The Roman Catholic Church expanded from that year and has been active in PNG for 140 years, playing a crucial role in the Melanesian people’s long journey through colonisation and as a nation-state in PNG, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.

The Church has been involved in most aspects of community development - including education, healthcare and politics. In PNG, only Oro Province did not have Catholic presence.

Today more than 30% of social services, rural roads and airports contributed to PNG’s development through the Holy See.

The Vatican, through organisations like the Papal Foundation, allocates significant funds to support Catholic projects worldwide, including in the Pacific Isands.

The Foundation has provided many millions of kina in grants for constructing and renovating schools, healthcare facilities and other essential services.

The Papal Foundation also funds the restoration and maintenance of seminaries and provides scholarships for seminarians to study in Rome.

This ensures that future priests receive the necessary education and training to serve their communities effectively.

These efforts are part of the Vatican’s broader mission to support the global Catholic Church and to address community needs, especially in developing countries.

The Church’s efforts are guided by its mission to provide compassionate and equitable healthcare and education to all, regardless of age, religion, gender or ethnicity.

Among many Catholic leaders, Fr John Momis served as a Catholic priest from 1970 until 1993, becoming active in politics and co-writing the PNG Constitution.

In the 1970s, the late Fr John Nilles represented Simbu in the House of Assembly and other priests followed suit in later years.

The late Archbishop Brian Barnes fought corruption in politics and in the 1990s his Tok Pisin radio broadcast Katolik Insight each Sunday night shook the politicians to their bone marrows.

In 1999, Barnes told prime minister Bill Skate to resign when the PNG kina made a nosedive to as low as 20 US cents.

The politicians did not like Barnes, but they could not deport him because he was a PNG citizen.

Neither could they use thugs and threats because he was a PNG police chaplain for all inter denominational groups for 20 years after 1968.

Skate pushed PNG to the cliff-edge economically and eventually brought in Pastor Benny Hinn and paid him K1 million to pray for the politicians.  But to no avail.

Skate eventually resigned and PNG elected a reforming prime minister, the late Sir Mekere Morauta.

Despite the Catholic Church’s efforts to hasten development and advocate good governance, some sects and individuals have harboured hatred and spread vile and false accusations in the streets and social media.

Some self-proclaimed experts on theology and church history think their three-month bible studies course gave them an edge over the Pope and his college of cardinals and their doctorates.

But Pope Francis has a more profound grasp of theology and liturgy than a typical three-month bible school graduate. He has two master’s degrees: one in chemistry and one in philosophy, as well as a PhD in Theology.

Francis ranks high amongst world leaders and his sense of mission and purpose has drawn great admiration and praise.

He is the 266th Bishop of Rome and was elected to the role on the 13 March 2013 at age 76. He is the first Jesuit Pope, the first Latin American Pope, the first from the Americas and the first non-European Pope in more than 1,000 years.

Pope Francis was named the world's greatest leader by Fortune magazine in 2014, the same year he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and he is loved and respected throughout the world, in PNG no less than elsewhere.

He’s called a father because of his role as the spiritual leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. He has been responsible for unifying Catholicism’s voice and centralising its doctrine. He is the nearest thing the world has as a head of Christianity.

He is willing and able to call the United States’ president Joe Biden, or any other world leader, to make more effort to uphold Christianity (not only Catholicism) in any corner of the world. When he does, leaders pick up the phone.

He has called upon Biden and others to stop invasions of other countries and most recently has called for peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Other Christian denominational heads are unfortunately not on par with head of states to mobilise resources, negotiate and maximise public good.

Francis governs the Catholic Church from the Vatican City, located in the city of Rome. The Vatican is the world’s smallest country, encompassing 110 acres with a population of under 1,000.

The Holy See is the governing body of the Vatican City and the Pope, being head of Christianity and of a nation-state, seems to have effectively nullified the adage that religion and politics do not mix.

The Vatican has a large impact on the financial world with its far-reaching investments, proceeds of which are used to fund social services such as education, schools and seminaries throughout the world.

Pope Francis considers himself a ‘son of the Church’ and he has no plans to change any doctrine where ‘the teaching of the church is clear’.

As such, the Pope did not endorse gay marriage in the same way as in the sacrament of matrimony. The Pope has asked the priests to bless the gay couples that come to them for spiritual guidance and not turn them away.

He believes that if someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has goodwill, the Church should not judge.

Some members of a sect that was started in 19th century North America have an ill-advised mission to discredit the Papacy and they clutter street corners and talk all day using loud hailers.

They would be better off if they preach about God and His love for mankind.

We hope the pastors and street preachers in PNG will change their mindsets and preach unity for Christians and other religions to live amicably amid diversity during the vicissitudes of time.  

In Matthew 16:15, Christ asked his disciples: ‘Who do you say that I am?’

When Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,’ Jesus told Peter that this had been revealed to him not by man, but by God the Father.

Peter’s given name was Simon, but Christ told him, ‘You are Peter’—a Greek word which means ‘rock’—'and upon this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.’

Having that said, the Roman Catholic Church, built on the rock by Christ will not succumb to hatred.

It has survived the Dark Ages, the East-West Schism of 1054, the reformation since Martin Luther and many other great challenges.

It is said, ‘All roads lead to Rome’.  In many ways, that is true because the Pope is the head of Christianity and is infallible regarding theology and dogma.  And is also a politician. 

Having that said, welcome to PNG, Pope Francis, Vicar of Christ.