and political instability, therehas been an increase in social unrest, and many people, particularly the many unemployed people in a citylike Port Moresby, are finding it very difficult to obtainfood and other necessities of life. Crimes often gounpunished because of the inabffity to enforce the law.As I write, some of the students have come to inform methat the seminary car has been "held up" at gunpointjust two hundred meters from our gate. Quick thinkingon the part of the student driving averted a tragedy.This situation is a big challenge for the Church inPapua New Guinea today.

Philip Gibbs SVD

,,SVD Dean ofdents at Divine Word

Seminarian with two "watch dogs"

16 Divine Word Missionaries

Divine Word Missionaries firstcame to the north coast of NewGuinea over one hundred yearsago. There are now 170 DivineWord priests and Brothersworking throughout the country. Initially the society followed a policy of promotingvocations to the diocesanpriesthood. The first rector ofthe Regional Diocesan Seminary was Fr. Pat Murphy, SVD,and many of the faculty wereDivine Word Missionaries. Bythe 1960s the diocesan priesthood had been established,and the Society began recruiting its own members. To datethere are three national DivineWord priests and one fully pro-fessed Brother.

Fr. James Uravilfrom India is rector at DivineWord College.He says that thedecentralizationof priestly formation has beenone of thebiggest developments in his ten

years in seminary formation.Several regional seminaries forphilosophy and initial theological studies have been set up indifferent parts of the country.While this move is a sign ofgrowth, it also means thatthose responsible for staffingthe seminaries are in a continual state of crisis management.Staff is short because missionary congregations that used tosupply staff now have fewermen to offer, and their declinein numbers is not matched bygrowth in qualified local clergy.Fr. James notes that DivineWord Missionaries have alwayshad a strong presence on the

staff, and this continues today.

Fr. Willibrord Kamion from theCongo is the Dean of Seminarians at Divine Word College. Iasked him how Papua NewGuinea compares with theCongo. He feels that life in theCongo has been influenced byChristian faith over a muchlonger period than in PapuaNew Guinea, and that formation in the Congo reflects thatlong tradition. In the Congothere is a strong inculturationmovement that is welladvanced. The Congo is also acenter for African philosophyand theology. Papua NewGuinea still has to discernwhich traditional and culturalvalues can be integrated withpriestly formation. Fr. Kanilonnotices that the seminary setting in Papua New Guinea ismore open to contact with people in the surrounding settlements. That openness canhave its drawbacks. Securitywas never a problem in theseminary compound in theCongo, but it is a major problem to contend with in PortMoresby.

As the third staff member, I amfrom New Zealand and firstcame to Papua New Guinea asa seminarian some twenty-seven years ago. I teach theology and anthropology, and oneof the joys for me is to see thestudents develop to the stage offinal profession and ordinationso they can go out to furtherthe mission of the Church.

At present there are fourteenPapua New Gutnean studentsat the Divine Word College residence. The students sleep inbunks in rather crowded quar

17

Crowded seminary sleepingquarters

Fr. Uravil SVD Rector ofDivine Word College

Seminarian doing dailycommunity chores

Millennium Issue

ters. With the prospect of yet anotherten students next year, and the likelihood of still more students in thefuture, we have begun constructing anew accommodation block.

The students come with nch and varied expenence Joel finished schoolafter Grade 8 Later he entered a

Brother Candidates program and completed hissecondary schooling bycorrespondence. He firstgot the idea of being a missionary priest while inGrade 3! Gabriel workedin a bank for seven yearsbefore contacting the Society through another seminarian. After finishingschool Dennis stayed forfive years in his village.His father died, so heremained to care for hismother. He heard aboutthe Divine Word Missionaries in a sermon on Vocations Sunday. Bill comesfrom the island ofBougainville where untilrecently there was a civilwar raging. He did technical training and worked ata mining project for twoyears. He first heard ofDivine Word Missionarieswhile doing Grade 12 at aMinor Seminary.

In addition to their academic work, our seminarystudents all have pastoralplacements. Some helpwith parish programs, others teach religious education in schools, while others visit the hospital or thenational prison. Martinhas pastoral ministry in

the nearby "9-mile" settlement. Hedescribes his experience: ‘The peoplecoming to the settlements are from

different cultural groups and theyhave to learn to live together. Somehave work; others are unemployed.Many are baptized Catholics, but somany of them come to the city and donot really participate. So, when we goto work in the settlements we try tomeet people where they are and to getto know them. Then we try to findways to bring the Good News intotheir lives. Gradually some join ourgroups for faith sharing and liturgypreparation. We plant a seed thatwill grow in the community. One ofthe biggest obstacles to our work isthe conflict between ethnic groups.We come to a group and notice that afamily is not present, and then findthere was a fight and the family hasmoved away. Also the young peopleare turning to drugs. They know ourcar and usually we are safe, but lastmonth a group of youths high ondrugs stopped me and tried to takethe car. I was lucky to get away."

Our students know of many parishesin Papua New Guinea without resident priests, and also know thatthere is a lot of work to do here.However, they are also willing to goand serve wherever they may be sentonce they become Divine Word Missionaries. They understand the international thrust of our communityand its work.

Fr. Paul Kanda, the first SVD priestfrom Papua New Guinea served forsome time in New Zealand, and thesecond one, Fr. Francis Koimb, isnow serving in Ghana. DeaconStephen Rex Simangi is preparing totake up his mission assignment inBrazil after ordination to the priesthood. Students get a taste of theinternational character of the DivineWord Missionaries when they go fortwo years to the novitiate in thePhilippines. This international experience can be very important for thedevelopment of their vocation.

Seminarian Martin Goi-MangiSVD working with catecumens

Archbishop Michael Meier SVDordains Fr. Koimb SVD to thepriesthood

18 Divine Word Missionaries

Student John Kewareturned from the Philippines last year. He saysthat the time away fromhome was shocking atfirst, but that gradually hegrew in independence andself-confidence. Now heunderstands better themulticultural dimension ofthe Divine Word Missionaries. He gradually learnedto enjoy life in the Philippines and cried when hehad to leave. On hisreturn to Papua NewGuinea, people noticedhow he had changed.John thinks it was not justa change--he had grown.

According to predictionsthe new seminary buildingwill be fully occupied whenit is finished. Donationswill pay for most of the$220,000 needed to complete the job.However, the job of forming newDivine Word Missionaries is never finished; it is always expensive! Lifehere in Port Moresby is precarious,but living with such energetic andgenerous young men gives muchhope for the future! *

, 4rk

; w

175were shipped tomission churchesfor theirEaster celebrations.

We now needto restock our supply.

Can you help with adonation today?

A donation of$4650will assist theMission Center in

An envelope has been enclosed atthe center of this magazine for yourconvenience.

Seminarian fromPapua New Guineapreparing for thenext day’s theologyclass

Last month a

Easter candles

supplying the most

The ordination ofFr. Koimb SVD to the

priesthood

needy ofmissionchapels and churcheswith candles to light theEaster celebration.

Millennium Issue 19