Women's Health and Wellbeing Gathering at Stella Maris Convent, Wewak

Sr Rosella called together the women of the Parish to our convent last Sunday afternoon for an information session on Women’s Health Issues. Many women have cancer and one of the most faithful to preparing the church each Sunday has just died of cancer. 

The session was held in the open space under our house, actually under the chapel.

The women gathered on the lawn for a group photo.

Having a get-to-gether after the meeting. This where the real sharing happens!!!

Sr Rosella and Elizabeth having a chat together.

The younger Sisters are enjoying the children who came with their mothers – Sr Dulcie with Anthoni

Sr Sharon pointing to me on the top veranda, with Anthoni and his red car.

Sr Millie and Evordia also spy me on the top veranda.

The Sisters have a Ministry here to women who have been victims of Domestic Violence. They have a secure section under the Convent. For this ministry they have to raise money. If anyone would like to donate or do a fund raising activity it would really be a great help. Dulcie at the  moment is making ice blocks and our next door neighbours are selling them for her since she is at College studying to be a teacher. Millie is also a student, finishing her high school education so that she can go on for further studies. 

This is probably my last BLOG from Papua New Guinea. I return to Australia on 28th June. The time here on my Short-Term Mission has been a great experience for me. I would highly recommend it to Sisters who are able to travel and give support to this Mission. Our younger Sisters are the future and they need your help. THINK ABOUT IT!!! What could you offer for a few months. Ongoing Formation is always needed as well as other practical skills. 

Wewak Convent and Environs

This is a photo of the Convent at Wewak Hill, called Stella Maris. This view is from the waterside, the other side is the market side. There is another section, the bedrooms,  beyond to the left that cannot be seen from this angle. The chapel is closest to the covered verandah, then the dining/community room. On the other side opposite the chapel is a bedroom and then the kitchen and a work space with desks.

This is the bedroom section. There are 5 bedrooms in this section.  Underneath is an area where the Sisters have a ministry to women who are victims of violence. It is well secured and the women feel safe. It is a temporary refuge until a better situation can be arranged for the women. Quite often they stay with the Sisters until they can return to the safety of their own family (parents and siblings).

Sr Sharon and I enjoying a cool breeze near the water. Sharon is sitting on the retaining wall and I am standing on the sea wall that Jo Scanlan supervised the building of with financial assistance from Mt Alvernia College. It is lovely to sit here in the late afternoon and relax with the dogs and puppies running around and enjoying our company.

This is the view behind where I am standing in the previous photo. Our church is on the top of this hill, but not on the water side. Opposite the Church there is a new motel with the water view.

Looking directly across the water to islands opposite our sea wall.  A little neighbour is to the left enjoying the water.

PENTECOST SUNDAY - ST MICHAEL ON HIS WAY TO TUMLEO ISLAND

       Fr Michael’s (Spiritan Congregation - our Parish Priest) celebrated their feast                today. Here the Sisters are wishing him blessings on his feast day.

             National Religious who stayed with us on Friday and Saturday evening. Some had travelled from Port Moresby. Most of them have family here in Aitape.

           I am wearing the T-Shirt given to me by the St Clare Community

           These are the police who will escort the car carrying St Michael. They were             each getting someone to take a photo of themselves in front to St Michael.

           Sr Schol’s nephew was there for the action too. Fr Michael has his back to the camera. The little children always have a ready smile!

           St Michael is on his way at last to Tumleo Island! The installation will take place on the feast of St Michael on 29th September. Today there was a special mass and will be taken in procession around the Island and then placed in a temporary shrine. The permanent Shrine will be on the top of the hill on Tumleo. Now we return home to commence putting away chapel things that were used for the Vigil Mass on Saturday evening.

Arrival of St Michael, Archangel Statue to Aitape Diocese

The country of Papua New Guinea has as its patron, St Michael the Archangel. He was chosen by the Bishops since the people have a deep seated belief in spirits, including evil spirits. There was a rally for the 6 nights before the arrival of St Michael to prepare people. Thousands attended from all over Aitape Diocese and other Dioceses. The teaching was on basic catholic Christian beliefs and practices. The statue will be officially installed on Tumleo Island just across from our St Clare’s Convent, on 29^th September. It was on Tumleo that the first missionaries came to PNG from Germany in 1896.

View of Tumleo Island from our front lawn.  

           Thursday 21^st May - Preparation of the space in front of the Diocesan Offices for the Statue of St Michael to reside when not travelling to the various parishes. The trunks of tall palm trees have been used to get the height.

           Friday 22^nd May – The BIG day: The area is being decorated with flowers and drapes. Each post has been decorated with part of the banana tree and red Cholas. People worked throughout the night to get this done.

           Every street where the Statue will travel has been decorated. Sr Clara took me out in the car to see many areas where there were decorations. Each community decorated in front of their areas. Most again was done overnight so that it would be fresh for the much anticipated arrival.

          These 2 little girls are on their way to the bridge to welcome the statue. They had decorated palm leaves with frangipani flowers. They looked very pleased with themselves.

   This is the decorated entrance to the Raihu area.

Hundreds of banana trees must have been cut down to provide the base for many decorations. This family is being very creative.

Another overhead decoration all created with plant matter. 

Waiting near St Anna School with the Novice Sabastina, Postulant Joyce and Novice Lorna. We had our plants and flowers ready to wave.

A Diocesan worker and his little daughter also waiting beside us. Her father got her to raise her finger to say hello to us.

           Some of the people waiting with us. The students had been wait for about 3 hours. Things don’t always go to time!! However we were also entertained by porpoises frolicking in the water behind us.

           Here is the cause of all the excitement and preparation – St Michael on a car float, with his special carers who supported his wings on the bumpy journey. The carers were wearing red tops and long red gloves. They spent literally hours supporting his wings over the 3 days.

FAREWELL FROM AITAPE

The professed Sisters at St Clare’s Campus took me to lunch to the home of a family who

are friends of the Sisters. The children were helping to get their backyard area ready where

we had our meal on the river, overlooking the ocean.

The children belonging to the extended family. It was their grandmother who provided the meal.

Water view in the background with Rosie to my left and Clara to my right.

           Sitting enjoying my meal of freshly caught and cooked fish – three different species, cooked in three different ways. My glass is standing on a leaf that was provided for that purpose!

Beach view again with Schol and Rosie and the father (grandfather) of the family who owns the property that backs onto the river.

          THURSDAY FAREWELL FROM SISTERS, NOVICES AND POSTULANTS. This was the gift giving time after the meal and before the cake and ice cream. This is Clara giving me the St Clare Community gift of a T-Shirt. I wore it on Pentecost Sunday. You will see it in the next BLOG.

           Rayleen the Postulant gave a few words of thanks and a gift of a PNG T-Shirt which has “I Love PNG” in large print.

           The Novices gave me a lovely piece of material, with PNG design, to make a skirt. 

          Therry, from the PNG Leadership Team giving me a gift from the Team. Therry is the Postulant Directress. I had her Postulants for 4 weeks, so she was very appreciative for the extra time that that gave her.

           My chance to say thanks and to acknowledge, that I received more back for each of them, than I actually gave.

          Time to cut the cake and enjoy the ice cream which is a real treat, more so since it is so expensive K24.50 for a small container -that is around $12.

          Needless to say I enjoyed my time very much in Aitape. Now I am in Wewak and catching up on my BLOGS. I have two more nearly ready to post.

Happenings in Aitape

Happenings in Aitape

This photo was taken of the front of St Joachim’s church on Mother’s Day. The other photo is the back entrance to the church. As you can see there are no side walls, which helps when the weather is really hot. The churches are always decorated with lots of flowers and special altar cloths for special days.

Back of Church

Last Sunday I visited the grave of Therese Magee mfic who died in PNG on 9^th June, 1991. 

These are the young women in formation at Aitape. L to R Anna, Sabastina and Joyce

This is a better view from this side – to the left of me: Lorna, Raylne, Vincentiana and First year professed, Gracelyn

In this group we have Raylne and two friars who are in formation, They were among the Inter-Congregation Group who did a 3 morning course on Non-Violence.

After a shared lunch the Inter Formation group played Volley Ball together. They had a very enjoyable time with lots of shouting and laughter.

After a 2 ½ hour Mass and prayers to St Michael on Saturday 16^th we set off for a 2 1/2hr hour walk from St Francis Church to the town centre. We sang all the way stopping 9 times for the St Michael Chaplet Prayers. There were several hundred people. There are celebrations every day this week in preparation of the arrival of a 3 metre statue of St Michael.

Another beautiful sun rise as we set off for mass at St Joachim’s Church for Mass.

Today I went with Clara to St Anna’s Church which is the Friars Church. It is at the top of a hill, so a bit of a climb as you can see. I was the only white skinned person. A woman whom we know well made the comment that I was the only coloured person in the church....Good to see things from their perspective.

This is the Elementary school for the preps to year 3. Not a substantial building as you can see. There are two rooms in this building of bush material so no solid walls to prevent teaching from one one from going into the other.