Christmas Of Tears and Hope – Loop PNG

It was a stark reminder of how easily the peace-loving people of the Pacific can suddenly be overwhelmed by political passion, recrimination and revenge.

In their Pastoral Letter for the year 2022, the Bishops of our two countries wrote, Since its beginnings in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands the Catholic Church has contributed to the betterment of society by shedding light of the Good News of Jesus Christ on destructive cultural practices (sorcery, polygamy, warfare, and the suppression of women).

They did this by promoting positive cultural practices and providing social, educational and health services to all without discrimination.

The Catholic Church has also taken a clear and public stand on more modern destructive trends, all belonging to what Pope Saint John Paul II once termed culture of death; corruption, bribery, the death penalty, abortion and Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV).

In recent times, the Church have attempted to provide the best possible advice on what the Gospel has to say about refugee crisis, the current pandemic, SARV, the move to changing the Constitution to declare PNG a confessional state, and how the Christian should respond to these challenges using these principles.

Today on Christmas day, those suffering human beings are in our thoughts and in our prayers, particularly those who have lost everything in Honiara fires. The women and children tortured in the PNG Highlands and elsewhere due to senseless sorcery accusations, the victims of COVID-19 and their families with the young left to fend for themselves, the Church says.

A sad celebration of Christmas also awaits about 100 asylum seekers and refugees in Port Moresby. They are the remnants of the more than one thousand men housed first in Manus Island since 2013 by the Australian government.

By January 1, 2022, they will be under the full responsibility of the PNG government until a solution is found at least for some of them.

With all these pockets suffering in our midst and the pandemic, a Christmas of joy and happiness is hard to wish. Still, we do so on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and Solomon Islands since the weak child in the manger turned out to be the most powerful source of hope, encouragement and strength.

He is our Saviour and Redeemer and as far as we decide to listen, to stop damaging people and convert. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2022.

Originally posted here:

Christmas Of Tears and Hope - Loop PNG