Anglican Bishop "takes Ballarat" to Papua New Guinea

THE Anglican Diocese of Ballarat was taken to Papua New Guinea for a short time last night.Bishop Peter Ramsden of the Anglican Church in PNG visited the diocese clergy and laity at the Diocesan Centre to show what it is like to be an Anglican in his city.Fr Ramsden, who was consecrated bishop of Port Moresby last year, showed a film on his work in PNG and spoke about the country's projects.He said from his visit to Ballarat, people could learn what it was like to be an Anglican in a different setting."It's a challenging environment. Lots of people are unemployed. They have left their rural bush setting community and thrown into the city. We have a big program for HIV Aids," Fr Ramsden said.The Anglican Board of Mission Australia has supported Fr Ramsden's trip to Australia to commemorate the 12 Anglican martyrs of PNG who died between 1942 and 1943.Fr Ramsden said the Anglican church used the martyrs to help promote churches in PNG."Part of the church life is to remind people that they belong to a bigger church, not just in Ballarat, and to have a link in both ways," he said.Anglican Bishop of Ballarat Michael Hough, who lived in PNG for 15 years, said the links between Ballarat and PNG were building."Hopefully Peter's visit will help the link and also a link with Ballarat Grammar School," Fr Hough said.Fr Ramsden will speak to Ballarat Grammar School students today before visiting Newcastle, Sydney and Brisbane.