Bishop Paul recently travelled to Port Moresby to attend the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania Assembly.  The Assembly’s theme was ‘Care of our Common Home of Oceania: A sea of possibilities’.

Cardinal John Ribat MSC welcomed all to the FCBCO Assembly and introduced Cardinal Pietro Parolin as the first keynote speaker.  Cardinal Parolin is the Secretary of State to His Holiness Pope Francis and has been with the diplomatic service of the Holy See for thirty years. He spoke on Laudato Si and the Pacific Countries.  The other keynote speakers were Governor Powes Parkop who spoke on Papua New Guinea and refugees along with Professor Kaluwin Chalapan speaking on Deep Seabed Mining.  Further speakers were Professor Ottmar Georg Edenhofer, Monsignor Pirmin Spiegel, Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar OFM, HE Melissa Hitchman, Prof Kaluwin Chalapan, Monsignor Gerard Burns, Bishop Rochus Tatamai MSC and Fr Ambrose Pereira SDB

Workshops included Towards a Plenary Council with Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Pope Francis’ Church with Bishop Vincent Long, Priesthood in Oceania with Bishop Rochus Tatamai msc and Youth Ministry in Oceania with Fr Ambrose Pereira sdb.

Seventy-two bishops from the four different Conferences attended the FCBCO conference where they discussed issues that are of importance to Oceania and the region.

The FCBCO Assembly held their concluding Eucharistic celebration on April 17 at the Airways Hotel at 6.30am. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bishop Paul is sitting in front, first on left

FCBCO Summary – 12 April 2018 can be read here

FCBCO Summary – 13 April 2018 can be read here

FCBCO Summary – 14 April 2018 can be read here