Italian Priest Hailed For Peace Efforts In Papua New Guinea

Catholics in Papua New Guinea delivered emotional messages as they bid farewell to an elderly Italian missionary priest who served the country for over five decades and was admired for his efforts for peace during the civil war.

Father Dario Monegatti, a member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) left the country after 52 years for retirement, he first arrived in PNG in 1971. The SVD said the priest had dreamed of doing missionary work since he was in a minor seminary.

Besides his regular pastoral work for people in the country’s remote areas, the priest is credited for his significant role in promoting peace during the Bougainville civil war from 1989-1991. The conflict left an estimated 15,000–20,000 people dead.

The conflict dubbed the largest in Oceania since the end of World War II, erupted between the security forces of Papua New Guinea and the secessionist forces of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), and between the BRA and other armed groups on Bougainville.

“The whole situation had been a challenge to Fr. Dario in his way, he had exerted efforts in peacemaking, visiting the prisoners of war camps daily, offering physical and spiritual guidance including food and clothing to them, and giving them spiritual advice,” the SVD said.

“He never stopped dreaming for peace and he continued to work for it. He preached so much of peace in his Sunday homilies,” it said.

In 2013 he was given the country’s Loguhu Award, Companion of the Order of the Star of Melanesia for his service to the PNG people.

His extraordinary work led Catholics to deliver a touching message for the priest’s farewell and recalled their experiences with him.

Catholics offered heartwarming messages to the priest and recalled their experiences with him as the missionary prepared to leave the country.

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