With passion and creativity for the vocation culture in PNG - Solomon Islands

By Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, PNG, 14 August 2017 -- More Salesian bishops than Salesian novices? Yes, all around the world we count an average of 450 Salesian novices and 132 Salesian bishops spread around 132 countries. But in some Latin American countries or provinces we have for a long time many more bishops than novices. Also the Blessed Philip Rinaldi Viceprovince of PGS has now 3 bishops: two Salesian bishops in PNG - Archbishop of Rabaul, Francesco Panfilo (75 years), Bishop of Kerema Pedro Baquero Jr (46 years) and one in Solomon Islands - Bishop of Gizo, Luciano Capelli (68 years). Two PGS novices - Konrad and Pio - started their novitiate in Lawaan, Cebu (FIS) last May 2017. So PGS becomes the only EAO province where are more bishops than novices!

Papua New Guinea - Solomon Islands Vice-province is at present the smallest and province in our EAO region. Within two communities in Solomon Islands and eight communities in PNG there are only 28 confreres, including the three practical trainees and with 6 confreres at present studying or working out of the PGS, total of 34 confreres with two novices. Fortunately next September 24 the Rector Major is sending two young missionaries (148th expedition) to PGS viceprovince!

Starting their second year of provincial history, the confreres of PNG-Solomon Islands are putting all their energies and creativity in local vocation work: at present we have deacon Gilbert (to be ordained soon!), two practical trainees, one postnovice and two novices. There are also 4 prenovices, 11 senior aspirants (college) and 5 Rua Boys (junior aspirants).

In all provinces where we lack personnel, we try to foster three-fold way: First of all foster local vocations, secondly invite more Salesian missionaries from other provinces (also on temporary, agreement basis for 5 years) and sending necessary missionary volunteers.

The provincial and all confreres of PGS is praying and appealing to all other EAO provinces for help. Every missionary minded confrere is welcome! English speaking missionary volunteers are also requested! But at the end we need more novices than the bishops!

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Savio Haus (Port Moresby, PNG) - Aspirants with their formators, provincial councilors

Bishops - Archbishop Francesco Panfilo (Rabaul) and Pedro Baquero (Kerema, PNG)

Bishop - Luciano Capelli (Gizo, Solomon Islands)