The Catholic Diocese of Daru-Kiunga

Diocesan Target - Level 4.1 - Diocesan Formation Services

By December 2020, the Diocesan Formation Service, through its formation programs in the Parishes and at the Diocesan level, has contributed to the pastoral, human, intellectual and spiritual development of our Prayer Leaders, Communion Ministers, Sunday School Teachers and other Collaborators. They have become true and faithful disciples of Jesus. They have become free and ready to be sent, having the conviction and the courage to witness to the demand of faith by being Jesus friends, trusting God, caring for others and nature and also committing themselves to their mission as Jesus did to His Mission.

Rationale (Reasons)

SITUATION

We have some committed collaborators who work faithfully in the villages. They work for the growth of the faith of the people in the villages and in the parishes. Some of them volunteer to work closely with the parish pastoral team. Formation and courses for the collaborators are given in the parishes. But we have experienced many new changes taking place and this has challenged our Catholic Faith. Although they receive formation, some collaborators don’t make use of the knowledge and skills they have received. Some people struggle to open to others and give service for the good of all in the community. Some of us do not understand how our faith can help us to deal with the social problems. We are still facing lack of Sunday School teachers who are able to give instruction to our small children.

IDEAL

As we walk our Journey of faith, all the Prayer Leaders, Communion Ministers, Sunday School Teachers and other collaborators are strong on their faith and are ready to share it with others. They live the demands of faith by becoming the friends of Jesus, trusting in God, caring for all the others and nature and committing to proclaim the Word of God. For this they receive the required formation and training for an effective ministry.

CONVERSION

• From struggling to understand the teachings of the faith to understanding its demands.
• From not knowing how to make good choices for our life to deciding to serve others.
• From Prayer Leaders, Communion Ministers and the Sunday School Teachers left working on their own to being accompanied by the parish teams.
• From confusion when challenged by social problems to being courageous in faith and able to deal with the difficult issues.
• From not using the material to using what we have received.

Specific criteria:

• Using creative ways in promoting and living faith.
• All our activities are people oriented.
• All our activities are simple and give enough time to participate fully.
• We are open to reach out to everyone.
• We invite all people to do their part for the common good of the diocese.
• We do not rush but are patient and help each other to grow.
• All our actions should start from the situation of the people.

Process of action:

2017

Objective: We live our faith by following the way of Jesus. We promote the value of "FRIENSHIP".

• The First DPAB meeting takes place during the last week of January.
• The South Fly Regional Meeting will be held during the last week of March.
• In the last week of April we will have the Middle Fly Parishes Regional Meeting and we reflect also on the theme of Friendship.
• During the First week of May we will have the North Fly Parishes Regional Meeting and we reflect also on the theme of Friendship.
• We will have the Formation Program in Bosset in July.
• In the second and third week of August there will be on-going formation in Iowara.
• Mid-year evaluation – in mid- June we reflect also on the theme of friendship.
• During the last week of June we will have the Diocesan Services meeting and we reflect also on the theme of friendship.
• During the first week of July we have the Kiunga Parishes Regional meeting.
• During the last week of October we have the second DPAB meeting.
• During the last week of November we will have the catholic workers retreat on the theme of FRIENDSHIP.
• Evaluation, planning and programming for 2018.
• After each activity we will take time to evaluate the activities and appreciate what has been done and who did it.
• We take time to study the PRD materials.

2018

Objective: We live our faith by relating to God in a new way. We promote the value of being "TRUSTFUL".

• During the last week of January we have the first DPAB meeting.
• In March the South Fly Regional Meeting is held.
• In April we will held the Middle Fly Parishes Regional Meeting and we reflect on theme of trust.
• North Fly Parishes Regional Meeting will be in May and we reflect also on theme of trust.
• The Formation Program in Tarakbits / Kungim is held in June.
• Mid-year evaluation – is held in mid-June and we reflect on theme of trust.
• In June we will have the Diocesan Services meeting and we reflect on the theme of trust.
• In July is held the Kiunga Parishes Regional meeting and we reflect on the theme of trust.
• In August is the On-Going formation in Daru, Balimo, Kamusi.
• In October we hold the second DPAB meeting.
• Evaluation, planning and programming for 2019.
• After each activity we will take time to evaluate the activities and appreciate what has been done and who did it.
• We take time to study the PRD materials.

2019

Objective: We live our faith by relating to others and nature in a new way. We promote the value of "CARING".

• During the last week of January the first DPAB meeting is held.
• In March the South Fly Regional Meeting is held and we reflect on the theme of Care.
• In April will be the Middle Fly Parishes Regional Meeting.
• North Fly Parishes Regional Meeting will be in May and we reflect on the theme of Care.
• Mid-year evaluation – in mid-June.
• In June we will have the Diocesan Services meeting.
• In July is the Kiunga Parishes Regional meeting and we reflect on the theme of Care.
• In the month of August will be the on-going formation in Matkomnai/Tabubil.
• September is the on-going formation program in Bolivip/Nomad.
• October is held the second DPAB meeting.
• The Catholic workers retreat takes place.
• Evaluation, planning and programming for 2020.
• After each activity we will take time to evaluate the activities and appreciate what has been done and who did it.
• We take time to study the PRD materials.

2020

Objective: We witness to our faith by being committed to our mission. We promote the value of "COMMITMENT".

• During the last week of January the first DPAB meeting takes place.
• In April we will have the Diocesan Services meeting with the theme of commitment.
• The on-going formation program in St Gerard/Iowara takes place in April.
• In the month of May will be the on-going formation in St Brigit/Bosset.
• Mid-year evaluation – in mid-June.
• During August is held the second DPAB meeting.
• Preparation for planning for the Formation Service of Stage Two, Phase three.
• The Diocesan Assembly takes place in September.
• After each activity we will take time to evaluate the activities and appreciate what has been done and who did it.
• We take time to study the PRD materials.
• Prepare the Diocesan Planning for Phase Three (2021– 2024).
• Do the annual evaluation and the planning and programming for the coming year.

Diocesan Target - Level 4.2 - Priests, Seminarians & Religious

By December 2020, the DTPA, Formation Service, the Vocation Service and the Bishop, have ensured that all that is necessary for the ongoing human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation and development of the priests, seminarians and religious in the Diocese is in place. They have been enabled to become true and faithful disciples of Jesus and minister with love to all people entrusted to their care.

Rationale (Reasons)

SITUATION

We have a good number of priests and religious men and women in our diocese. They all try their very best to be faithful to their mission in their service to the people in the parishes or the Services. Their presence and ministry help people grow in their faith as Catholics. They love and care for the people. We have also a small number of seminarians who are preparing themselves to become diocesan priests. However, all the priests, religious and seminarians have yet to be fully introduced to the spirituality of communion and the teachings of the Second Vatican Council about the Church and the methods used for the implementation of our Diocesan Pastoral Plan. Many of them also have not yet adjusted to a culture that is different from their own and this takes time. It is important that we continue to offer all the priests, the religious and the seminarians ongoing assistance in order to grow as persons, as ministers and as people able to walk the journey of faith with the people of the Diocese. We also face the reality that we have no spiritual director in our diocese especially for the priests and religious. Despite our limits we endeavour to offer them opportunities for their on-going human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation. This formation is helping them in situations when they feel lonely and overwhelmed with the work they have to do.

IDEAL

The priests and religious have the spirituality and the zeal of the disciples of Jesus and are happy and at peace with the people to whom they minister. They live and walk in the way of Jesus, befriend him and learn from him to have a relationship with the Father based on trust, to care for others and nature and also to remain strong in their commitment to their mission as Jesus was committed to his own mission. They are faithful to their calling and give time to prayer, study and spiritual readings. They choose a companion to walk with them their journey as priests, religious or seminarians. Our seminarians see the importance of their years of formation and give priority to grow in their faith and adopt the life style of Jesus, his attitudes, his teachings and his example of life.

CONVERSION

• Missionaries to continue their journey to move from thinking as an outsider and foreigner to greater acceptance and integration into the mind and life of the Melanesian Church.
• From loneliness and difficulty with their spiritual life to strong and life giving relationships with the Lord and the people they serve.
• From the Diocese being only satisfied with having priests and religious to do the work to appreciate them as persons with a variety of gifts and offer them all the formation support that is needed.
• From looking at their missionary experience as an obstacle to their desires for their future to live fully that experience by living the lifestyle of Jesus and grow stronger in their vocation.
• From the seminarians only desiring to further their studies to truly follow and adopt the way of Jesus to prepare themselves for the priesthood.

Specific criteria of action:

All the actions should:

• be in line with the diocesan target and the value promoted by the diocese.
• Fulfil the needs of the ongoing formation for the priests, seminarians and religious.
• Ensure that the priests, religious and seminarians appreciate the efforts given for their formation and take part in the seminars or varied sessions offered to them.
• Create an atmosphere of closeness and care for each other.

Process of action:

2017

Objective: The Priests, Seminarians and Religious live and promote the value of friendship that Jesus lived.

• Priests’ Retreat on the theme: "Learn from Jesus who calls us his friends".
• Seminarians’ retreat on the theme "Answering the call of Jesus: you are my friends".
• Retreat for Religious on the theme "LIVING FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS, discipleship as way of life for religious".
• Priests’ seminar.
• Priests’ Assembly.
• Regional meetings.

2018

Objective: Priests, Seminarians and Religious live and promote the value of trust that Jesus lived.

• Priests’ Retreat on the theme: LIVING the TRUST OF JESUS FOR HIS FATHER, discipleship’s way of life for priests.
• Seminarians’ retreat on the theme "LIVING THE TRUST OF JESUS".
• Priests’ seminar.
• Priests’ Assembly.
• Regional meetings.

2019

Objective: Priests, Seminarians and Religious live and promote the way of Jesus who cared for others and nature.

• Priests’ Retreat on the theme: Care like Jesus; walk on his footpath of love.
• Seminarians’ retreat on the theme "caring like Jesus".
• Retreat for Religious on the theme "CARING like JESUS; discipleship’s way of life for religious".
• Priests’ seminar.
• Priests’ Assembly.
• Regional meetings.

2020

Objective: Priests, Seminarians and Religious live and promote the way of being disciples of Jesus by committing themselves to their mission like Jesus did.

• Priests’ Retreat on the theme: Being committed to our mission like JESUS was to his mission; discipleship’s way of life for priests.
• Seminarians’ retreat on the theme "living our commitment like Jesus".
• Priests’ seminar.
• Priests’ Assembly.
• Regional meetings.

Diocesan Target - Level 4.3 - St. John Marie Vianney Vocation Home

By December 2020, we, the rector and the candidates for priesthood living at Saint John Marie Vianney Vocation Home have grown stronger in our faith by allowing the life and teachings of Jesus to touch our hearts. We have made daily efforts to live as disciples of Jesus by following his way of life in his relations with the Father, others and the world around him. We have achieved this through programming well our time of study and formation, our moments of prayer, sharing and involvement with the parish community, SCC and the people of our zone.

Rationale (Reasons)

SITUATION

We have nice buildings for the vocation home of candidates to the priesthood. We have two candidates for the priesthood. As there was no available priest able to take on the responsibility of Rector at the Vocation Home, the two candidates were accepted as boarders at St. Gabriel Technical Secondary School. St. John Marie Vianney Vocation Home is not only a boarding home. As they do their studies the candidates take time to reflect on their vocation and deepen their personal relationship with Jesus. They work at their growth as a human and spiritual person. At this moment the facilities are used by our Youth Coordinator and some of his friends to make it safe and clean. In 2017 we plan to re-start the program, find a rector and bring in candidates from some of our parishes.

IDEAL

We have enough candidates coming from our parishes. The candidates to the priesthood receive formation of the heart, mind and character under the leadership and guidance of the rector. Spiritual life is important to them and they grow in their desire to follow the call of Jesus. They understand that to become a priest is to become the disciple of Jesus and that they need to daily follow his way of life. They learn to relate to the Father and to others in the way that Jesus did. They study hard as they know that the road leading to priesthood goes through years of studies.

CONVERSION

• From thinking that the Vocation Home is only like any boarding home to look at it as a special place for growth towards the priesthood.
• From being too busy with studies and other works to give the necessary time to come closer to Jesus.
• From each candidate looking at his own interests to candidates learning to befriend Jesus, to trust, to care and to be committed.

Specific criteria:

• Always focus on preparing for the priesthood.
• Live in dialogue and communication with each other.
• Promote honesty, self-discipline and holiness.

Process of action:

2017

Objective: We live our faith by following the way of Jesus and becoming his "FRIENDS".

• We make daily efforts to stay close to Jesus.
• We give attention to our moments of prayer.
• We take part in our SCC meetings.
• We study hard at school and at home.
• We follow the rules of the Vocation Home.
• We do our annual evaluation and prepare our planning for the next year.

2018

Objective: We live our faith by following the way of Jesus in his relation with his Father and we practice the virtue of "TRUST".

• We learn from Jesus and make efforts to grow in the trust we have for God our Father.
• We learn to abandon ourselves into the hands of the Father.
• We take part in our SCC meetings.
• We study hard at school and at home.
• We follow the rules of the Vocation Home.
• We do our annual evaluation and prepare our planning for the next year.

2019

Objective: We live our faith by following the way of Jesus in his relationships with others and nature and we try to be more "CARING".

• We learn from Jesus and grow in the care we have for others and for creation.
• We try to put the interests of others before ours.
• We take part in our SCC meetings.
• We study hard at school and at home.
• We follow the rules of the Vocation Home.
• We do our annual evaluation and prepare our planning for the next year.

2020

Objective: We live our faith by following the way of Jesus in his faithfulness to his Mission and we make stronger our "COMMITMENT".

• We learn from Jesus and fully commit ourselves to our vocation.
• We try to do well each day what is asked of us.
• We take part in our SCC meetings.
• We study hard at school and at home.
• We follow the rules of the Vocation Home.
• We prepare the Diocesan Planning for the next Phase – 2021 -2024 (Phase Three of Stage Two).
• We do our annual evaluation and prepare our planning for the following year.

Diocesan Target - Level 5.6 - Peter To Rot Formation Centre

By December 2020, we the staff of Peter To Rot Formation Centre, along with our friends, have discovered the demands of faith. We have made efforts to follow the way of Jesus and his example and teachings have helped us to become more caring as DISCIPLES OF JESUS for the people we serve at the centre. We have looked after the center and have maintained the parts that need repair.

Rationale (Reasons)

SITUATION

Giving more attention to the Word of God has helped us to work better as a team, demanding of us to reflect on the demands of faith and live better our Christian life. Late bookings for the Centre and caring for two groups at the same time creates a lot of tension, especially as clients break the rules of the centre. There is an on-going need for maintenance.

IDEAL

As a team we give the best service possible to our clients. We care for one another in the team and for our clients. We witness to our faith through our welcoming and caring attitudes. The Centre is well kept and maintained.

CONVERSION

• From not being too concerned with the way we live our faith as persons to really help one another in the team to grow in our faith.
• From allowing the tensions of the situation to upset us to living with more peace and calm the tensions of our service and situation.
• From being upset sometimes with the clients who break the rules of the Centre to remain opened and caring for them.

Specific criteria:

• All actions need to be simple and possible.
• Always need to give attention to the theme or value of the year.
• Give attention to the spirit of team work.
• All our actions are to assist us to serve better our clients at the centre and live better our Catholic life.

Process of action:

2017

Objective: We live and promote our faith by following the way of Jesus, we promote the value of "FRIENDS".

• We meet once a month to reflect on the Word of God in the Gospels in order to know better the way of Jesus.
• Twice in the year we visit the sick people at the hospital and the prisoners in jail.
• We meet for an hour each month to reflect on the Pastoral Letter of the bishop for the year.
• At the beginning of each month, we meet as a team to look at our planned and programmed activities.
• In November a day of recollection and recreation is organised for the staff.
• We have mid-year and end of the year evaluations.
• At the end of the year we plan and programme our activities for the coming year.

2018

Objective: We live and promote our faith by relating to God in the way of Jesus and we promote "TRUST".

• We meet once a month to reflect on the Word of God in the Gospels in order to know better the way of Jesus as WE PROMOTE THE VALUE OF BEING "TRUSTFUL" in serving our clients and one another in our team.
• Twice in the year we visit the sick people at the hospital and the prisoners in jail.
• We meet for an hour each month to reflect on the Pastoral Letter of the bishop for the year.
• At the beginning of each month, we meet as a team to look at our planned and programmed activities.
• In November a day of recollection and recreation is organised for the staff.
• We have mid-year and end of the year evaluations.
• At the end of the year we plan and programme our activities for the coming year.

2019

Objective: We live and promote our faith by relating to others and nature in the way of Jesus and become more "CARING".

• We meet once a month to reflect on the Word of God in the Gospels in order to know better the way of Jesus in PROMOTING THE VALUE OF CARING for one another in the team and as well as for our clients.
• Twice in the year we visit the sick people at the hospital and the prisoners in jail.
• We meet for an hour each month to reflect on the Pastoral Letter of the bishop for the year.
• At the beginning of each month, we meet as a team to look at our planned and programmed activities.
• In November a day of recollection and recreation is organised for the staff.
• We have mid-year and end of the year evaluations.
• At the end of the year we plan and programme our activities for the coming year.

2020

Objective: We are "COMMITMENT" witnesses to our faith in the way Jesus was committed to His Mission.

• We meet once a month for reflecting on the Word of God in the Gospels in order to know better the way of Jesus as WE PROMOTE THE VALUE OF COMMITMENT in our team.
• Twice in the year we visit the sick people at the hospital and the prisoners in jail.
• We meet for an hour each month to reflect on the Pastoral Letter of the bishop for the year.
• At the beginning of each month, we meet as a team to look at our planned and programmed activities.
• In November a day of recollection and recreation is organised for the staff.
• We have mid-year and end of the year evaluations.
• At the end of the year we plan and programme our activities for the coming year.
• We take part in the evaluation of the phase and prepare our Target, etc. for the Diocesan Planning for the next phase of 2021 to 2024.
• Do the annual evaluation and the planning and programming for the next year.