Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
It is my responsibility as the Metropolitan of the New Guinea Islands’ Dioceses to announce with a heavy heart and great sadness the death of our beloved Bishop Bernard Unabali, Bishop of the Diocese of Bougainville.
He died at 1.49 p.m. (10th August, 2019, PNG time) at St. Luke’s Hospital of Manila, Philippines, where he was brought last Sunday.
Assisting him in his last moments were Fr, Beejay, MSP, other priests and some PNG Sisters, who witnessed, in the words of Sr. Daisy Lisania, MSC, “his peaceful death with no struggles. He looked so much at peace. His last words to Fr. Bill John on Tuesday: ‘I was in a beautiful place in my dream”. He is now in that beautiful place where “there shall be no more death or mourning, crying out or pain, for the former world has passed away” (Rev. 21:4).
I extend to the family of Bishop Bernard, to the clergy, to the religious men and women, and to the people of Bougainville Diocese our sincere condolences and the assurance of our prayers in these difficult moments.
The Vicar General of the Diocese of Bougainville, Fr. Polycarp Kaviak, will keep us informed in the coming days about the details of the funeral of our dear Bishop Bernard Unabali.
We entrust his soul to the mercy of God. May he rest in peace!
Source: Francesco Panfilo, SDB Archbishop of Rabaul
