Preparation Ceremony, Papua New Guinea
The Christian Brothers in Papua New Guinea
"… We look forward to being connected with you...Live Jesus in our hearts!..."
~ Br Bernard White, 2022
Br Bernard White, Edmund Rice Life Training Centre at Vuvu, Papua New Guinea, 2022
Callan Services was established by the Christian Brothers in Papua New Guinea in 1991 and over the past three decades has led the way in building services for people with disabilities.
Disability Services for Papua New Guinea
Callan Services was established by the Christian Brothers in Papua New Guinea in 1991 with the support of CBM (Christian Blind Mission) and Save the Children and over the past three decades has led the way in building services for people with disabilities.
Br Graeme Leach pioneered the service in Wewak on the north-west coast of Papua New Guinea for the education of children with disabilities. This was done in collaboration with the Catholic Diocese of Wewak and eventually under government legislation this became known as Callan Special Education Resource Centre (SERC) Wewak.
Callan Services is involved in the training of personnel to work with people with physical, sensory and mental disability. The national unit working in partnership with national and international, government and non-government partners and agencies, also addresses social disadvantage, promotes specialist health services and mounts disability prevention programs in rural communities.
Following two decades with Br Leach at the helm as Callan Service Foundation Director, Br Kevin Ryan was welcomed into the role, stepping down in 2021.
"Br Kevin Ryan with his strength of purpose, compassion and determination will see through Graeme's legacy and continue to produce a service with which the Christian Brothers and the people of Papua New Guinea can be proud"
~ Br Vince Duggan, Oceania Province Leader 2008
~ Br Vince Duggan, Oceania Province Leader 2008
Learn about our history
The Oceania Province assists people wishing to source material about the Christian Brothers and more specifically about the Brothers in the Oceania Region.
Since 1802 the work that Edmund Rice started has spread to 30 countries….
The Christian Brothers first came to parts of the Oceania Province in 1843. The presence of the Christian Brothers in Oceania began in Sydney and quickly spread throughout Australia, to New Zealand and then later through Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Timor Leste.
Highland Territory, Hand-built rope bridge, Papua New Guinea