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Australian MSC marks
75 years in Milne Bay
By ALISON ANIS
April 22 is when hundreds of people
in Alotau/Sideia diocese and neighboring Milne Bay islands
commemorate the arrival on Sideia island of the first Australian
Catholic priest Father Francis Lyons.
Fr Lyons, a missionary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC) first
landed on Sideia on April 22, 1932. He was met by villagers with
curious stares.
History repeated itself on April 22 this year as local villagers,
school children, priests, teachers, nuns led by a group of dancers
waited at the jetty, only this time, to greet the Papal Nuncio,
Bishop Fracesco Padilla, the Father General and a crowd of
well-wishers who accompanied them on board the Catholic mission
boat, Morning Star.
An editorial by Paul Stenhouse also a missionary of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, noted that visitors had come from neighboring
islands and school-children looked very neat in their uniforms
while dancers and musicians proved that local and Catholic culture
could blend harmoniously and joyfully.
“School children held out a banner which read: Foundation
Anniversary of Catholic Mission Sideia: April 22, 1932 - Apil 22,
2007. We thank you and we love with all our hearts,” the editorial
noted.
An array of celebrations including traditional singsing, cultural
dances and a big feast was held soon after that in Hagita,
Fergusson Island, Budoya mission, and Tewala island to
commemorated the 75 years of Catholicism on this eastern part of
Papua.
The MSC Superior General, Fr. Mark McDonald arrived from Rome to
witness the event.
The event also observed the 75 years ‘diamond jubilee’ on the
presence of the Australian MSC priests in the Sideia diocese.
Celebrations began in March 2007 with the people of Fergusson
Island celebrating at Budoya Mission and Tewala Island where the
first local priestly vocation came from - Fr. John Sinou MSC who
passed away on March 5, 2005.
Despite the seasonal rain in and around Alotau the week of
celebrations continued throughout the Milne Bay islands.
More than 700 people including students, parents, teachers and
locals converged at Hagita Sacred Heart secondary school to
witness the recalling of memories of the nine remaining Australian
MSC’s and their achievements over the last 50 years.
A feast was prepared for the day by local parishioners and a
presentation of gifts to the priests.
The Hagita secondary school began at Sideia in 1963 and in late
1969 the students moved to the mainland. Former headmaster, Fr.
Neville Dunne MSC, was present for the occasion and looked on with
pride at the advancement that have taken place since his time.
According to Fr Michael Sims, more local MSC priests have come to
share in the work of pastoral activity, education and counselling.
“Today MSC’s are caring for the people of Rossel Island, Nimowa
Island and the nearby islands, Fergusson Island, as well as
presence in the parishes of Ladava, Yaleba and Alotau,” Fr Sims
said.
When celebrating mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart on Sunday
(June 17th) in the presence the Bishop of the Diocese, Francesco
Panfilo SDB including 23 other celebrants (priests), the Papal
representative Fr McDonald gave a brief background on the history
of MSC society.
The MSC congregation was founded at Issoudun, France, in 1854 by
Fr Jules Chevalier.
It first moved into PNG in 1881 with the advent of French
missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“In Jesus we see the Good Shepherd who goes in search of those who
are lost, who knows his own and gives his life to save them. He
shows us the Father’s deep concern for those who are considered
unimportant and whose rights are disregarded,” Fr MacDonald said
adding that this is what being a missionary of sacred heart
requires them to do.
Some of the first missionaries in the Diocese with MSC were lay
people who came to experience God’s love and helped in the early
evangelisation of Milne Bay people especially in the east - Nimowa
and Rossel Island.
The congregation also took time to remember more that 50 deceased
priests with pride and to thank God for their past work.
 
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