Youths vital to churches

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
Churches depend on the participation of young people, a church worker says.
Gabriel Aisi, the Yule Island Catholic secretary and coordinator in Bereina, Kairiku-Hiri, told that to 47 youth leaders who went on a pilgrimage to the island.
He also spoke about the history of the first Catholic missionaries who went there 131 years ago.
“Yule island is the first place in Papua the first missionaries arrived at,” Aisi said.
It was on June 30, 1885, when the first missionary, Bishop Henry Varius, and two brothers arrived on the island by boat from France.
“Bishop Varius and brothers, Nichola and Salvatori, came from France to Australia (New South Wales) before going to Thursday Island,” Aisi said.
“From there, they came to Yule Island.”
After two days, the first Catholic mass was celebrated on a hilltop on the island.
The hilltop is treated by Catholics as a holy ground.
Catholics, including those outside PNG, visit the sacred area to fast, pray, seek healing and reconciliation.
“It’s good to see young people participate on this pilgrimage as the church depends on you,” Aisi told them.
The pilgrimage, organised by the Archdiocese of Port Moresby, was led by Sister Rebecca Fernandez.