Vincentians Australia CM International Mission

The Vincentians have several "'International Missions" - Missions that are the responsibility of the Superior General and Curia in Rome and/or the joint responsibility of several Provinces of the Congregation of the Mission. Such Missions include those at El Alto (Bolivia), Papua-New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Currently there are two members of the Australian Province of the Vincentians who are involved in the International Mission in the Solomon Islands - Fr Joeli Nabogi CM from Fiji, and Fr Greg Walsh CM from Australia.

Solomon Islands

The Mission in the Solomon Islands is served by a community of confreres from the Philippines, Indonesia, Slovenia-Croatia, Fiji and Australia. In June 2007, the APVC (Asia-Pacific Visitors Conference) pledged to assist in providing personnel to the international mission in the Solomon Islands. This assistance will cover personnel for the Holy Name of Mary Seminary, the Nazareth Apostolic Center, and the Good Shepherd parish – all located near the capital city of Honiara. As an international mission it will continue to encourage and welcome volunteer confreres from other Provinces outside of the region of APVC, especially those with expertise in the different fields of philosophy and theology.

The Seminary

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The Seminary Chapel
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Seminarians' Residence	Seminarians in the Classroom

From being a basic seminary engaged in the pre-theology formation of diocesan seminarians, Holy Name of Mary Seminary is now gradually being expanded into a full seminary, starting in February 2007.

Apostolic Centre and Parish

The Nazareth Apostolic Center serves to prepare catechists for their work in the various parishes of the dioceses in the Solomons. The parish is a relatively new foundation.


Apostolic Centre Chapel	Apostolic Centre Classroom
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Apostolic Centre Residence (Traditional Architecture)	Cultural Dance at Confirmation Mass

Vincentians and Formation

Candidates are beginning to be attracted to the Congregation of the Mission, and so consideration is being given as to how Vincentian Formation will be carried out. At this stage, prospective candidates for the Congregation of the Mission from the Solomon Islands will be the responsibility of the Australian Province, and in the short term, will undertake part of their formation at St Vincent's House, Wailoku, Fiji.

Vincentians with Superior General Fr Greg Gay CM (Centre)

Papua-New Gunea

The Vincentian Community was set up in Bomana, Port Moresby, in 2003. It is one of the international missions established by, and directly under the supervision of, the Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission. Bomana is well known for its prison as well as the War Memorial cemetery. Bomana is also home for Catholic Theological Institute (CTI), Holy Spirit Seminary (HSS), and seven other houses of formation belonging to different religious congregations. These are all located in one large campus. . The students of HSS come from 16 different dioceses in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

There are three Vincentian Confreres at Bomana - one from the Province of the Philippines, one from the Province of Colombia, and one from the Province of Puerto. Rico. The work at Bomana is mainly in the priestly formation of diocesan seminarians. There are 72 seminarians coming from 15 different dioceses in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. They come to Bomana for the last 6 years of their priestly training.

At this stage, prospective candidates for the Congregation of the Mission from Papua New Guinea will be the responsibility of the Australian Province, and in the short term, will undertake part of their formation at St Vincent's House, Wailoku, Fiji.

There is of course a second Vincentian community in Papua New Guinea in the province of Daru-Kiunga, near the border of West Papua. There are three confreres from the Province of Indonesia working there. One ministers to the refugees who have crossed the border from West Papua to PNG. The other two confreres carry out pastoral work in a bush parish. This mission is not an international mission, but under the care of the Vincentians of the Province of Indonesia.