The Secretariat for Mission and Evangelization, Br. Francisco Gómez and Br. Denis Tayo, together with the General Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), Br. Daniel Rodríguez Blanco and Br. Taucen Girsang, visited the Franciscan Province of Saint Michael the Archangel of Indonesia during the week of the Octave of Easter from 1-6 April 2024.
The activities within the program were set up by the host province including meetings with brothers and learning about some experiences. In each of item program, hospitality and a warm welcome were manifested in rituals, food, souvenirs and fraternal smiles.
On the morning of April 3, a dialogue was held with the provincial minister, Br. Michael Peruhe, the provincial vicar, Br. Daniel Klau Nahak and the provincial secretaries of Mission and Evangelization, Br. Agustinus Nggame, and the animators and staff of the JPIC, as well as some friars working in schools, orphanages, parishes, and others. Ongoing projects undertaken by the animation bodies of the General Curia and the province were mutually shared. Likewise, the local works being done by the brothers of the province at various levels were respectively valued.
In the afternoon, we visited a Muslim community that develops a life around integral ecology and art. Located at Padepokan Ciliwung Condet, they made the decision and commitment to transform a city garbage dump into a green zone like a protected forest along the Ciliwung river, the largest river in Jakarta. At six o’clock in the afternoon, as the Ramadhan fast-breaking time ends, a bountiful dinner was shared.
The next day, early in the morning the brothers traveled to Carceri Fraternity in Singdanglaya, West Java, which is in a hilly area with green tea plantations. This fraternity develops eco-pastoral programs that consisting of the cultivation of flowers, coffee, fruits and vegetables, as well as farming fish, goats and lambs, by some families in order to raise awareness of the importance of caring for the common home and gaining economic resources. The lunch was marked by the celebration of the birthday of Br. Martin Harun, a Dutch missionary who has lived for more than 50 years in the Indonesia and among his ministries are teaching the Holy Scripture and translating Church documents into Indonesian.
Meanwhile, on the morning of April 5, a fruitful meeting was held with the fraternity of the novitiate in Depok, West Java. Novices learned about the new facilities of the formation house, the schedule that guides the various activities, and greeted the elderly brothers who live next to the novitiate. An important moment was the sharing of the brothers who work in the General Curia about their novitiate experience and how it has marked their life in mission, evangelization and in a life within justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Then lunch took place at the St. Paul’s Parish, not far from the novitiate.
Furthermore, the meeting with the friars in temporary profession took place in the afternoon. The topics of mission, evangelization and JPIC were addressed. Then a dialogue was opened in which the participating brothers could share their wishes, aspirations and doubts. The meeting was accompanied by two musical moments and the abundant snack could not be missed.
After dinner we met and shared with the brothers of the San Pascual Bailón Parish where we had the opportunity to greet Br. Thomas Ferry Soeharto, the parish priest and Br. Johanes Epa, the parish vicar.
On April 6, Br. Taucen Girsang and Br. Daniel Rodríguez Blanco had a meeting with the Inter-Franciscan Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation of Indonesia at the San Pascual Bailón Parish. The meeting presented the global and local challenges being faced and the responses being given at various levels.
Subsequently, the brothers concelebrated the Eucharist of the First Vespers of the Second Sunday of Easter in the aforementioned parish. In the evening, together with other brothers from the provinces of Indonesia, Br. Daniel and Br. Taucen departed to Manila, Philippines, for the Meeting of the Conferences of Asia and Oceania.
At the end of the visit, the brothers of the General Curia expressed their gratitude to the province of San Michael Arcángel for the important work they carry out with its roadmap in different areas of evangelization, mission and JPIC materialized in sending friars to various missions of the Order, the eco-projects -pastoral care, interreligious dialogue, care for orphans and the poor, contributions to the Instrumentum Laboris of the Ratio Evangelizationis, synergy with the Franciscan family, etc.
