Do not blame churches, Catholic Bishops say

 By MALUM NALU

CHURCHES, the Gospel and people’s religious faith should not be blamed for lack of development in Morobe, says Fr Giorgio Licini of the PNG Catholic Bishops’ Conference

He was responding to an article in The National on Monday, in which acting Morobe administrator Geoving Bilong blamed churches, the Gospel and people’s religious faith for lack of development in his province. 

“In a few words he (Bilong) says that people sit down quietly assured of their ‘reward in Heaven’ and are unwilling to grasp the opportunities of life on earth that is offering,” Licini said.

“I have never lived in Morobe, so I can’t really say to what extent Bilong’s assessment of his people’s attitude corresponds to the truth. Should he be correct in his analysis, of course, there is food for thoughts for all Morobeans. 

“Nowhere in Christian revelation, in fact, laziness is recommended and heaven is a substitute of earth. It’s rather a reward for what a good heart and a vivid mind has achieved”

Licini said strange enough, Bilong blamed churches for the fact that foreigners were taking over businesses in Lae and leaving locals behind. 

“I don’t believe that the Lutheran, Anglican and Catholic bishops in the city are in control of business licenses or the parishes secretly favour Chinese and Malaysians,” he said.

“They don’t bother at all. The acting administrator should realise that the lack of interest and industriousness of a part of the population is routed in ancestral attitudes, poor education, difficult transition from the old system to modern life and lack of government policies.”