Papua, New Guinea, 1960 – 2011
The Sisters of St. Francis mission to Papua New Guinea (PNG), 1960-2011, began with an urgent request by Capuchin Franciscan Fathers and Brothers from Pittsburgh, PA, for Sisters to serve alongside their missionaries in the Southern Highlands of what was then simply called New Guinea. They would, as the Capuchins explained to Mother Mary Cephas Keller, assist their own priests and brothers in educating and catechizing the people, especially the women, of the Southern Highlands at a time when they were just emerging from a Stone Age culture (Australia then administered PNG under the terms of a United Nations Trusteeship; PNG became an independent state in 1975, and is today a member of the United Nations and the British Commonwealth).
The first four missionaries selected — Sisters Kate (Annata) Holohan, Mary Claver Ehren, Noreen McLaughlin, and Martine Mayborg — received mission crosses at a departure ceremony, September 27, 1960, and departed for New Guinea immediately. They arrived at their first mission site, Mendi, on October 14, 1960. Beginning with these first four Sisters, 26 Sisters served the PNG missions over the 51-year period. The last two, Sister Martine, and Sister Doris Holohan (who had arrived in 1965) returned in 2011, one year after celebrating 50 years of mission and ministry in PNG.
Missionary life and ministries during the years in PNG straddled first the changes in the Church following Vatican II (1962 – 1965), and second, changes in governance and educational policy immediately preceding and following national independence (1975). The Sisters became increasingly involved in building a “new” Church from its beginnings during the period of traditional mission activity (primarily teaching, operating boarding schools, catechizing) to a Church which incorporated the culture, customs, and life of the native people and was led by the people themselves. More and more of this involved adult education and the formation of leaders in seminaries, a teachers’ college, and catechist training. After independence, ministries included work for the Archdiocese in various positions.
Collaboration, with the Capuchin priests and brothers, with the people with whom they worked, with the diocese, with government officials (first from Australia, then from PNG) and with women and men religious, both nationally and internationally, was a striking feature of these ministries. Crowning these collaborative efforts was the key role played by Oldenburg Franciscan PNG missionaries in the formation, in 1976, of a new religious congregation, the Franciscan Sisters of Mary (FSMs), made up solely of women of PNG. The FSMs are currently 30+ in number and are a diocesan congregation.
The Sisters ministered to the needs of the people in the bush, in the villages, and in the small towns, and negotiated tribal differences. The people of the villages and towns were moved to a stance of independence and interdependence through their influence. While doing all of this and more, our Sisters lives were enriched by the simplicity of the people, by their sincerity and ingenuity, and by their connection to God.
P.O. Box 100 Oldenburg, Indiana 47036-0100 812-934-2475
www.oldenburgfranciscans.org
www.facebook.com/oldenburgsisters
