LEBANG, Indonesia - In celebration of the SMM Mission in Asia-Oceania 2022, the Ratu Rosari Parish in Lebang held a Grand Gathering of Young Catholics. “Moving together towards light while being strongly rooted in Catholic faith and culture” is the theme of the Grand Gathering. Grand Gathering was held on May 6-8, 2022. With only 150 participants, which is lesser than the first Grand Gathering in 2019, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of young people to meet and carry out activities that were scheduled at the beginning of the year during the plenary meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council...

PUTUSSIBAU, Indonesia - The opening of the SMM Mission celebration in Asia-Oceania in West Kalimantan was held on January 31, 2022. After the opening, each SMM parish had its own celebration of the SMM Mission in Asia-Oceania. The first to celebrate was the Parish of St. Antonius Padua, Mendalam. Then, on April 28-29, 2022, the Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (HSPMTB), Putussibau, also celebrated...

MALANG, Indonesia - Thursday, April 7, 2022, was a rare moment and a historic day for all of us—the big Montfortian family. On this day, 14 of our brothers and sisters bravely, consciously, and humbly dedicated themselves to Jesus through Mary. Originally, there were only 7 people at PMRSH (AMQAH) Malang, namely Ignatius Royke Kamu, Marietty Veronika Dua Lembang, Fransisca Wijayanti, Wiwik Murniwati, Elisabeth Lucy S. Pasereng, Theresia Supriyatin and R.A Susiana Dirgarini Yuliastuti. The other seven came from AMQAH of Jakarta, Batch II, who had been mentored by Father Jeje via zoom. They are Maria Leonora Linawati, Anastasia Erlin Natalia, Maria Prapti, Juliaty Raharjo, Maria Theresia Dwi Ena Anjar Cahyanti, Alodia Theodora Dina Santoso, Maria Margaretha Ratih Puspa. They spread out in several cities: Sidoarjo, Surabaya, Bali, Solo, Semarang, and Tangerang...

FLORES, Indonesia – On 25th March 2022, the Solemnity of Annunciation, 16 young men began their initial formation at Novisiat Montfortan in Ruteng, Flores. Their novitiate formation was initiated by a formal acceptance in the Morning Prayer of the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The celebration was presided by Fr. Kristianus Jumi NGAMPU SMM on behalf of the Provincial Superior of Indonesia, Fr. Antonius TENSI SMM...

MONTERADO, Indonesia - One of the agenda of St. Montfort Parish in filling the Asia-Oceanian Year of Mission is to introduce Our Lady in the Work of Salvation to the parishioners of Monterado. The background for choosing this theme was actually born from the request of the people themselves. They often complain to us about the ...

RUTENG, Indonesia - The series of activities for the opening of the Continental Mission Year (CMY) of Asia and Oceania 2022 was held lively in Ruteng, Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. All events were held at the Novitiate of Montfort Missionaries in Ruteng for two days, January 25-26, 2022...

KAPUAS HULU, WEST KALIMANTAN, Indonesia - Dear confreres, greetings of health and peace from us, Montfort Missionaries, in West Kalimantan region, Indonesia. I would like to share with you about our activities in the context of the opening of Continental Mission Year of Asia-Oceania in this region of mission...

LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia - Per aspera ad astra. This is a Latin phrase meaning “through toil to the stars”. By using this expression, Fr. Arnold SUHARDI, SMM, the Assistant General, in his homily, reflected on the time of illness, suffering and old age as an opportunity to get closer to God. This message was conveyed in a homily during the Eucharistic celebration of the blessing of the nursing home of La Saggese in Nggorang, Labuan Bajo on January 20, 2022...

LAWANG, Indonesia - On January 16, 2022, the echo of the song Rise and Shine as the theme song of the Asia-Oceania Continental Mission Year accompanied the journey of Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, members of the Association of Mary Queen of All Hearts (AMQAH) in Bandung, Jakarta, Malang, Solo and so on, as well as other members of the community in Indonesia. Members of the Montfort Youth headed to Lawang as the venue for the Eucharistic Celebration of the opening of the Asia-Oceania Continental Mission Year for the Java Region...

MALANG, Indonesia - It was on January 15, 2022 at 15.30 WIB when a light drizzle drenched the Montfort Seminary. Invited guests who are members of the Association of Mary Queen of All Hearts (AMQAH) began to arrive. The brothers and the sisters were ready to warmly welcome the guests. Guests were directed to the main entrance which has been used as a "photo gallery room" for the Montfortian missionary activities. There was a display of various documentations of activities, both from formation houses, mission houses, and parishes...

SINTANG, Indonesia - It has been more than two weeks that the town of Sintang in Indonesia is still flooded. The pathetic situation has been going on since October 21, 2021. So far, the water level has shown no sign of receding, on the contrary, it is rising. Indeed, in the first week, the water level was not too high as to deter residents from working and doing several activities. But, over the past week or so, the water level has risen in some places. Particularly on the banks of the Kapuas River, the water depth is about 1-3 meters. According to people here, these are the worst flash floods seen in Sintang...

RUTENG, Indonesia - We received abundant blessings again as a big family of the SMM Province of Indonesia this October. Deacon Hironimus Edison, SMM, 7 deacons of the Diocese of Ruteng and 1 deacon of the CICM congregation were ordained priests on October 14, 2021. The 9 deacons were ordained by Mgr. Sincerely Cyprian at the Cathedral of the Diocese of Ruteng. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the thing to be grateful for is that the Ruteng Diocese is still getting a harvest with the ordination of 9 new priests who happen to be local sons who all come from Ruteng Diocese. We should also be grateful that the Diocese of Ruteng is one of the fertile dioceses for priestly and religious vocations. Without exception for the extended family of the SMM Province of Indonesia, especially with the ordination of Fr. Hironimus Edison, SMM, this has added the strength of the ranks of the Indonesian Province SMM clergy who came from Flores Island, NTT...

BANDUNG, Indonesia - On September 24, 2021, around 5:00 Western Indonesia Time (WIT), Brother Petrus (Piet) VAN HOOF, SMM breathed his last, leaving a sombre- heartbreaking mood in the province. Our confreres in the Bandung Province community held a Requiem Mass led by Fr. Niko SCHNEIDERS, SMM. Two days later, the body was flown from Jakarta to Pontianak then to Menurai for burial...

MALANG, Indonesia – On August 15, 2021, it became a blessed day for the Montfortians in the Province of Indonesia because, as it coincided with the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary to Heaven, Bro. Sintus, SMM and Bro. Aran, SMM, who had attended the consecration ceremony the day before, made their perpetual vows...

KALIMANTAN, Indonesia – On Easter Day 2021, in the midst of a resurging pandemic, the Parish priest of the Epiphany Parish sent us to hold a service at the farthest station, which is called the Tanjung Lokang Station. In addition to celebrating the entire Easter mystery, we had the opportunity to have a dialogue and share our faith with several community leaders. From this dialogue and sharing, there are several pastoral concerns that demand real action. First, the dualism between Catholics and Protestants regarding respect for the dead. Second, the limited understanding of the Catholic faith has an impact on the appreciation of the faith which is purely administrative in nature. Again, they are not able to account for the Catholic faith in the face of satire or attacks that are blaming the Catholic faith from Protestant circles. Third, the assistance of early childhood and youth, as well as Catholic Youth, is very minimal. This leaves them with insufficient knowledge of the faith from an early age and lacks interest in being involved in Church activities...

WEST KALIMANTAN, Indonesia - New history was created in the pilgrimage of the Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Pontianak and also of the Montfort Missionaries of the Province of Indonesia. On July 20, 2021, a new parish was formed in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, precisely in the District of Monterado, Bengkayang Regency, West Kalimantan Province. Present in this celebration were the Regent of Bengkayang, the Chairman of the Bengkayang House of Representatives, the Provincial of SMM Indonesia, and the Archbishop of Pontianak as well as hundreds of parishioners of St. Montfort, Monterado...