Fr Peter Kim (SVD), the spiritual director of three parishes in Kundiawa Diocese located in the outback of Gumine takes his long leave this week.
Fr Kim, a missionary from the Divine Word Society (SVD) has served Dirima, Yuri and Nondri for close to six years, and has served for 19 years in PNG as a priest.
Based in Dirima as his main station, which is 34 kilometers south of Kundiawa, his administration covers Yuri which is about six kilometers on beaten road to the west, and rugged Nondri covering eight kilometers on foot to the south.
The total Catholic population in the three parishes is about 20,000.
Fr Peter Kim said he is taking his one year leave to spend intimate moments with his 85-year-old father who has been sick, and also to spend some quality time with the rest of his family members and friends.
He leaves Dirima on Sunday (7th Nov) and leaves PNG shores on Wednesday 10th November.
The 54-year-old priest will be with his family in his hometown Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
He is a senior SVD priest and serves as SVD district superior for Goroka and Simbu.
Head catechist of Dirima parish James Bin on behalf of 18 catechists in the three parishes wished Fr Peter Kim a safe travelling journey and safe stay in South Korea.
Mr James Bin assured Fr Kim of their prayer for God’s continuing blessings to the Kim family during this time.
Mr Bin said the catechists and the Christians have learnt a lot from the exemplary life and steadfast spiritual leadership Fr Kim provided in the administration of the sacraments.
The parish pastoral council including the leaders of all devotional groups and community leaders also said their well wishes.
Fr Peter Kim also highlighted on the 2021 action plans for the parish that were not implemented due to the impact of Covid-19.
He urged the catechists and parish board to activate the action plan in 2022 when the Covid-19 pandemic slows down and work closely with the care-taker priest that is assigned.
Fr Kim said that in his last meeting with over 20 catechists and members of the parish board last Friday.
Fr Kim is also known for is community work which included the building of a labor ward in Dirima, installation of tufa tanks for clean drinking water in the outstations, and providing steadfast leadership in the fight against the prevention and transmission of Covid-19 in Dirima that has a population of over 15,0000 people.
Last Friday as well, Fr Kim distributed face masks he received from his friends in South Korea to his catechists for their Christian community in their respective outstations.