Argentinian missionaries overjoyed to meet Pope Francis in Vanimo

By Lisa Zengarini

After addressing the faithful of the Diocese of Vanimo, on Sunday, Pope Francis made a short visit to the nearby hamlet of Baro to meet a group of Argentinian missionaries and religious sisters belonging to the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE).

Fr. Prado: 'It was very kind of Pope Francis to come here'

The Pope had been invited there by one of the IVE missionaries, Father Martin Prado, an old friend of his who has been working in Papua New Guinea for ten years.  Commenting on the sidelines of the Pope’s visit to the Diocese, Fr. Prado said the missionaries were overjoyed to meet him: "We are so happy, and still can't believe that he was here with us today: a beautiful, beautiful thing. It was very generous of him to come all this way here, he is a man of great heart.”

The Holy Trinity Parish Humanistic School 

The meeting took place at the local Holy Trinity Parish  Humanistic School run by the missionaries and the nuns (Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará) who have been present in this remote zone in nortwestern Papua New Guinea since 1997.  

The complex includes a primary and secondary school with some 500 students. The secondary school - the only one in the area - was built and inaugurated this year with the financial support of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI).

The school, which aims to provide a holistic Catholic education. also offers music classes. It has created its own orchestra, the Queen of Paradise Orchestra, which is the first and only youth orchestra in Papua New Guinea.

The intiative was inspired by the world-known ‘Sistema’ music-education programme, founded in 1975 by Venezuelan educator and musician  José Antonio Abreu to introduce young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to music as a means  to promote human values.

A brief concert performed by the Queen of Paradise Orchestra 

Upon his arrival to the parish, the Queen of Paradise Orchestra greeted Pope Francis with a short concert.  The choir performed a song accompanied by a dance called 'Siyahamba,' (an African song meaning 'We are marching in the light of the Lord,')  and traditional drums from Papua, followed by a classical piece by famous Austrian composer Johan Strauss Junior.

After his private conversation with the missionaries, Pope Francis left Baro for Vanimo Airport to return back to Port-Moresby, where on Monday he will wrap his visit to Papua New Guinea with a meeting with young people.

The missionaries in the Diocese of Vanimo

The Catholic missionaries’ history in the Diocese of Vanimo dates back to the first years of the 20th century. Over the years, their dedication has produced remarkable results. Between 1955 and 1993, the arrival of Passionist missionaries and lay missionaries led to the establishment of missions in several areas.

The missionaries have placed significant emphasis on providing education and healthcare at every mission station they have established. Their work faces many challenges. As of 2024, several  inland parishes in the Diocese still lack basic facilities such as electricity, mobile network coverage, transport and road access.