During the Christmas break from the middle of November 2024 until the end of January 2025, when our seminarians went to their dioceses and families, the security of the seminary infrastructure was assured by a group of youth from different communities and seminarians of the Archdiocese of Port Moresby. A group of 20 young men also had a program of formation (daily Eucharist, prayers, talks); they worked to maintain the seminary in good condition, played sports and had some trips outside as well.

3-7 February – Annual retreat facilitated by Clement Papa, archbishop coadjutor of Mount Hagen. We concluded the retreat time by a pilgrimage to the Salesian sanctuary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in East Boroko.

8 February – Solemn opening of the formation year 2025 with the Eucharist celebrated by Archbishop Clement Papa, Superior General Assistant of the Vincentians, Fr. Gregorio Banaga, and the Charge d’affair of the Apostolic Nunciature Monsignor Federico Boni. During this Mass we celebrated the official handover of the outgoing (Berry Tabokom) and incoming (Roland Sokap) seminarians’ presidents with the words of thanksgiving and promises. The evening continued with a dinner and a social program.

26 February – The 4th Death Anniversary Year of Late Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare. As the founding father of this country, the Nation as a whole commemorates this day he passed on. He was a prominent figure and a very important person in which as a local or native of this land can honor this day in remembrance of him. Not only for his leadership as prime minister but on other aspects of his life as a leader and for bringing this nation to what is now today. As a usual celebration in the seminary to acknowledge the birthdays, the second part of the day in the evening, we remembered the seminarians who were born on the month of the January and February.

7 March – From this day, each Friday of Lent we celebrate Stations of the Cross.

14 March – All of the community of the seminary went to visit Port Moresby Nature Park. During the visit guided by the staff of the education department we could learn all the details of this park. It was surprising that we were introduced to a new endemic species of the cassowary by the tour guide. So we really enjoyed the diversity of plants and animals as the tour guide guided us through the whole Park.

15 March – INCIDO Builders concluded the installation of 9 new rain water tanks. We were encouraged to do this because of the often happening shortage of the water provided by the Water PNG. This was possible thanks to the subsidy received from Missio Munich.

24 March – Formative session on the physical health and prevention presented by Dr. Norbert Rehlis, owner of the dental clinic who proved the check up and treatment for our seminarians during the academic year.

26 March – First annual meeting of the Episcopal Board of the Holy Spirit Seminary. The second is scheduled for October. From the left: Fr. Marcin Wróbel CM – spiritual and pastoral director, Fr. Solomon Akaya – vice-rector, bishop Donald Lippert OFM Cap. of Mendi, Sir John Card. Ribat MSC – archbishop of Port Moresby and chair of the board, Bishop Rolando Santos CM of Alotau, Fr. Zenon Szablowinski SVD – president of the Catholic Theological Institute and Fr. Jacek Tendej CM – rector (taking the picture).

30 March – We celebrated the birthdays of the brothers who born on this month. The acknowledgement put a smile on their faces which means a lot to them as they journey in this second womb of life.

4-5 April – As usual the monthly recollection was led by our spiritual and Pastoral Director, Fr. Marcin. W. It was a very reflective recollection that he asked us to make our own cross, the cross that represents our crosses that we carry in our lives, which we then presented during the Holy Mass.

12 April – Out of our common place of worship, this Saturday we have our dawn Rosary and Mass at the spy mountain which Fr. Solomon Akaia was the celebrant.

13 April – We began the Palm Sunday procession at Mazuconi Hall with our palm leaves singing hosanna in procession to the Chapel. Fr. Solomon was the main celebrant of the Holy Mass, with Fr. Angelo (SDB) and Fr. Noel (SVD) concelebrating.

15 April – Chrism Mass was celebrated at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Many priests, religious sisters and faithful were present as the CTI community celebrated the Liturgy. The main celebrant was His Eminence Sir John Cardinal. Ribat, who blessed the chrism oils and at the same time we witnessed all the priests who were present renewed their priestly vows.

17-19 April – The Easter Triduum was celebrated as the CTI community. The lecturers, students seminarians, ancillary staff members, as well as faithful parishioners were present. We began with the Lord’s Supper celebration (Maundy Thursday), then the stations of the Cross (Good Friday) inside CTI campus, then the veneration of the cross in the evening which Fr. Wladyslaw Mazir (SVD) was the animator (celebrant).

19 April – “Alleluia He is risen”. We celebrated the Easter vigil with a bonfire outside, and we processed into the chapel carrying our candles representing Christ as our new light. The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Jacek. Tendej CM, the rector of the Holy Spirit Seminary, with other brother priests from different colleges in CTI who were concelebrants.

21 April – The Easter break was spent at the Adventure Park. It was full of fun as different games were played and the most outstanding one was the tin fish competition facilitated by Fr. Solomon and the brothers, in which the winner got the prize.

27 April – We acknowledges the birthdays of the brothers who were born on the month of April. You can see them smiling with their flash drives in their hands as their birthday presents.

2-5 May – After the end of the first trimester, the brothers were departing to their areas of holiday for two weeks of pastoral breaks. Thus, this was the last Sunday in the college before they depart.

6 May – We celebrated the 20th anniversary of death of the Late Joseph Peter Wal, who was a prominent figure of this country’s building and development. We animate the liturgy, in which Fr. Solomon was the main celebrant and Fr. Noel concelebrant.

11 May – We celebrated Mother’s Day with the mothers with the assistance of Fr. Solomon. We prepared ice-cream and cake for them to make their day more special as our faithful parishioners and mothers.

15 May – For those of us who remain in the college for the holiday, we went for our outing to Boira beach with Fr. Bruno and Fr. Solomon. We really enjoy the beauty of the place.

18 May – It was a great privilege to have him with us as he share his last wisdoms for the last time before leaving Papua New Guinea, his grace, Archbishop Douglas Young (SVD) the Emeritus Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mt. Hagen. He was the main celebrant with Fr. Jacek Tendej CM concelebrating.

19 May – We had our formation session in which each brother was sharing his experiences from the places where they went for their break. The facilitator of the session was the vice Rector Fr. Solomon Akaya.

25 May – We celebrated the birthdays of the 14 brothers born in May - the largest monthly. Birthday group in the seminary - as we do traditionally on the last Sunday of the month.

8 June – The Feast day of the Holy Spirit Seminary which the Bishop of Alotau, his Lordship, Rolando Santos presided over the Holy Mass with other rectors and formators from other colleges. The day was blessed with two events; the investiture or reception of the cassocks and the first Holy Communion.

17 June – We had our outing to Boera beach where we had a beach walk enjoying the cool breeze of Motuan Coastline.

20 June – The Grand finale of the mini ball games in the college. The grand final winners are Blessed Peter Torot (Soccer) and St. Peter (Rugby). In the evening of the same day we inaugurated the use of the newly purchased snooker table.

22 June – The Corpus Christy Sunday. The Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. Marcin W. and after the Mass we began our procession with the Blessed Sacrament from the chapel and we finished at the 4th Altar in front of the refectory.

27 June – As part of the Catholic Theological Institute, we celebrated the CTI Day at our chapel. We are blessed to have him, Abp. Maurizio Bravi – Apostolic Nuncio of PNG & SI, who was the main celebrant of Holy Mass with the rectors, formators and lecturers of CTI and other benefactors and other Catholic faithful.

The offertory procession by the New Guinea Islands brothers with their local style of dress during the CTI Day.

29 June – We celebrated the birthdays of the brothers and Fr. Jacek who were born in June.

June-July – Following the tradition of the previous years, on Thursdays of June and July, we had a Polish Italian style dinner with the rector, in small groups of 12 seminarians, on the veranda of the staff house. After the meal we watched the pictures with the stories of the rector and also our shared the event of our lives.

7 July – Pope Leo XIV nominated rector of the Holy Spirit Seminary to be bishop of the diocese Alotau-Sideia. More on the official site of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

10 July – During the morning Eucharist we had celebration of the hand-over, take-over of the seminarians’ representatives. The outgoing team presided by Roland Sokap from diocese of Vanimo transferred the power in the symbol of a candle, to newly elected president Francis Jacob from the Diocese of Wabag.

13 July – Farewell of the statue of blessed Peter Torot from Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Bomana to Holy Rosary Parish in 6 Mile. The Mass was presided by the Fr. Jacek Tendej CM, rector of the Holy Spirit Seminary, who is leaving Bomana: both the seminary and parish, because Pope Leo the XIV nominated him bishop of Alotau-Sideia.

26 July – During the archdiocesan meeting of the Federation of the Religious of Port Moresby, our spiritual director Fr. Marcin Wróbel CM was elected vice-president of the federation.

28 July – Dr. Lucy John, internationally recognized medical doctor form the National Department of Health, presented to our seminarians a lecture about non-communicable diseases, also called life style diseases, such as: cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetes, chronic neurologic disorders (Alzheimer’s dementias) and arthritis/musculoskeletal diseases.

12-21 August – During the term break in our seminary, when seminarians went out of the seminary to the communities of the archdiocese of Port Moresby and dioceses of Bereina and Kerema, 63 of the diocesan priests (1-12 years of priesthood) came to the Holy Spirit Seminary to participate in the Ongoing Formation Workshop.

26 August – Farewell to Fr. Jacek Tendej CM, the rector of the Holy Spirit Seminary, who after 11 years of the formation service was moved to Alotau following the decision of Pope Leo the XIV, who nominated him bishop of the diocese Alotau-Sidea.