OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - The diocesan center of Bougainville transformed into a quarantine reception facility

Thursday, 4 June 2020 coronavirus   local churches   solidarity  

Bougainville (Agenzia Fides) - After 8 cases of coronavirus infections registered in Papua New Guinea, all healed, the local Church continues to carry out preventive measures in favor of the population. Among these, Fr. Begg Conference Center of the diocese of Bouganville has been transformed into a reception center for quarantine.
Fr. Polycarp Kaviak, Vicar of the diocese and at the head of the Center, explained, in a note sent to Fides, that there is a temporary agreement between the diocese and the autonomous government of Bougainville on the use of the center for quarantine, until June 2020 and is subject to extension depending on the situation.
The work on three additional units in the Center is almost finished and should be ready to meet the needs of people traveling in the region following the increase in restrictions on commercial flights to Bougainville, reads the note of the diocese. In addition, diocesan staff working in the center were also trained on how to cope with the quarantine period.
Although parishioners have expressed a desire to attend mass, the Diocese continues to observe all Covid-19 protocols required by the state of emergency. In all parishes from March to May, parish priests informed the parishioners and the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter were celebrated by inviting families to follow the liturgical instructions put in place by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
Finally, Father Polycarp underlined the importance of the diocesan media with the broadcast of the Holy Mass and programs aimed at informing about the pandemic. These programs were also broadcast by other radio stations in the center and south of Bougainville. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 4/6/2020)


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