WelCom September 2022
Fr Philip Gibbs svd, originally from Lower Hutt, and now President of Divine Word University (DWU) in Madang, Papua New Guinea, recently celebrated his 75th birthday and 50 years of vows to the priesthood.
After leaving St Bernard’s College Lower Hutt in 1964, Philip began his studies at Holy Name seminary in Christchurch but soon recognised his calling was for missionary work in Oceania. Ordained in 1978 in Hamilton, Philip’s first assignment was in the remote Porgera-Paiela region in the Western Highland province of Papua New Guinea.
From there he balanced academic studies with practical grassroots ministry over many years. Philip completed his PhD in Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome in 1995. This led to several teaching roles in Manila, to Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and an internship with VIVAT International at the United Nations. [VIVAT is an NGO with more than 25,000 sisters, brothers and priests from 11 Catholic Religious Congregations, working in 120 countries promoting human rights through advocacy at international and local levels.]
Philip’s life has taken him to every continent including Antarctica where he had the honour to bless the Air New Zealand memorial on Mt Erebus. Over more recent years Philip has been involved in research field work for HIV-AIDS and Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV). In 2019 he was awarded an OBE for his dedicated work with the peoples of PNG.
Now as President of DWU he considers that it’s a real challenge and a privilege being in charge of a young multicultural university in a developing country. There are serious financial and social issues to deal with. Philip says, ‘Each day I am encouraged knowing we are providing an educational opportunity on five campuses for some 4000 students. In our publications we contribute to new knowledge. Our earliest SVD missionaries who arrived on this land 125 years ago in 1896 witnessed to the Word in isolated villages. Here we are today witnessing to the Word at a university with internet access to the educational resources available in the global village.’
DWU is a leading tertiary institution that is ecumenical, co-educational and privately governed, with some government support. The university’s educational philosophy is rooted in the Catholic tradition and well-articulated in a charter in which it states, ‘the institution should be a Christian community based on love for all people for each other, because each is a child of God’.
The university motto: Sic currite ut comprehendatis (Run to win) calls for success — not in a ruthless competitive way but as an honest effort to achieve one’s full potential. Students come from all twenty-two provinces of PNG and from abroad including Solomon Islands. DWU has special interest to advance opportunities for individuals from isolated rural communities to help build the economic and social capacity of the region.
In a country with very high levels of gender-based violence DWU has a special interest in providing educational opportunities for women. Parents favour the university as a place where their daughters can grow and mature in peace, safety and respect. Of more than 1700 students currently enrolled at the Madang campus, more than half are women.
The university has invested significantly in information communication technology. They have pioneered the ‘one laptop for staff and students’ policy so that everyone is issued with a laptop at the beginning of their time at the university.
Philip has travelled the world encountering rich and deep experiences as well as building an impressive academic record. His visits to New Zealand are infrequent but provide opportunities to gain some ‘R&R’ before returning to the country he now considers ‘home’.
Fr Philip Gibbs svd, originally from Lower Hutt, and now President of Divine Word University (DWU) in Madang, Papua New Guinea, recently celebrated his 75th birthday and 50 years of vows to the priesthood.
After leaving St Bernard’s College Lower Hutt in 1964, Philip began his studies at Holy Name seminary in Christchurch but soon recognised his calling was for missionary work in Oceania. Ordained in 1978 in Hamilton, Philip’s first assignment was in the remote Porgera-Paiela region in the Western Highland province of Papua New Guinea.
From there he balanced academic studies with practical grassroots ministry over many years. Philip completed his PhD in Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome in 1995. This led to several teaching roles in Manila, to Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and an internship with VIVAT International at the United Nations. [VIVAT is an NGO with more than 25,000 sisters, brothers and priests from 11 Catholic Religious Congregations, working in 120 countries promoting human rights through advocacy at international and local levels.]
Philip’s life has taken him to every continent including Antarctica where he had the honour to bless the Air New Zealand memorial on Mt Erebus. Over more recent years Philip has been involved in research field work for HIV-AIDS and Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV). In 2019 he was awarded an OBE for his dedicated work with the peoples of PNG.
Now as President of DWU he considers that it’s a real challenge and a privilege being in charge of a young multicultural university in a developing country. There are serious financial and social issues to deal with. Philip says, ‘Each day I am encouraged knowing we are providing an educational opportunity on five campuses for some 4000 students. In our publications we contribute to new knowledge. Our earliest SVD missionaries who arrived on this land 125 years ago in 1896 witnessed to the Word in isolated villages. Here we are today witnessing to the Word at a university with internet access to the educational resources available in the global village.’
DWU is a leading tertiary institution that is ecumenical, co-educational and privately governed, with some government support. The university’s educational philosophy is rooted in the Catholic tradition and well-articulated in a charter in which it states, ‘the institution should be a Christian community based on love for all people for each other, because each is a child of God’.
The university motto: Sic currite ut comprehendatis (Run to win) calls for success — not in a ruthless competitive way but as an honest effort to achieve one’s full potential. Students come from all twenty-two provinces of PNG and from abroad including Solomon Islands. DWU has special interest to advance opportunities for individuals from isolated rural communities to help build the economic and social capacity of the region.
In a country with very high levels of gender-based violence DWU has a special interest in providing educational opportunities for women. Parents favour the university as a place where their daughters can grow and mature in peace, safety and respect. Of more than 1700 students currently enrolled at the Madang campus, more than half are women.
Source: Catherine Gibbs
The university has invested significantly in information communication technology. They have pioneered the ‘one laptop for staff and students’ policy so that everyone is issued with a laptop at the beginning of their time at the university.