Goilala Catholic Faithfuls have began the annual pilgrimage leading up to 4th of July at Yule Island in Bereina Diocese of Kairuku Hiri District.
4th of July is being observed in the catholic calendar in PNG because on the same date in 1884 the first missionary celebrated the first Holy Eucharist on the island when suddenly a wild boar appeared from the bushes and spilled the blessed wine, used to signify the blood of Jesus Christ on PNG soil.
This significant event is observed and commemorated every year on the island and this year will see again catholic faithfuls from all around the country converge to Yule Island on the 4th July.
Yesterday, 3rd July, Minister for Transport and Member for Goilala Hon William Samb visited Yule Island to pay his respects to this important event and also meet and greet his Goilala people from Fane Catholic Parish and Ononge Catholic Curch Parish (500+) who walked down to Bakoiudu to be transported by trucks to the pick up point and then ferried over to the Island.
Hon Peter Isoaimo is planned to go back in to Yule Island to close the anniversary with his people today (4th July 2021)
Goilala Catholic Faithful from Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 6 mile, Sabama Catholic Church, Gerehu Catholic Church also flocked to Yule Island to commemorate this important event with their Bereina Diocese fellow Fatifuls.
Fane Catholic Parish Priest Father Francis Pirit thanked the Member for Goilala for the continuous support towards the work of the church and to his people of Goilala in attending this week long event. He also said that the people of Goilala were hardworking, kind and generous people.
The good name is tarnished by a minority who live in the city and get into trouble with law and order issues, but otherwise the people of Goilala back in the district were good people.
Adding that this event to celebrate the pilgrimage day showed that the people of Goilala upheld the work of the church and how it impacted them as a people since the early missionary days.
Hon Samb presented K20,000.00 to the committee to be used by organizing committee and host Yule Island Catholic Parish to meet operational (transport) and other related costs incurred during the course of these celebrations.
Story and Photo Credit: Ministry Of Transport Media Team.