Fr Kevin Cantwell SVD has launched a book of reminiscences of his time as a missionary in Papua New Guinea, in which he says the focus is not on him, but on the people of PNG, the missionaries who have served there, and the lay catechists and local church members. 

Fr Kevin, who turned 90 in October, was a missionary in PNG from 1976 to 2003, first on the Sepik River and then in the Highlands, having been transferred there at the age of 48, after 16 years of appointments in Australia, including a time as Provincial.

Launching his book, Missionary, at a gathering of confreres, friends and fellow-missionaries from the PNG days, and in the presence of SVD Superior-General Fr Heinz Kuluke, Fr Kevin said it was not so much a continuous story but a collection of thoughts and experiences.

“The focus is on the people of PNG,” he said. “I wanted to show the character of the people.”

He said the book also had two other over-arching aims.

“I would like to create more mission awareness, and perhaps somewhere along the line, it could be used as a vocational tool,” he said.

“By showing some of the daily life of a missionary, it becomes more realistic and shows the missionary embedded in the daily life of PNG. And that life is a very interesting, challenging and spiritually fulfilling life.

“I hope it also shows the missionary as being not so much a ‘Holy Joe’ but a worker in the vineyard.”

Speaking at the launch, Fr Wim Valckx SVD, said the book came as a surprise to Fr Kevin’s confreres living at Marsfield.

“We would often tell him to write down his remembrances in a book, but what we didn’t realise was that he was doing just that,” Fr Wim said.

“This story is not just Kevin’s but a story about our missionary life. The book is full of insight. All these stories are little gems, often with something hilarious in them, without ever being disrespectful of the people.”

In officially launching the book, Fr Heinz thanked Fr Kevin for writing it.

“I’d like to thank you for this beautiful book,” he said. “It fills an important vacuum. We have many books about mission, but very few books of stories of the missionary life.

“I’m sure it will inspire a love missionaries worldwide.”

PHOTO, TOP RIGHT: SVD Superior-General Fr Heinz Kuluke and Provincial Fr Henry Adler congratulate Fr Kevin Cantwell on the launch of his book, Missionary (pictured, bottom left).