Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
LG
Maumere (Agenzia Fides) - The Jubilee Year 2025 has already given new hope to the Camillians (MI) in Indonesia with the ordination of five young priests, which represents a new historic moment of their missionary presence.
"On Sunday, January 19, 2025, Bishop Ewaldus Sedu ordained five new priests at the Camillian Seminary in Maumere, on the island of Flores, bringing the number of our native priests in the great Asian country to 19 in just 15 years since our arrival," reports Father Luigi Galvani (MI), a pioneer of the mission on the island of Flores, to Fides. The last priestly ordinations on the island date back to July 2024 (see Fides, 30/7/2024).
"Without a doubt," he continues, "the Camillians, like dozens of male and female congregations, have arrived in the country in the last two decades with great enthusiasm and the desire to make their apostolic contribution to the Indonesian Catholic Church, which is still experiencing an encouraging moment of grace in the number of priestly and religious vocations."
"In Maumere, the most populous city on the island, there is the largest Theological Seminary of the Catholic Church, with about 1,500 students from five dioceses and various religious orders (see Fides, 15/7/2017)," the missionary continues, "Bishop Sedu had the privilege of ordaining 450 new priests in the six years of his ministry. Among them are several dozen who have been sent as missionaries to various countries."
The missionary also points out that in this Jubilee Year the Camillians are celebrating another significant event: 450 years since the conversion of their Founder, Saint Camillus de Lellis. "Conquered by the love of Christ, he radically changed his life and dedicated himself entirely to serving the sick and the poor. Surely the example of the Founder will give the young Indonesian Camillians more courage, goodwill and new enthusiasm to expand their missionary presence and thus realize Saint Camillus' dream of becoming 'signs of hope' for more and more sick and poor people to love and serve". (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 21/1/2025)
