(R) Cardinal Sir John Ribat with fellow knight Sir Tipo Vuatha.

 

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, October 23, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

PAPUA New Guinea’s first cardinal of the catholic church, Sir John Ribat, has hailed Pope Francis in the papacy’s new approach and concern to focus attention in small island countries in the Pacific region.

Cardinal Ribat, in explaining his new role in the Catholic Church, said with his appointment- he will give a voice for the region to the highest office in the 1.2 billion catholic world.

He made the comment after being Knighted Commander of Civil Division (KBE) on Thursday’s Investiture Ceremony at Government House.

“This will be the pope would like to hear what we are doing here. For us- one of things why he is appointing me, as well as one of the bishop of Tonga, Bishop Soane (Soane Patita Paini) he has made him a cardinal. It is a small nation about 500,000 people is like breaking all the protocols,” Sir Ribat said.

“It is no longer the big populations, no longer the big churches, he looks down to the small churches. For me this is one of the most important vision that I see that is going down to the small churches countries and appointing cardinals.”

“He is looking at the islands nations like the Pacific we will be the one that will be highly affected- we have a great risk here and most of the islands they are predicting already will disappear, in 2050 and over and this is posing a great concern for us.”

“Now who will be voicing this, who will be sharing this with this concern, really airing what is affecting us in Rome to the nation.”

He said by following the tradition and protocols of appointing cardinals, it would contniue overlook the real problems and concerns of the churches and nations.

“We have a great work to do ahead of us. That is to take care of our people and make sure that they are voice is heard.”

“Because we are a small nation at times our voice is not understood- so for someone here coming from this area they will understand this as well.”

Cardinal Ribat said he will continue to be based in Port Moresby as the Archbishop, but will travel to and from Rome when needed to oversee a dicastery, which is a department of the Roman Curia, the administration of the Holy See through which the pope directs the Catholic Church.

“I will still be the archbishop of Port Moresby, but then I will be going to Rome for meetings. I will be appointed to like departments or what they call in the Vatican dicastery, now will be appointed to one of those- I do not know which one.”

“That is why I will continue to go back to rome and hear- also I will be appointed to a church in Rome so when I am there I am able to be with there so that I am not just hanging and I am really down there with the people of Rome.”

“At the same time also one of the work we will be doing is electing a pope so when this pope died then one of our job will be to elect a new pope. It is not all the cardinals, at this time there are 120 cardinals only that are eligible to elect a pope and not everyone.”

“We could be over 100 or more cardinals we all of us do not have the electing power. It is only those below age 80 we have the electing power so that is our task and responsibility and advising our pope.”