Archbishop Francesco Panfilo is someone nobody can ever forget. His former students describe him to be well-loved, truly relatable, sports-minded, very approachable, and full of energy. He always made himself available to anyone who needed him.
When asked how his Salesian training helped him in his mission in Papua New Guinea (PNG), he said, “Salesians are involved in the youth. As a young man, I’ve always wanted to be a missionary, to go to remote villages, etc. I was sleeping anywhere and eating what they were offering and somehow, this was appreciated by the people. I’ve always believed in having personal contact with the people, especially the poor.”
When he arrived in PNG, he experienced a personal crisis but he shared, “On May 6, 1997 (Feast of St. Dominic Savio), I arrived as a provincial delegate of PNG. Then on May 24 (Feast of Mary, Help of Christians) after communion they sang a song entitled, ‘Galilee song’. The chorus says, ‘So I leave my boats behind, leave them on familiar shores; set my heart upon the deep and follow you once more, my Lord’. I felt the song was speaking to me. That was one powerful message the Lord gave me and so I felt peaceful and accepted it.”
His coat of arms bears the motto “Duc in altum,” which means, “set out in the deep.” These are the words of Jesus to Peter when, after His preaching, He commanded Peter to cast his net in the sea. In 2001, Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic letter, told the bishops that it is not the time to relax, but the time to set out into the deep. The Pope’s message was a confirmation of his motto! Archbishop Panfilo added, “I took ‘Duc in altum’ as my motto without knowing actually where and when I was going. I didn’t know anything about PNG and I got the Galilee song as the theme song of my ordination.”
And true to his motto, he indeed set out in the deep. In PNG, he was known as the “Island Bishop.” In the two dioceses he took care of namely, Alotau and Rabaul, he visited, served, and assisted the faithful in many ways. He did his best to reach out to the natives by proclaiming the word of God, celebrating the sacraments and building the Christian community. Some of the parishes are located in the deepest depths of the jungle and the highest mountains. Some do not have roads, and the only way to go to those places is to walk for several hours, climb up and go down the steep mountain, and ride a helicopter or a canoe to go from one island to another. The people loved him because he was the only bishop who went to the remote areas where no other archbishop has gone before- not even politicians! The natives admired him because despite him already in his 70’s, the rugged terrain did not stop him from visiting them. He truly left an indelible mark in the hearts of the people.
In a documentary made by Jesse Katusele, a native of PNG, he described the Archbishop as “a great man who inspired my life. I don’t need to look far to find Christ. He is a shepherd who has the voice of Christ, a companion who guided me with the flame of the Holy Ghost.” Similarly, Sr. Daisy Lisania, a nun also from PNG, said, “He is a holy man who has a pastoral mind and a big heart for the people. He almost lost his life many times, but despite that, his love for God and the people never wavered.”
He indeed loved the people and demonstrated great concern for them. This was best displayed when the people of Pomio asked for his help on land issues they faced then. The natives were forced to sign an agreement with a foreign company without being given a proper explanation and its consequences. What was striking was, the one who relayed this anecdote was not even a Catholic and yet, he said, “We know that the Catholic Church will not abandon us.” After the gathering, there was a woman who came to him with a baby in her arms and cried asking, “What will be the future of this baby?” Thus, Archbishop Panfilo became the voice of the voiceless, as he openly spoke about the issues affecting the lives of simple people.
He was given an award because of his numerous involvements in the lives of the people. Archbishop Panfilo recalled, “In 2017, I was happy because they acknowledged my being a Salesian, I was given the Logohu Award, the highest award given in PNG with the title of a Chief, and is good for about 45 people, and the reason was because of my involvement as a Salesian.”
Now retired, we are truly blessed to have him once again with us in DBST. May we all be inspired by the examples of this holy man, of his dedication and love for God and fellowmen. Indeed, Archbishop Panfilo lived out his motto: “Duc in altum.”
