Paul answers the call of service

By TONY PALME
REVEREND Deacon Paul Misik from Warakar village in Jiwaka’s Fatima Parish of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mt Hagen answered the highest call on the land when he was ordained a priest last Saturday.
He fulfilled his childhood dream as well as that of his parents when Archbishop Douglas Young from the Catholic Archdiocese of Mt Hagen put on the white priestly cloak around Paul and blessed him.
“You gave me an offering. Here I give you a priest,” Bishop Young declared before the other priests and emotional family members.
Young also announced during the special service that Fr Paul would be posted to St Paul’s Parish in Mt Hagen straight after ordination.
Parishioners came in from as far as Mendi, Wabag, Goroka, Chimbu, Western Highlands and Jiwaka to witness one of theirs being honoured by the Church he served.
For immediate family members, emotions were high as tears of joy ran down their faces as they were joined in the celebration by friends and church faithfuls from Jiwaka and Western Highlands to welcome their new priest.
Sekaka tribesmen, surrounding tribes of Kulaka, Komblo and Andpang Takipkanem, also witnessed the ordination held at Fatima station.
Paul has a twin brother named John. Their mother Maria gave birth to them at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital on August 22, 1984.
That same year, the Holy Father of all Catholic faithfuls around the world, Pope John Paul II made his historic visit to Papua New Guinea, touching down at the St Paul’s Oval in Mt Hagen.
Paul has six brothers and a sister. They are from the Milmekanem clan of Sekaka tribe.
“I was so excited to see the Pope with my two sons. I brought them there and that’s where I named them John and Paul after the Pope,” Maria recalled with tears.
Her husband Andrew Misik, a senior catechist who has served Fatima Parish for 45 years now, a respected leader and councillor of the Sekaka tribe and Jiwaka said it was always his and his wife’s wish, for one of their sons become a priest.
“Today, Paul has brought peace to our hearts. We wanted our first son to become a priest but he got married. Our second son also got married. Today we are happy that Paul answered that call,” Misik added.
The new priest described his ordination as the beginning of a new chapter in his life and asked Christians to support him in prayer.
Fr. Paul’s upbringing and personal life was observed through obedience to parents, church work and studies. He has never had a girlfriend, never touched alcohol and has lived a modest and humble life as if expecting to be a part of the church one day.
He was 33 at the time of his ordination.  Senior catechist of Matthew Kopi said it was the dream of pioneer parish priest Fr. Peter Van Andrichem to see more local boys become priests and Paul fulfilled that dream.
Fr. Paul Misik becomes the sixth priest to be ordained from Fatima Parish. The others are Fr Raphael Moka, Fr Gabriel Ak (left the priestly vocation), Fr Joseph Tumbo, Fr Robert Nolye and Fr Peter Ripa.
Fatima parish pastoral advisory board chairman Philip Kapal congratulated Fr Paul for answering the call.
“We have so many offices that people are occupying on this earth but the office that you have chosen to occupy is the highest and a noble one,” Kapal said.
He saluted him for making a tough decision in life by sacrificing the desires of his body to be a servant of Jesus Christ in his entire life.
Kapal challenged Catholic parents from Fatima to sacrifice more of their sons into the priesthood.
He pointed that the church needs more local priests to keep the Catholic faith strong.
Parish priest Fr. Yosep Mesa called for more young local boys and girls to join the church pathway programmes.
Fr Paul thanked his parents and sponsors, the Catholic Church, parishioners of Fatima, Jiwaka and Western Highlands, Archbishop Douglas Young and the late Fr Peter Van Andrichem for playing vital roles which made his priesthood dream come true.
Fr Paul celebrated his first mass at Fatima last Sunday.