The remote Papua New Guinean villages of Lumi and Napapar came alive with praise and thanksgiving, song and dance, as Br Thomas Tuau and Br Leonard Melit made their profession of solemn vows during August. Lumi, in the Torricelli Mountains, is the birthplace of Thomas and where he met the Franciscans who cared for the local parish and outstations during his childhood and formative years. Their way of community living and generous pastoral care of the people attracted him to consider the same lifestyle.
“I was inspired by people like Br Leo McCullagh who worked as a mechanic and knew most of the people in our village. He was a very helpful man to everyone and showed young people that we could give thanks to God by working with his hands”, said Thomas when he reflected on his own calling to be a friar minor. During Thomas’ formation years, he included a study course in carpentry and hopefully will follow in the spirit of friars like Br Leo.
Although the friars had withdrawn from Lumi eighteen months ago, they were welcomed back with open arms by the people, eager to celebrate with one of their own who had chosen to be a Franciscan brother. Br Hugh Kuam, Vicar general of the Diocese of Aitape, was the principal celebrant for the Eucharist in the local language tok pisin, with Br Victor John (post-novitiate formator, originally from Pakistan) as one of several concelebrants. Thomas made his profession of solemn vows into the hands of Br Paul Smith, President of the Foundation of St Francis of Assisi which is dependent on the Minister General. Hundreds of people celebrated liturgically outdoors, as the church would not have been large enough for the crowds. A shared lunch for all was followed by speeches, then music, dance, traditional gift-giving and congratulations to our new brother.
Two weeks later in the church of St Anthony of Padua in the village of Napapar #5 on the island Province of East New Britain, Br Leonard made his solemn profession also into the hands of Br Paul Smith, this time with Br Philip Pagolu, Vice-president of the Foundation, as main celebrant of the Eucharist. During Leonard’s school years, he met the OFM vocation director and discerned whether to join the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) or the Franciscans. One of Leonard’s cousins, newly-ordained Fr Francis MSC was a concelebrant at the Eucharist with yet another cousin, the local parish priest Fr Edward Morata, and several friars, including Br Victor John. The large parish church was overflowing with villagers of Catholic faith and other faith traditions.
After a shared lunch with hundreds of people, the afternoon continued with song and dance by various groups in colourful, traditional, tribal dress. A noisy, vibrant, uplifting and rich cultural celebration of thanksgiving to God, family and friars.
Through Leonard’s formation years, he completed a three-year course as an electrician at Port Moresby Tech College, and this will prove helpful in places where the friars serve because town power is not yet fully available nor reliable. Last year during the tech college study break, Leonard was instrumental in wiring San Damiano retreat house in the village of Banaule (West New Britain) to have it ready for when the town power is eventually connected and ‘switched on’.
There are just 24 friars in Papua New Guinea, mostly indigenous men, with five from other nations: Australia, Italy, Pakistan, Vietnam. Brothers like Thomas and Leonard – and others whom we hope will follow – are integral to the future of the small and fragile Foundation which does its best to “repair and rebuild the house of the Lord” physically and spiritually. Today’s friars follow a long history of mainly Australian, New Zealand and Italian friars who “worked with their hands” to build the PNG mission since 1946 and who helped form generations of local men in their Christian and Franciscan vocation.
The Foundation welcomes suitably experienced friars who are ready to “look, listen and learn” as they help to “rebuild” a fragile entity within the framework of a culturally rich and unique way of simple living in one of the world’s poorest and under-resourced nations.
