Metropolitan Archdiocese of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Mary’s Cathedral, Port Moresby, National Capital District

Bereina (↖), Lae (↗), Alotau–Sideia (→), Cairns (↓)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2008.03.26 – ...):

Cardinal John Ribat, M.S.C. (66)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Battista de’ Rossi

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Port Moresby (Roman Rite)

Cardinal John Ribat, M.S.C. (66)
(2008.03.26 – ...)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Battista de’ Rossi
Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea)

Peace through Jesus’ heart

Born:	1957.02.09 (Volavolo, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1985.12.01
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.02.11
Created Cardinal:	2016.11.19

Titular Bishop of Macriana minor (2000.10.30 – 2002.02.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (2000.10.30 – 2002.02.12)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (2002.02.12 – 2007.04.16)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (2007.04.16 – 2008.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (2008.03.26 – ...)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (2011.05 – 2014.05)

President of Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (2014.05 – 2018.04)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Battista de’ Rossi (2016.11.19 [2017.02.05] – ...)

Archbishop Brian James Barnes, O.F.M.
(1997.06.14 – 2008.03.26)

The Gospel of the Lord

Born:	1933.03.23 (Australia)
Ordained Priest:	1958.07.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.02.10
Died:	2017.05.09 († 84)

Bishop of Aitape (Papua New Guinea) (1987.10.03 – 1997.06.14)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (1993 – 1994)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1997.06.14 – 2008.03.26)

Archbishop Peter Kurongku
(1981.10.03 – 1996.06.11)

Born:	1930 (Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1966.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1979.03.25
Died:	1996.06.11 († 66)

Titular Bishop of Sinnuara (1978.11.15 – 1981.10.03)

Auxiliary Bishop of Honiara (Solomon Islands) (1978.11.15 – 1981.10.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1981.10.03 – 1996.06.11)

Archbishop Herman To Paivu
(1975.12.19 – 1981.02.12)

Born:	1912 (Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1953.11.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.10.29
Died:	1981.02.12 († 69)

Titular Bishop of Temuniana (1974.07.01 – 1975.12.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1974.07.01 – 1975.12.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1975.12.19 – 1981.02.12)

Archbishop Virgil Patrick Copas, M.S.C.
(1966.11.15 – 1975.12.19)

Born:	1915.03.19 (Australia)
Ordained Priest:	1944.07.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.04.27
Died:	1993.10.03 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Bennefa (1959.12.19 – 1966.11.15)

Vicar Apostolic of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1959.12.19 – 1966.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1966.11.15 – 1975.12.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (1973 – 1976.03.01)

Archbishop-Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (1976.05.24 – 1988.12.06)

Vicars Apostolic of Port Moresby (Roman Rite)

Bishop Virgil Patrick Copas, M.S.C. (later Archbishop)
(1959.12.19 – 1966.11.15)

(see above)

Bishop André Sorin, M.S.C.
(1946.06.13 – 1959.04.19)

Born:	1903.06.07 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1929.08.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1946.08.24
Died:	1959.04.19 († 55)

Apostolic Administrator of Samarai (Papua New Guinea) (1946.06.13 – 1951.05.18)

Titular Bishop of Antiphræ (1946.06.13 – 1959.04.19)

Vicar Apostolic of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1946.06.13 – 1959.04.19)

Vicars Apostolic of Papua (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Alain Guynot de Boismenu, M.S.C.
(1922.11.14 – 1946)

Ut cognoscant te

Born:	1870.12.27 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1895.02.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1900.03.18
Died:	1953.11.05 († 82)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) (1899.05.23 – 1908.01)

Titular Bishop of Gabala (1899.05.23 – 1945.01.18)

Vicar Apostolic of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) (1908.01 – 1922.11.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Papua (Papua New Guinea) (1922.11.14 – 1946)

Titular Archbishop of Claudiopolis in Honoriade (1945.01.18 – 1953.11.05)

Vicars Apostolic of New Guinea (Roman Rite)

Bishop Alain Guynot de Boismenu, M.S.C. (later Archbishop)
(1908.01 – 1922.11.14)

(see above)

Archbishop Louis-André Navarre, M.S.C.
(1889.05.10 – 1908.01)

Born:	1836.02.03 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1872.05.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1887.11.30
Died:	1912.01.17 († 75)

Titular Bishop of Pentacomia (1887.05.17 – 1888.08.17)

Vicar Apostolic of Melanesia (Papua New Guinea) (1887.05.17 – 1889.05.10)

Titular Archbishop of Cyrrhus (1888.08.17 – 1912.01.17)

Vicar Apostolic of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) (1889.05.10 – 1908.01)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop John Ribat, M.S.C. (66) (later Cardinal) (2007.04.16 – 2008.03.26)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Alain Guynot de Boismenu, M.S.C. (later Archbishop) (1899.05.23 – 1908.01)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Stanislas Henri Verjus, M.S.C. (1889.12.28 – 1892.11.13)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Cherubim Alfred Dambui (2000.10.30 – 2010.06.24)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Herman To Paivu (later Archbishop) (1974.07.01 – 1975.12.19)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Louis Vangeke, M.S.C. (1970.09.21 – 1976.03.01)

Contact Info

Address: Archbishop’s House, P.O. Box 1032, Boroko, National Capital District 111, Papua New Guinea

Phone: 325.1192

Statistics

Area: 29,874 km²

Population: 228,500 Catholics (29.4% of 776,000 total) (2019)

Statistics: 22 parishes, 1 mission, 56 priests (6 diocesan, 50 religious), 350 religious (224 brothers, 126 sisters) (2019)

History

1889.05.10: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of New Guinea (from Apostolic Vicariate of Melanesia)
1922.11.14: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Papua
1938.03.29: Lost territory to Diocese of Darwin
1946.06.13: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Port Moresby / 莫爾茲比港 (正體中文) / Portus Moresbien(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Samarai)
1958.11.13: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Mendi
1959.07.16: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Yule Island and Apostolic Prefecture of Daru
1966.11.15: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Port Moresby / 莫爾茲比港 (正體中文) / Portus Moresbien(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Bereina, Daru and Sideia)
1971.01.16: Gained suffragan see Kerema

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1984.05, 1995.01)