‘Papuan Catholics must live their faith with a Melanesian heart’

By Delphine Allaire - Port Moresby

Papua New Guinea, the gateway to Oceania, has been a mission land for nearly 150 years. Nearly one-third of its inhabitants are Catholic, while the majority is Protestant, as Germans and British divided the archipelago in the late 19th century.

Yet, how can a few decades of Catholic presence compare to millennia of Austronesian culture? This is the essence of the inculturation of the Gospel in a traditional society permeated with ancestral traditions, including hospitality and sense of community, but also less positive practices such as witchcraft, or clan violence.

Bishop Gilles Côté, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga, has lived 49 years in Papua New Guinea. Speaking to Vatican News, the Canadian-born Montfortian missionary illustrated the challenges he faced during his ministry in the largest and most populated country in the Pacific.

Q: How did the Catholic religion arrive in Papua New Guinea?

Catholic missionaries arrived about 145 years ago, first with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) from France, led by their founder, Father Jules Chevalier.

In 1885, the first Mass was celebrated on Yule Island in the Coral Sea among the Roro and Mekeo tribes. Priests of the Divine Word then reached the northern coast, followed by Franciscans, Capuchins, and Marists on Bougainville Island. Several congregations came to work in Papua New Guinea.

Q: In half a century of living in Papua New Guinea, what changes have you seen in the local Church?

When we began our Montfortian mission in 1959, there were no Catholic churches in the vast Western Province. Then, Bishop Gérard Deschamps, apostolic prefect of Daru, was invited to the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965.

In these Western lands, we first encountered cannibals and head-hunters, wondering what kind of Church we could build. The answer was clear: the Vatican II Church, one of participation and communion. That’s what we have tried to create from the beginning.

Q: Has the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea today become a truly local Church?

It is still a very young Church. It takes time, but it is becoming more and more local, indeed. Except for the priests. Even in places evangelized for 140 years, there are few local priests, though it varies greatly.

However, the important thing is not just the priests but the people. They have learned to participate in the life of their community. We built a multi-year diocesan pastoral plan, and everyone participated.

To put it simply: in Papua New Guinea, we think together, decide together, and act together. This creates a very strong sense of belonging. It is very important for the faithful to take part in decision-making.

We practiced the synodal method without ever using the word, with large assemblies of 85 to 100 people. We decided, voted, and reached consensus together. As a bishop, my vote counted for one, just like everyone else's.

Q: How has the Church in Papua New Guinea contributed to the development of the country?

Enormously. It has built the health system, education, and played a role in the formation of the country’s leaders and the development of women’s roles.

It’s extraordinary. It’s about transmitting Christian values and blending them with the beautiful Melanesian values. With this legacy, the local faithful make decisions and become living, autonomous, and responsible Christian communities.

Q: What do local liturgical celebrations look like? What kind of inculturation do they express?

We have very beautiful liturgical celebrations filled with songs, dances, flowers, processions, and colours. The participation of the people is immense. During major celebrations, faithful from other areas spend days traveling on foot, by boat, or motorized dinghy.

They wear traditional clothing, often feathers and grass skirts, and there’s the drum. The instrument took time to be accepted in the Church because it was previously used in traditional rites, but after about fifteen years, the Papuans themselves decided to use it in the Church.

Inculturation isn’t just about celebrations. Papuans must be given the opportunity to make decisions with their Melanesian mentality and heart. I’m Canadian, and they shouldn’t think like me. I’m different. Space must be given for the Melanesian Catholic Church to blossom.

Q: What are the cultural specificities and Melanesian values?

People all belong to tribes. Their history and culture are about their clan. The main value is the community and the strength of the village. The village and the community had to be strong because, in the past, the tribes were enemies.

During the head-hunting days, living territories were very small because people feared their enemies. This explains the immense diversity of dialects in Papua New Guinea, with 800 different languages.

So, when the people see that being a Catholic means belonging to a small base community, it aligns with their cultural background.

Some Papuans say to me, ‘The Church helps us save our culture.’ It’s wonderful to see the Church enabling people to reflect on their culture. That’s what happened when we spent four years drafting our diocesan pastoral plan, during which people took five to six months to reflect on their culture.

Q: What are the main local economic and social challenges?

Poverty, small remote villages without roads. Some can farm and access markets, but others, like in the Western Province, cannot. It’s very difficult to use the land in a way that can generate income when there are no means to bring crops to the market.

Poverty also exists  in cities, but there are also very wealthy people, such as members of the government or lawyers. Violence, when it occurs, is often linked to alcohol consumption by some young people or revenge. When someone dies, the question here is not ‘from what disease or why?’ but ‘who is responsible?’

The other challenge is witchcraft, less common than before, but women are still accused. This creates violence in communities. Changing this requires long work of patience, prayer, and forgiveness.

Q: What do you think of Prime Minister James Marape’s decision to include Christianity in the Constitution?

The local Catholic Church is against this. There’s already a clause that talks about freedom of religion. We don’t need to say that the country is Christian.

It can be Christian in name, but in many practices—corruption, witchcraft, violence—the country is not yet fully Christian. Many members of Parliament are influenced by some evangelical pastors.

Q: What does the Pope represent to the people of Papua New Guinea?

He is a very important figure in the lives of the Papuans and in the life of the Church. The last visit by a Pope, in 1995, had a great impact because John Paul II beatified the martyr and catechist Peter To Rot.

Devotion to him has grown ever since. Walking, working together—the Pope will talk about all this and will create a surge of energy and enthusiasm that will strengthen the faith, hope, and charity of the people.