With only 15 missionaries left in the diocese of Vanimo, Pope Francis spent his third day in Papua New Guinea at the request of Argentine missionaries, listening to stories from a married couple, religious sister and catechist on why many missionaries have stopped their work.
The theme running through their discussions, included the school fees of their children, need for housing for families, access to health care and education, and transportation.
Missions began in the country in the 1850s and now Catholics make up 30 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s population.
In his reflection, the pope touched on the natural beauty of the country and encouraged those present to use it to help spread a sense of fraternity and overcome division, especially among the country’s more than 300 tribes.
“In this way, we will increasingly form a great orchestra… to overcome divisions—personal, family and tribal—to drive out fear, superstition and magic from people’s hearts, to put an end to destructive behaviours, such as violence, infidelity, exploitation, alcohol and drug abuse, evils which imprison and take away the happiness of so many of our brothers and sisters, even in this country,” the pope said.
After his reflection, Pope Francis left a golden rose, which is only given on papal visits to Marian shrines, at the feet of a statue of Mary.