Catholic Bishops Conference slams government’s Christianity inquiry

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His Eminence Cardinal. Sir John Ribat (middle) Archbishop of Madang and President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG/SI, His Exc. Anton Bal (right) Bishop Otto Separy (left) at the media conference yesterday at the CBC headquarters in Port Moresby. Photo: CBC

By LORRAINE WOHI

THE Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBCPNGSI) representing the Catholic Church in the country are against the government’s inquiry of declaring PNG as a Christian country.

The Catholic Bishops after a serious of discussion and consultation within the conference body has told the media yesterday, they do not deem it necessary to introduce amendments to the current PNG Constitution. Particularly the Preamble, the National Goals and Directive Principles, Sec. 45 (Freedom of Conscience, Thought and Religion), and Sec.46 (Freedom of Expression).

His Eminence Cardinal. Sir John Ribat has described the manner in which the inquiry is conducted as politicized, has no sense of respect and recognition to the importance of the work of the church bodies in the country.

“There were not any invitation given by the Constitutional Law and Reform Commission (CLRC) to the churches body to talk about the issue as this is in relation to their work and their pastoral duties.

 “If there was a proper way of approaching this by inviting churches and so on, I think there would be a better understanding into the content of the inquiry itself.

“Constitution is not the matter for people just to think and say that they want to change it.

“If there is a strong change, then there must be a referendum into this. Once we step out of the Constitution, we lose track of everything and new things are coming in without any connection to what we are in the past.

“We will be able to lose sight on what our founding fathers have and the respect for our Christian values and also our traditional values,” Cardinal Sir Ribat said.

The President of the Catholic Professional Society of PNG, Paul Harricken (right) and Archbishop Anton Bal (left). Photo: CBC

The President of the Catholic Professional Society of PNG, Paul Harricken, also made comments saying that changes to the preamble of the Constitution and the National Goals and Directive Principals cannot be made without making changes to section 45 and 46 because they are the substantive provisions which provides for Religious Freedom which is the Freedom of Conscience and Religion.

“Even if you try to change the preamble of the constitution and the National Goals and Directive Principals, you will have to also make changes to the substantive provisions of the Constitution and that is the implication we are faced with,” he said.

The Catholic Bishops answered “no” to the four queries in the proposed questionnaire on the Inquiry conducted by CLRC for the following reasons:

  • Religious freedom is non-negotiable;
  • The Preamble to the Constitution already pledges to guard and pass on Christian principles;
  • Christianity in Papua New Guinea is constituted of a variety of groups and;
  • The Constitution was inspired and drafted by good Christian leaders.

The Bishops Conference however suggested that any further discussions and decisions on the matter can resume only after the PNG general election in 2022, to avoid any inconvenience or misunderstanding concerning anyone’s purpose or intention.