Pope Francis in Indonesia – and some MSC Connections.
Below is the text from this poster noting the music connections with the Papal Mass.
Missionaries from our Dutch Province were the first in Indonesia, especially after World War II. For many years now, the Indonesian Province has been, and still is, our largest Province worldwide.
The Australian Province has many links with Indonesia, chaplains for the Indonesian community in Sydney and beyond, shared ministries at times in the Pacific, Vietnam, Japan, four men participating in the Siloam, Spiritual Direction program at the Heart of Life Centre, including two last year. Recently, Roger Purcell, Director of the MSC Mission Office was in Indonesia. Delegates to the biennial APIA conference will meet later this month in India. The MSC are strong in the Asia Pacific region, Provinces in Indonesia, Australia, PNG, Pacific Islands, Philippines, Korea, India, the Japanese community and the community in Vietnam.
From the General Superior:
“Pope Francis has been in Indonesia these days for his 4-country Apostolic Visit and is on his way to Papua New Guinea.I found it interesting to share some great details for us as MSC. Our confreres in Indonesia have had a very active participation in this celebration. Besides the three MSC Bishops participating, many of our confreres were concelebrating, with MSC parishioners joining the events also. Fr. Harry Singkoh, MSC was the organist and organizer of the choir during the Papal Mass. Also before the Mass, our two MSC confreres, Frs. Sisko Alexander and Alo Tamnge performed a song, together with other religious. I think this is a heartwarming news that speaks of of our MSC Presence in Indonesia and an inspiration for all of us in the congregation.”
You might like to read these notes on the Province, written at the time of the APIA gathering in Sydney in 2018,
MSC Mendiptana
There is a great MSC richness that I could feel while coming to know so many of our MSC confreres, who come from an immense cultural diversity. And I underline the richness because every day I had the opportunity to meet new MSC confreres, each with great values and engaged in so many different apostolic ministries.
To feel the greatness in the quality of the missionary dedication and commitment, but also the numerical greatness of the MSC Missionary force in the midst of the more than 18,000 islands that make up this immense country.
The province of Indonesia is made up of 345 MSC, distributed in five Districts together with the provincial and formation communities. The MSC Districts are as follows: Central Java/South Kalimantan; Mollucas; West Papua; Sulawesi/Kalimantan East.; Jakarta/Western Kalimantan-Sumatra.
The Pope;s visit was pastoral
MSC Mollucas
Each District has so many strengths and riches especially in its members that it is impossible to summarize them here. Of course, there are great challenges that each person and therefore each MSC District is called upon to face. There is so much life emerging from within each confrere, from within the different apostolic works and, above all, from within each Culture. I was also able to experience in a special way the source of life that emerges through the witness of the lay brothers and sisters. The Chevalier Family is very much alive and in some places especially committed to the mission.
Community life has to remain a priority, as well as initial and ongoing formation. Leadership formation at all levels is also important, especially at the level of District Leadership Teams. Trying to do Generative Listening with the confreres, I felt the cry of the need for ongoing formation based on processes of integral human development.
The Pope's visit was for the Church, including our three MSC Bishops
Another wonderful element is the abundance of vocations, it gives much hope to feel and listen to the life that cries out in the hearts of so many young MSC in formation. They invite us to a truly prophetic commitment after the witness of our confreres killed at Langgur in 1942. The heritage of their martyrs is helping our brothers in Indonesia face, with prophetic and missionary Spirit, this moment of transformation that we are living today as society and as Church.
Worthy of mention is the accompaniment in the reconstruction of life in Palu, Central Sulawesi, as well as the different commitments to the defense of the environment and human rights especially in West Papua. One should also mention the commitment to the integral development of people, and the promotion of education, rehabilitation and Credit Unions, among others.
Being a minority in Indonesia has been an opportunity rather than a weakness. Being a minority as Catholics, the members have developed an authentic spirit of family, fraternity and mutual support. The parishioners know each other and help each other.
TARIMA KASI. (From the General Bulletin)
The Pope's visit was for peace and for interfaith and intercultural affirmation.
