Diocese of Bereina, Papua New Guinea

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Bereina / 貝雷納 (正體中文) / Bereinitan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Port Moresby

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1959.07.16: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Yule Island (English) / Insulæ Yule (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Port Moresby)
1966.11.15: Promoted as Diocese of Bereina / 貝雷納 (正體中文) / Bereinitan(us) (Latin) (became suffragan of Port Moresby)
1971.01.16: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Kerema

Contact Info

Address: Bishop’s House, P.O. Box 300, Boroko, N.C.D. 111, Papua New Guinea

Phone: 32.56.102

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.07.16 – ...):

Bishop Otto Separy (66)

Vice-President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands

Ordinaries

Bishops of Bereina (Roman Rite)

Bishop Otto Separy (66)
(2019.07.16 – ...)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea)
Vice-President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands

Have no fear

Born:	1957.08.05 (Kubila, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1991.06.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.10.30

Priest of Wewak (Papua New Guinea) (1991.06.19 – 2007.07.02)

Titular Bishop of Pupiana (2007.07.02 – 2009.06.09)

Auxiliary Bishop of Aitape (Papua New Guinea) (2007.07.02 – 2009.06.09)

Bishop of Aitape (Papua New Guinea) (2009.06.09 – 2019.07.16)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (2019.07.16 – ...)

Vice-President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (2020.07.02 – ...)

Bishop Rochus Josef Tatamai, M.S.C. (61) (later Archbishop)
(2007.11.29 – 2018.06.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea)

God wantaim yumi

Born:	1962.09.24 (Raduna, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1989.11.26
Consecrated Bishop:	2005.09.29

Titular Bishop of Accia (2005.07.08 – 2007.11.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kerema (Papua New Guinea) (2005.07.08 – 2007.11.29)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (2007.11.29 – 2018.06.22)

Vice-President of Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (2010 – 2014)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (2017.05.03 – 2020.07.02)

Bishop of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (2018.06.22 – 2020.06.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) (2020.06.19 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Kavieng (Papua New Guinea) (2020.09.29 – 2023.06.24)

Bishop John Ribat, M.S.C. (67) (later Cardinal)
(2002.02.12 – 2007.04.16)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Battista de’ Rossi
Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea)

Peace through Jesus’ heart

Born:	1957.02.09 (Volavolo, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1985.12.01
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.02.11
Created Cardinal:	2016.11.19

Titular Bishop of Macriana minor (2000.10.30 – 2002.02.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (2000.10.30 – 2002.02.12)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (2002.02.12 – 2007.04.16)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (2007.04.16 – 2008.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (2008.03.26 – ...)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (2011.05 – 2014.05)

President of Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (2014.05 – 2018.04)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Battista de’ Rossi (2016.11.19 [2017.02.05] – ...)

Bishop Gérard-Joseph Deschamps, S.M.M.
(1999.01.02 – 2002.02.12)

Omnia omnibus pastor

Born:	1929.07.04 (Eastview, ON, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1954.03.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.01.21
Died:	2022.02.25 (Sainte-Dorothée, QC, Canada † 92)

Prefect Apostolic of Daru (Papua New Guinea) (1961.10.17 – 1966.11.15)

Bishop of Daru (Papua New Guinea) (1966.11.15 – 1987.09.04)

President of Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Soloman Islands (1987 – 1990)

Bishop of Daru–Kiunga (Papua New Guinea) (1987.09.04 – 1999.01.02)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (1999.01.02 – 2002.02.12)

Bishop Luke Paul Matlatarea, M.S.C.
(1988.06.21 – 1998.03.28)

Born:	1938.12.15 (Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1971.01.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.09.21
Died:	1998.03.28 († 59)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (1988.06.21 – 1998.03.28)

Bishop Benedict To Varpin (later Archbishop)
(1979.10.30 – 1987.01.26)

Got I lait bilong mi

Born:	1936.07.24 (Volavolo, Papua New Guinea)
Ordained Priest:	1971.01.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.03.19
Died:	2020.09.08 (Rabaul, Papua New Guinea † 84)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (1979.10.30 – 1987.01.26)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (1987.01.26 – 1987.12.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madang (Papua New Guinea) (1987.12.31 – 2001.07.24)

Bishop Louis Vangeke, M.S.C.
(1976.03.01 – 1979.10.30)

Born:	1904.06.25
Ordained Priest:	1937.06.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.12.03
Died:	1982.12.15 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Culusi (1970.09.21 – 1976.03.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) (1970.09.21 – 1976.03.01)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (1976.03.01 – 1979.10.30)

Archbishop Virgil Patrick Copas, M.S.C.
(Apostolic Administrator 1973 – 1976.03.01)

Bishop Eugène Klein, M.S.C. (later Archbishop)
(1966.11.15 – 1971.06.05)

Born:	1916.02.28 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1943.05.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.09.25
Died:	1992.12.07 († 76)

Titular Bishop of Echinus (1960.06.14 – 1966.11.15)

Vicar Apostolic of Yule Island (Papua New Guinea) (1960.06.14 – 1966.11.15)

Bishop of Bereina (Papua New Guinea) (1966.11.15 – 1971.06.05)

Titular Archbishop of Velebusdus (1971.06.05 – 1972.04.07)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Nouméa (New Caledonia) (1971.06.05 – 1972.04.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nouméa (New Caledonia) (1972.04.07 – 1981)

Vicars Apostolic of Yule Island (Roman Rite)

Bishop Eugène Klein, M.S.C. (later Archbishop)
(1960.06.14 – 1966.11.15)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop John Ribat, M.S.C. (67) (later Cardinal) (2000.10.30 – 2002.02.12)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bereina, Central

Kerema (↖), Lae (↑), Port Moresby (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 20,146 km²

Population: 100,360 Catholics (68.2% of 147,200 total)

Pastoral Centres: 15 parishes, 12 missions

Personnel: 11 priests (8 diocesan, 3 religious), 33 religious (4 brothers, 29 sisters)