Priest serving Madang for 20yrs to head new diocese

A FILIPINO Catholic priest who has been serving in Madang for more than 20 years has been appointed to be Bishop of Daru-Kiunga diocese in Western.
The appointment of Society of the Divine Word priest Fr Joseph Durero saw hundreds of Catholic faithfuls gather on Thursday for a thanksgiving and farewell mass at the St Therese parish in Ulingan, Bogia, Madang.
Bishop-elect Durero served solely in Madang since his arrival in the country in 1996 and was parish priest in Ulingan from 2000 to 2003.
He said in his homily that the appointment was unexpected, but was a defining moment in his life.
“Maybe it is a new defining moment in my life, a new grace which God has showered over me and so I have to abide and follow because I want to be happy but most of all for God to be happy,” he said.
After the mass, he was presented farewell gifts of pigs and bilums among other items from the community and people he had served for the past 25 years.
His appointment was announced by the Apostolic Nunciature on May 23 following the retirement of his predecessor.
He served in various senior pastoral roles in Madang, the most recent being the vicar general of the archdiocese of Madang.
The bishop-elect will be ordained on Aug 29 in Kiunga.