Roger Purcell MSC, Movement for a Better World, new book

                                The History of the Movement for a Better World in

                         Papua New Guinea 1975-2020

                                                   Roger Purcell MSC

During his many years in PNG, Roger worked extensively with the Movement for a Better World.

“We want to be a school of inspirers of the Church because the Church is the inspiration of the world, the soul of history... we want to create inspirers of the world, of the Church for a Better World.” [Riccardo Lombardi SJ, School of Prophets]

Here in a nutshell is the inspiration of the Founder of the Movement for a Better World, Fr Riccardo Lombardi SJ.

This work is essentially a record of the work of the Movement for a Better World in Papua New Guinea from 1975 onwards. It is not intended as an academic historical work. It records the history of this Movement and the people in it and will be of interest to those who became part of the movement, members of the Group and those influenced by it.

Fr Riccardo Lombardi was born in Naples Italy on March 28, 1908, and died in Rome on December 14, 1979. As a young Jesuit priest he saw the destruction and misery of the world after the Second World War and began preaching for a reform of the Church in order to build a better world. From this beginning he founded the Movement for a Better World, and the group that was to promote it, which he called the Promoting Group.

In this context, Riccardo Lombardi, began a career of preaching and teaching at the University Padua and other Universities and writing in the Catholic journal La Civilta Catholica He preached a New World and reform of the Church recognizing the depth of disillusionment and despair in the people, and striking a chord of hope. He attracted many people to hear him speak, moving from lecture halls to churches and basilicas and into the public squares. He was the first in the church to use radio with his talks being heard all over Italy and broadcast through amplifiers to thousands in the squares.

Pope Pius XII called him “Il Microfono di Dio”, “The Microphone of God”. He called for a movement towards a “New World” gathering many people behind him and a growing group of supporters. It was Pope Pius who renamed the movement for a “Better World”, recognizing it on February 10, 1952 the document the “Proclamation for a Better World”.

Published by

COMMUNITY ANIMATION SERVICE PNG, pp. 229.

PO Box 54

Mt Hagen, WHP, Papua New Guinea