Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (1975) defines evangelization in terms of «of proclaiming Christ to those who do not know Him, of preaching, of catechesis, of conferring Baptism and the other sacraments» (§ 17).

This paper makes no pretensions. While the intent of the Study Days is to reflect on the realities of Oceania, the provenance and missionary situation of all the participants—except one—is Melanesian, whether from Papua New Guinea or the Solomon Islands¹. The paper is a simple, decidedly incomplete, synthesis of the responses submitted by some participants² and two focus groups³ to the questionnaire provided by the seminar organizers. The questionnaire and, consequently, this paper aim «to contextualize these study days».

Question 1. In the place where you live and work: What is your experience regarding the initial proclamation of Jesus to young people and adults?

1.1 Initial proclamation is an on-going process of conversion and adherence to Christ which the Church has promoted in varied ways — education, religious instruction, liturgy and sacramental life, preaching and storytelling, posters, crusades, religious broadcasts, the formation of catechists and Church leaders, and many more.

• Initial proclamation is a process... an on-going process «of conversion and adhesion to Christ», The seed of faith has been sown; the process of growth is taking place. However, it would be incorrect «to quantify its growth or to identify its stages» (Baquero).

• On one hand, the Church «has not neglected its ministry of education & evangelization by continuously giving formation, seminar and training. However, the level of people “generally” remains the same». When parish youth group leaders were asked about the “priorities of the parish”, their immediate answer was «uniforms and musical instruments». Despite their training and close collaboration with the priests, they «missed the point». Their answers were trivial and even self-serving, instead of revolving around “formation” and the “ministry of service”. (Baquero)

• In the school setting, there are Religious Instruction (RI) and Christian Living Education (CLE) which provide a systematic introduction of the Faith for young people. (Cabrido)

• Initial proclamation during CLE (religion class), spiritual formation programs, the celebration of the sacraments, and the different youth camps. (Tsimba); the good morning and good night talks (Moko).

• The liturgy is an effective means of proclaiming the Gospels. (Isoiamo)

• Initial proclamation reaches through street preaching, reading materials, radio broadcasting, like Radio Maria,2G fm from PAU (Pacific Adventist University), Wantok Radio light. (Noah)

• Storytelling is another effective way to proclaim the Gospels. Primary students delight in it; teenagers find it interesting and useful. (Isoaimo)

• My parents set up posters of Jesus in my room. They told me that Jesus would protect me from evil spirits. (Guan)

• We hold crusades where village youth can come together and showcase their talent in music and keep themselves busy. (Joumkalop)

• The German Lutheran strategy for communicating new concepts was to adopt the local vernacular instead of introducing new, foreign words. (Joumkalop)

• Initial proclamation through... formation of catechists and Church leaders; religious instruction in the primary level. (FMA Sideia)

1.2 Most young people—and people in general—are receptive to the proclamation of the Gospel. They seek to learn more about the Faith and live it honestly. They appreciate youth gatherings and give importance to the Word of God. Their devotion to the Virgin Mother Mary leads them to faithful discipleship and promotion of the dignity of women. Open to the Word, they seek fuller sacramental life.

• People are generally very grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the Faith—e.g. week-long bible seminar in Kiriwina. (Cabrido)

• Young people appreciate youth gatherings: e.g. Youth for Mary Camp; Salesian Youth Movement Camp; Leadership Training; Servanthood and Leadership Training (SALT) Program. (Cabrido)

• Young people like to be involved. Activities should be practical. (Turuk)

• Young people are willing (Kanatabu)

• While the (DBTI) students lack knowledge of their faith, they show eagerness to learn... and are attracted to live their faith. Thirst for the faith is evident in the questions they ask in class. They query and seek answers rooted in God’s Word. (FMA Pom)

• They value their dignity as persons created in God’s image... dignity of women; issues regarding gender/sexual discrimination and domestic violence are addressed. (FMA Pom)

• The impact of the Blessed Virgin in the lives of the young is evident in two youth groups—the DBTI Marian group and the 300 Youth for Mary. Devotion to her leads... to a deepening of an experience of God... to enrich their prayer and sacramental life. (FMA Pom)

• The importance of the Word of God is evidenced in the Lectors & Commentators group. The 9 adult women of the ADMA (DBTS Gabutu) ... manifest the «wisdom of life» as they grow in the faith. (FMA Pom)

• The people are receptive to the proclamation of the Good News... (they) realize the «superiority of the power of Jesus especially over evil» (Bosquez).

• Many adults have not yet been baptized. This year in DBTS Gabutu, 18 adults were baptized; 38 received first communion; 50 were confirmed. (Swer)

1.3 However, for some, initial proclamation is—at best—superficial. Family members belong to various churches and denominations. Couples simply live together devoid of sacramental blessings. Too busy with life’s affairs and unsettled by rapid social changes, young people and adults forgo deepening in the Faith and are attracted, instead, to the pursuit of pleasure and fun. Consequently, this has led to a loss of Catholic identity.

• Initial proclamation is superficial (Kachira).

• «Members of the same family belong to different churches and sects» (Kachira).

• «The faith of the parents is questionable... no marriage except custom marriage, hence reception of Communion is not possible» (Kachira).

• Godparents are not chosen judiciously and, consequently, cannot help the child to grow in the faith. «Even teenagers are accepted as godparents» (Kachira).

• In many communities, the youth are not “Alive in Christ”. They are too busy living their lives based on material goods, especially money. (Lawrence)

• Many young people and adults are «not serious about their religion». Their understanding of the Faith is superficial. They know that it is “good” to live by God’s commandments but are unaware of the reasons for this. «Perhaps there is not enough chance to talk about Jesus in the school curriculum... except in religion class». (Cho)

• Young people and adults alike are unsettled by the rapid social and technological changes. They must be involved in active participation in witnessing to Christ. (Mogona)

• Young people in the city are attracted to other events—sports tournaments, “fun”—rather than initial proclamation. (Cabrido)

• Living the Gospel values was very strong in the past. People had respect for one another and the mission. However, the departure of more and more expatriate missionaries has resulted in a diminishing of respect for Catholic identity. (Joseph)

1.4 Some evidences point to a failure in initial proclamation. Enthusiasm quickly vanishes and knowledge is cerebral and non-transformative. People cling to traditional customs even when these are contrary to Christian belief. The reception of the sacraments is perfunctory, i.e. carried out with minimum of effort or reflection. Some actually engage in evil practices.

• One doubts whether there has been any initial proclamation at all (Kachira).

• Many communities are rarely visited by missionary, mostly just twice a year. Consequently, communities grow «without knowing the prayers and the Scriptures». Baptism becomes merely a «custom without any real significance». Christians grow up «without ever knowing the basics of the faith and awareness of their responsibilities» (Kachira).

• The initial enthusiasm quickly vanishes after the first few visits... as the people expect «material benefits». The enthusiastic missionary questions whether he is «wasting energies» and wonders «what the people really need» (Kachira).

• When transmission of the faith is simply «knowledge based» it does not transform lives. What is needed is a «conviction in the proclamation of the truth». (Isoaimo)

• Students do not want to be rejected by their friends. They feel they are «losers» if they have to sacrifice what gives pleasure, such as drugs or sex. (Isoiamo)

• 3/5 of my people practice traditional customs and traditional religious practices even while they call themselves Christian. (Mel)

• Initial proclamation has little impact on the lives of young people and adults today because most hold on to their own belief. They see the proclamation of Jesus «as the “stori tumbuna” of the Israelites». (Banama)

• Some young people ignore the proclamation of Christ, especially those who join practices like the “generation cult”⁴. (Maeka)

Question 2. In Oceania what questions emerge, what challenges are there and what opportunities are presented for the initial proclamation in your particular context?