On the evening of the 4th of July Fr Rogerio Gomes, C.Ss.R, along with Fr Joseph Ivel Mendanha, C.Ss.R and Fr Paul Vinh, C.Ss.R., Consultors General from Asia Oceania met with the Provincial Council and over 50 confreres of the Province of Indonesia. The confreres came from all the communities in the island of Sumba and also from the islands of Flores, Kalimantan, Sumatra, Surabaya, and from Jakarta. The confreres were delighted to be with Fr Rogerio and Frs. Ivel and Paul.
Fr. Rogerio blessed the newly renovated provincial house and then Fr Yakobus Umbu Warata, C.Ss.R. (Jack) welcomed Fr General and team and requested Fr General to give a message to the confreres. Fr Rogerio spoke at length and very profoundly on the sexennial theme, Missionaries of Hope in the Footsteps of the Redeemer. He elaborated on the qualities needed to be a missionary today and then went on to talk about the nature of Hope so needed in our world of today. Fr Rogerio candidly addressed the problem of departures from the Congregation and the disillusionment many have of or many others who do not really live our Consecrated life. He also challenged the confreres to live in Community and to proclaim the Gospel as a Community together.
Fr. Ivel was then invited to address the confreres and he lauded the life of the Confreres with regard to their community life, Simplicity of lifestyle, Missionary availability, and closeness to the poor and abandoned. However, he urged the confreres not to be satisfied and complacent but rather accept the challenge to be truly Missionary in all the qualities needed for Missionary availability in the Congregation and in the Conference of Asia Oceania.
Fr Jack then invited Fr Paul to talk about Formation in the Congregation. Fr Paul spoke about the challenges in Formation today, the need for Common formation in the Initial stages and for Ongoing formation for all confreres. He also shared about the evaluation of Formation houses in the Congregation and in the Conference of Asia Oceania,
Fr Jack then invited the confreres to ask questions of Fr General who replied very candidly to many of the questions about our Vita Apostolica that the Confreres asked.
The Evening ended with a prayer for perseverance, the Salve Regina, and a blessing by Fr Rogerio and naturally a photo session. A grand sumptuous dinner followed. It was a joy for the confreres to have Fr Rogerio and a couple of members of his council with them.
Earlier in the day Fr Rogerio, Fr Ivel and Fr Paul visited the Redemptorist Parish of Karuni and interacted with the parish council, clergy, and people. It was a warm and fraternal visit much appreciated by the people.
Joseph Ivel Mendanha, C.Ss.R.
General Consultor
