National Priests Gathering Vanga Training Center

Priests During welcome and Renewal

Dear People of God of the Gizo Diocese:

We, your bishop and priests, spend time with God and ourselves for two weeks  in the effort of a  Renewal of the giftedness of catholic priesthood  to our diocese s as part of the golden celebration of the diocese. At a time when we hear sad and disturbing news about priesthood, this wants to be indeed a good piece of  inspiring good news. From June 20 to 29 all the priests of the three catholic dioceses of the Solomon Islands (Honiara, Auki and Gizo) met for a renewal and formation program at the conclusion of the international year of the priest called by Pope Benedict the XVI th.

Bishop’s Pastoral Message 2010

SOLIDARY, UNITY, SYNERGY

October and November

The month of October has been a very special month full of graces from above...

Grace Number 1:

The grace of a better presbyterium

The retreat of the Priests (7 of them working in the diocese and two guests from Auki Diocese) has been a very enriching renewal experience. The reflection and meditation on God's work focused on the topic "what kind of Priest for what kind of church" I am confident in saying that we understood that we must work as a Team, God's team at the service of His mission in OUR diocese. We have decided to stop using the expression "MY PARISH" and to start using "OUR DIOCESE". Yes we have felt that the church we are called to build is indeed "Ours" and we intend to build a ‘communion of communities'. To do this it is a must that all of us priests build a united ‘presbyterium'. We also took the decision to divide ourselves into Two groups or ‘deaneries': Shortlands, Moli, Kavata and deanery number two: Waghina. Gizo, Noro. The two groups of priest will meet more regularly and try to be a support system to each other. As a Bishop I felt very much the grace working in the retreats at least in two clear occasions: a reconciliatory move from one parish priest and his community leaders, and the availability of another priest to take a different post. I was most touched too by the efforts of the Dominican Order to hold on to their responsibility in the Gizo Diocese: thanks for Fr Callisto's presence in Kavata, thanks for Fr Laurence who is due to come back and work in the diocese soon, best wishes and prayers to Fr John Tiroko who hopefully will join us again. We do Hope Fr. Stephen will join us too. In response to the public demands I have asked other bishops for 6 more priests to join the present ones so we can better serve our people. Some bishops said they cannot help. Others said, not this year, others promised to help. A million thanks to Fr. John Mc Kenna for practically spending his whole priestly life in the diocese... We will never forget you...

Antidote to ‘Global ethics’, a new radical option to follow Christ

The challenge of the NILA spiritual youth rally.
The event’s Theme “You will receive power from the Holy Spirit and you will be my witnesses”
361 young people (16-25) from the Gizo diocese parishes from  Gizo, Noro, Ringi, Nusabaruku, Titiana, Canaan, Sirovanga (as far as Tambarato), Moli, Fauro, and Shortlands have come together for a renewal program, as a follow up of the World youth day in Sydney last August.

For one whole week the youth have reflected on input about the topics first in their “days in the parish” and then together at Nila.