As a lecturer of theology at the Catholic Theological Institute in Bomana, I may not have much contact with the daily lives of people in Papua New Guinea. Nonetheless, I participate in the life of the local Church: on Sundays, I have the opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in one of the communities or, occasionally, I join Fr Mike Donovan in his prison ministry. As such occasions are not too many, I feel happy whenever I have the chance for such an encounter with the people and a new exposure. This kind of opportunity arose during our Christmas holidays, when I could stay in a parish of the Diocese of Wewak, in the Sepik region. That area is deeply marked by the former presence of the Divine Word Missionaries.

Now, only a few SVDs remain there and primarily in the most remote and thus the most depraved areas. I was in the parish of Emmaus in Passam, about a 20-minute drive from Wewak on the Sepik Highway. In Passam, there has been no parish priest since July 2024. The former parish priest Fr Joseph died suddenly. This parish is much better located than many other parishes in the diocese because it is easily accessible from the main regional city.

In the parish, it is also quite easy to reach all the five sub areas or outstations. There is a large well-known secondary school right across the road from the parish, as well as a clinic and a plant that is beginning production of bricks. I stayed in the parish for just two weeks. Yet, it gave me some general impressions of the life of the people, and even in that short period of time, my theological theoretical knowledge had to face the challenge of the most common everyday situations of life.

In the past it was a predominantly Catholic area. Even today, the majority of the people are probably associated with the Catholic Church, but judging by the attendance at the liturgical celebrations, that may not be true anymore. Young people, in particular, are less visible in the Church than other age groups. In the church were predominantly middle-aged faithful, elderly and children. Other religious groups are very active in the area. For about two weeks during my stay there, a Seventh-day Adventist seminar was held right across the road from the parish. I also came across the Assemblies of God communities and there are other denominations as well. This requires Catholics to be formed and to be more deeply rooted in Catholic belief. However, it poses a significant challenge as there is a visible lack of personnel.

It can be mentioned there are also internal problems in the communities. In many places, the so-called “papa ground,” or landowners, are demanding the return or compensation for the land previously given to the Church by their forefathers. This certainly creates tension and uncertainty. In many places, it seriously hinders development. Sadly, the leaders do not always speak with one voice and sometimes they compete among themselves for greater influence in the communities.

Though people have higher aspirations and dreams, the situation prevents them from realizing those aspirations and dreams. Many people are unemployed. This is terribly damaging, especially for young people who have dreams but can’t make them come true. Some completed schools but cannot find any employment. It causes frustration and leads to addictions such as alcohol, drugs and gambling. It is accompanied by all kinds of violence and the widespread practice of stealing. Some enter illegal activities as smuggling. Bishop Józef Roszyński wrote a pastoral letter for the second Sunday of Advent, lamenting over these social vices, inviting people to reflect on the situation and seek ways to come out of this “rascal” mentality.

The situation for families is often complex. During my stay at Passam I met a layman who takes care of the parish house and the church. He was there with four children. His wife left him suddenly a few years ago. I saw how much effort he put into keeping the family together, trying to educate them and providing for their needs. They ate just one cooked meal a day. In the meantime, they ate some fruit from the garden. By conversing with some other people, I conclude that it must be quite similar in many houses.
There are positive signs too. People themselves search for ways to better their lives. They looked hopeful for the future. From the parish there are a number of vocations to priesthood and religious life. Among the SVDs, there are two deacons, Brian and Jonathan, who may be ordained priests in the course of this year.

Encountering these situations helps me understand our seminarians a little better. I could stay with their people and experience the society in which they grew up. It also challenges my theoretical teaching because it always requires greater sensitivity to the real person. The difficult contexts of human life cannot be a motive of discouragement but rather a motive of a greater involvement. My model can be only Jesus who didn’t hesitate but became one of us and entered into the concrete life of the people.