Pope Francis continued his historic 12-day tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania with a significant visit to Papua New Guinea on September 7-8, 2024. The 87-year-old pontiff celebrated an open-air Mass at the Sir John Guise stadium in Port Moresby, attended by an estimated 35,000 people. The diverse crowd included clergy in green robes, faithful in white attire, and local tribe members with traditional flower headpieces and reed skirts.In his homily, Pope Francis emphasized a recurring theme of his papacy: bringing Catholicism to the ‘peripheries’ of the global map. He addressed the people of Papua New Guinea, saying, ‘Brothers and sisters, you who live in this great island in the Pacific Ocean may have thought that you are a distant and far-off land, situated on the fringes of the world’. However, he assured them that ‘God bridges the distances’ and that they are ‘at the center of his heart’.Following the Mass in Port Moresby, the Pope made a significant journey to the remote town of Vanimo, located on the northwestern coast of Papua New Guinea. This visit underscored his commitment to reaching out to marginalized communities. The Pope traveled on an Australian Royal Air Force C-130 cargo plane, bringing with him a ton of humanitarian aid, including medicines, clothing, and toys for children. This gesture highlights the Pope’s emphasis on practical assistance alongside spiritual guidance.Throughout his visit, Pope Francis addressed pressing issues facing Papua New Guinea, including tribal violence, poverty, and the exploitation of natural resources. He called for peace and disarmament in the Pacific, and urged for unity among different faiths and ethnic groups. The Pope’s visit was seen as a moment of hope and encouragement for a nation facing numerous challenges.As Pope Francis continues his tour, which includes stops in Indonesia, East Timor, and Singapore, his visit to Papua New Guinea has left a lasting impression. It has highlighted the global reach of the Catholic Church and the Pope’s commitment to addressing the needs of communities often overlooked on the world stage.
Key points
- Pope Francis celebrated Mass for 35,000 people in Port Moresby, emphasizing God’s closeness to those on the ‘peripheries’.
- The Pope visited the remote town of Vanimo, bringing a ton of humanitarian aid including medicines, clothing, and toys.
- Francis addressed issues of tribal violence, poverty, and resource exploitation, calling for peace and unity in Papua New Guinea.
