Bishop Peter's Visit Makes Milestone.

Bishop Peter Houhou’s visit to Sacred Heart parish has made a momentous step in having him celebrate Christmas at the parish level.

“We are happy to have the first Bishop to celebrate Christmas with us and this is a historical event that is happening in our parish”. This was one of the speeches of a church leader who warmly welcomed him during his 10-day Christmas pastoral visit from 21st to 30th December.

Bishops' involvement in their pastoral programs before, during, and after Christmas highlighted some of the important activities that everyone was involved in celebrating.

On Sunday 22nd, 15 candidates received their sacrament of confirmation and Bishop Peter emphasized his message on the gift of the Holy Spirit. The next day, he visited a church on one of the surrounding islands.

 He celebrated Christmas Eve Mass on the 24th of  December commemorating the birth of Jesus. The next day, Christmas Day, he reminded everyone how God became man through the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus.

Bishop Peter Houhou continued to be involved in other activities until he celebrated Children’s Day on Saturday 28th and witnessed talented performances by the youths and the little ones.

On Sunday 30th, the feast of the Holy Family, he celebrated a special Mass for couples to renew their relationship as spouses.

 During the farewell celebration from afternoon until night, about 400 children from PPY, primary and secondary schools performed a show of great talent and creativity to expressing their performances in a more meaningful and significant way for all.         

Bishop Peter Houhou left for Gizo the next day, Monday, December 30, 2024.         

Bishop’s Visit shows some Significance.

Voruvoru Parish highlighted several important events that took place there from 8th to 11th December 2024.

During his visit, he was warmly welcomed to Sariana village before proceeding to Kandova village the next day. On the following day, he visited Tutu village, with his final destination being Voruvoru Parish Mission Station on 11 December said the parish priest, Fr. Thomas.

His pastoral visit was colorful and enjoyable for the parishioners, who flocked to witness additional blessings for the communities as our bishop continued his pastoral visit.

The highlight of the visit was the Sacrament of Confirmations, where about 100 candidates received the fire of faith, while 10 received their first Holy Communion at Tutu village.

It was a well-prepared program, with special emphasis on Bishop Peter's visits to these communities, giving everyone the opportunity to feel the presence of the Lord in the church.

In addition, the Bishop's pastoral journey reached isolated communities as far as Choiseul in the northeast, where he blessed elderly people and children and visited and met with people, including those with disabilities.

Diocese of Gizo Teachers Commemorate Teachers Day

Teachers from our diocese celebrated World Teachers Day on October 4th this year, joining the nation and the globe to commemorate the day.

They had their own style of organizing with fellow teachers and students, likewise in St. Peter Urban Training Center Gizo.

 An annual global celebration has continued since 1994, when UNESCO introduced it to recognize the pivotal role of teachers.

The day also commemorated the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers, which set international standards for teachers’ rights, professional development, and working conditions.

The recommendation was made to ensure that educators have access to the tools and assistance they need to do their jobs well.

And it is commemorated on October 5 every year to honor educators' significant influence on our lives.

They mentor us through important life stages, imparting knowledge and raising responsible citizens; they are frequently referred to as second parents.

This day honors their commitment and labor in forming society on a global scale.

Italian Power-man Farewell

On July 27, an Italian volunteer bids the diocese farewell here at the St. Peter compound in Gizo after helping to restore a solar power system.

 He's Mr. Alverio, and he works really hard, day and night, getting data by communicating with the boys from Solomon to Italy.      During his three weeks here, he was able to fix the pastoral center and Moli School's electricity.   Noro Parish also had the benefit of having him twice for their solar system.

   

During the farewell dinner, Fr. Dominic Soloko expressed gratitude for his availability and a gift from Italy for the diocese.

He stated that while bishop emeritus had accomplished many things for our diocese, sustaining them was the other concern. He stated that after the system failed, we were required to pay a high-priced Solomon Power bill. With Averio we shift to lower cost.

   

He adds that we will continue to pray for you, bishop emeritus, Paola, and the other Italian volunteers and benefactors.

Finally, everyone thanked him for his safe travels to Italy.