Installing a Bush Bishop

By “Pat”

ONE thinks instinctively of the instal tion of a Roman Catholic Bishop as an ecclesiastical occasion of great pomp and ceremony. The installation of our Bishop in Wewak was not like that.

The Most Reverend Leo Arkfeld, Vicar Apostolic of Central New Guinea, is a young man; an American. He returned to Chicago from Ndw Guinea for his con secration by Cardinal Stritch of that city last October 30. It was March 26 when he arrived back home in Wewak, in Northern New Guinea. Wewak, of course, is just a pin-point on the map.

It never was very big, but what there was of it was wiped out during the war.

There has been some rebuilding, but naturally there is even less of Wewak in 1949 than there was in 1942.

Bishop Arkfeld tried in all kinds of ways to avoid publicity and fuss, but just as his six feet four inches will not allow him to move around unnoticed, so his kindness and popularity made it impos sible for him to come home without being “properly congratulated.”

Over 30 missionaries had arrived by plane and boat to be present at the in stallation of their new shepherd and at 4 p.m. the tiny aircraft appeared above Wewak airstrip, the Bishop himself in the pilot’s seat but the controls handled, on this occasion, by the co-pilot. He was met by the Regional Superior, the Very Rev. F. B. Fastenrath and other mis sionaries and escorted to his new Palace —a half-finished building about the size of a week-end cottage. Here he was vested in his Episcopal robes and met all those present at the mission station. His house, the mission station, the church,

and the roads down which his procession passed to the church, had been lavishly decorated with palm fronds and flowers by the natives who were as anxious to pay tribute to their new Bishop as were his fellow-workers.

At the church the Papal Bull was read out; a few words were spoken in English and in Pidgin, the Episcopal Blessing was given—and the ceremony was over. Light refreshments were served and homely chatter continued late into the night.

THE District Officer of Wewak arrived late for the religious ceremony. It is usual for incoming planes to make a few circles of the town before landing— this gives our DO time to hop into a jeep and reach the aerodrome to greet any important visitors—but the Bishop thwarted Mr. Niall on this occasion, by coming in the back door, as it were, without fuss or bother.

The first Pontifical High Mass was held on the following Sunday morning. As the mission church could in no way cope with the thousands of natives, the back wall of the church was simply taken out and the space between house and church transformed into an open-air cathedral.

During the breakfast that followed the native children of the Catholic School gave a concert in Pidgin and in English.

During this, one little Melanesian made a speech of welcome in which he urged the Bishop to make Wewak his head quarters as the “airfield was so close and the people so good.”

This successful effort was rewarded by Bishop Arkfeld handing round plates of sweets among the schoolchildren.