THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF KIMBE
Bishops House
PO Box 182
Kimbe 621 WNB
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Phone/Fax: (675) 983 5087
Mobile: (675) 7197 7984
E-mail:
August 2014
Dear Brother Bishops, Religious Superiors and Friends..
My name is Bishop William Fey OFM Cap. I am the bishop of the Diocese of Kimbe in the West Britain Province of Papua New Guinea.
Last year I had the opportunity to visit some Catholic dioceses in Poland, the Centre for Missionary Formation and some shrines including Krakow and Czestochowa. I have many good memories from those days.
I received substantial support from the Archdiocese of Bialystok and the Dioceses of Rzeszow and Sandomierz. Three priests have applied to come and work in the Diocese of Kimbe which was established only 11 years ago although the Catholic Church has been in West New Britain for over a hundred years.
I am very grateful to Poland for this generous gift of three diocesan priests. However this is only part of my needs. My diocese has more than 200 local Church communities grouped into 19 parishes and about 200,000 Catholics. But I have only 20 local priests and now one expatriate priest who has recently arrived from Poland. Unfortunately for various reasons, a number of local priests have been suspended from work as a priest. The result is that 6 parishes and the communities in those parishes have no resident pastor.
Many of the communities under the parishes could be elevated to become parishes if there were more local and missionary priests. Churches are full of people on Sundays even on remote but picturesque islands although there is no electricity or phone service. There are often no roads so that travel is only by small boat.
I am asking you to pray and consider the possibility of sending dedicated priests and sisters from Polish dioceses and Religious Congregations. In particular it would be wonderful if religious sisters or brothers could come who have training and experience working in schools and in hospitals. We are proud and fortunate to be providing most of the education and medical services in remote areas of West New Britain. About 80% of the schools and health centres in these areas are operated by the Catholic Church. However we need good Catholic teachers and nurses to work in these centres.
Mostly German and Irish missionaries brought the Catholic Church to West New Britain one hundred years ago. All of the expatriate missionaries have now died or returned to their home countries. The diocese has inherited many beautiful church buildings and convents built by these early missionaries. But today many of these buildings appear to be abandoned. They are in ruins and in need of urgent repair or even replacement. Local people sometimes try to repair these buildings but they lack the training to do this well. The diocese is in need of a Project Officer as well as people with bookkeeping skills to help the local priests to write project proposals and to report on parish finances.
We need qualified lecturers and theologians for our major seminaries in Port Moresby and in Rabaul but also religious who have skills to train catechists who are the ones who especially proclaim the faith in remote places when a priest is not available.
We would welcome anyone although they must have the blessing and support of their local bishop or of the superior of their Religious Congregation or of the rector of a Catholic university or other institution focused on promoting missionary work, especially the Centre for Missionary Formation in Warsaw.
I am sending this circular letter to you through the internet because the Papua New Guinea postal service is very slow. It could take months for a letter to reach you from here.
Finally, I should add that this nation is very young with only 40 years of independence. It calls itself a Christian country and the people in general are very open and friendly toward the Catholic Church. However the process of getting a work permit and visa can take a long time. You need to be patient but you will be most welcome.
Peace.
William Fey OFM Cap
Bishop of Kimbe
P.S. I am writing this letter in the year in which Pope John Paul II was canonized. This is not a coincidence. That holy man visited Papua New Guinea three times. He beatified a local catechist, Peter to Rot, who was martyred by the Japanese during the Second World War. He encouraged the Catholic people of this country to be strong in their faith. I believe that his prayers can continue to encourage our people through the missionary work of people from Poland. Please consider offering this generous gift in trust. It was St John Paul II and St Faustina who told us many times to “trust Jesus” in the most difficult situations. My diocese of Kimbe is struggling in a difficult situation.
Financial support would also be greatly appreciated. Donations can be sent by a bank transfer to
Account name: Bishop William Fey (PO Box 182; Kimbe WNB 621; PNG)
Account number: 13701241
Bank details: ANZ Bank (PO Box 466; Kimbe WNB 621; PNG)
Swift code: ANZ BP GPX
May the Lord bless all of our benefactors abundantly.