- svd-prms
- / PNG
- / Celebration / SVD@150
The Hiri Community celebrates the 150th Jubilee of SVD
Wladyslaw Madziar, SVD
On Saturday the children with their parents and “bubu” (colloquial name for grandparents in pidgin) gathered for the Bible quiz organized by Fr. Noel Engel with the seminarians of the DWC. Some of the adults also took part in the quiz and at times they were even better than the youngsters. While the children competed with each other, the lay parishioners were preparing for the Sunday celebration; the men were mowing the lawn around the church, the ladies were cleaning the church and arranging the flowers prettily, the choir was practicing the songs and a few women were preparing a big “kaikai” (meal in pidgin). There was a joyful havoc all around and it was very inspiring to see so many different people involved in the preparations.
The main celebrant of the Sunday Mass was Fr. Zenon Szabłowiński, president of the CTI in Bomana while Fr. Wladyslaw Madziar delivered the homily. We were welcomed by the present parish priest Fr. Michal Płoszczyca. The former parish priest, Fr. Marsianus Bei, was also present beside Fr. John Bere and seminarians who were free from the usual Sunday pastoral activities. Our veteran missionary, Fr. Mike Donovan, couldn’t join us because of his regular care for the prison ministry. We felt the absence of Br. Raj Kullu, who had to combat with sickness. With us there were also two SSpS Sisters, Jadwiga and Emilia, who are carrying out their ministry in the capital as well as a diocesan priest Fr. Bruno Pokule from the Aitape Diocese where the first SVDs disembarked in Tumleo island in 1896.
At the end of the Mass, Fr. Dominic Pasi received the mission cross as he prepares for his first missionary assignment in Kenya. The faithful were very proud and happy witnessing that one of them is going to share the Good News in a distant African country. After the Eucharist, there was a presentation in the parish hall on the history of the Society, sharing about SVD by lay faithful and of course a “big kaikai”. The whole event was recorded by Fr. Zdzisław Mlak and was broadcasted on the national channel NBC on the following Sunday, May 25.
These moments of being together give us great joy because we can see the fruits of the sacrifices and great dedication of the past generations of SVD. It’s great to see different people united and much cherishing their bond with the SVD. We can be only grateful to God for what He has accomplished in so many people through the lives of SVD missionaries. Indeed, many lay people expressed their gratefulness and closeness to us. This truly edifies our spirit and helps us to continue dedicated “Witnessing to the Light” in the land of the “Bird of Paradise”.
