Last November 28, 2022, we released an article on the seventy-five years of Franciscan presence in Papua New Guinea. It recalled with celebration, the harvests our missionary forerunners have sown in this part of the world. After its long, bumpy, and winding journey, the entity was suppressed on April 13, 2019, into a Foundation dependent under the care of the Minister General.
Faced with a major setback, it continues today to struggle in administration, running its own formation program, and keeping with its financial viability. During this trying time, the present General Administration is exhausting all means to help. The Minister General asked the Franciscan Conference in Asia and Oceania (FCAO) for more missionaries to assist local friars as they face difficulties in self-determination to live the Franciscan charism in the Melanesian context.
From October 24 to November 3, the General Animator for Missions, Br Dennis Tayo, was sent to Port Moresby for an important strategic gathering to finalize a “Master” Plan of assistance to the foundation. It was joined by 14 friars: two new missionaries from Vietnam, two friars from the Provinces of the Philippines tasked to assist in the formation, and local representatives from different communities headed by the Foundation President. A missionary Pakistani friar, due to a visa problem, was not able to come.
In a nutshell, the friars were asked to study the responses crystallized during the last Foundation Assembly of May 1 to 7, 2023 evaluating the status of the foundation by answering: “Where are we now, why are we here, and where do we want to go?”. The friars were further asked in this gathering, the ultimate question: “How do we get there?”.
To address priority problems of administration, formation, and finance, the friars strategically set their objectives and planned associated activities, identifying indicators of success, and tasking persons to implement each activity to achieve set goals given a targeted date.
A framework of the “Planning – Implementation - Monitoring– Evaluation (PIME) Cycle” will be utilized in implementing the approved plan. The General Animator for Mission was mandated “to see the implementation of this plan, in collaboration with the Foundation President and the rest of the friars involved, within a grace period.”
Hence, a definitive decision regarding our continued presence in PNG will be made just before the next General Chapter. Despite uncertainties of the future, the brothers are highly spirited and hopeful of the set directions this gathering has realized, reinvigorated by witnessing the heartening solemn professions of vows of two additional local friars in the foundation, after a long wait.
Hope builds more upon the Catholic Bishop Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands' strong manifestation during the Annual Conference (April 27, 2023) for the need and the relevance of our continued Franciscan presence in PNG; on the ready support of Franciscan family and the local faithful; and on the commitment given by the present general administration and FCAO to help the foundation, as it aspire for a renewed presence, and to continue to make a difference to the local church in this part of the world. We appeal to all entities especially in Asia and Oceania for more missionaries in PNG. We are all into this together. Alone we can only do so little. But together with so much hope, we can make a big difference!
Br Dennis Tayo, OFM
General Animator of Missions
