Displaying items by tag: Indonesia

Interview With Its Writer

Story Behind the Icon for the 100th Anniversary of the Indonesian Province

An icon written for the 100th anniversary of the Indonesian Province which concluded a short time ago has an interesting history and an interesting writer. The Icon will find a permanent home in the provincial house of the Indonesian Province. It is hoped that it becomes both a tool of prayer and a sign of courage to be the true light of God to others and the good follower of Jesus Christ.” according to its creator.

She was born into a Christian family although her mother, born in Bali, was Buddhist. Her parents enrolled her into a Catholic secondary school under the care of the Sisters of Perpetual Help. One of the nuns, Sr. Flora took care of her when she was sick and became her private teacher after school in the area of math, religion and catechism. Two years later, Sr. Flora invited her to become a Catholic and gave her the baptismal name of Cecilia. “However, as she was filling out the form for the baptism, Sr. Flora received a message in prayer that her name should be Marina Carmel. So Our Lady of Mount Carmel became my patron saint. This was my first contact with the Carmelites.”

Following an accident involving her hands, Marina Carmel had the opportunity to learn from Orthodox nuns and priests how to write icons. “They encouraged me, improving my ability to use my injured hands. I also asked for God’s healing in my soul. A few months later, some priests borrowed my icon for a public session of prayer. They saw God’s work and compassion through the icons. They saw the tears and peace of those who came to pray.”

“They advised me to listen my calling from God to see whether I should be an icon painter or not. After many years of my unwillingness and discernment, an invitation to write icons about the Our Lady of Mount Carmel came from the Discalced Carmelites in Taiwan, the Carmelites in Hong Kong and Our Lady of Mount Carmel church in Hong Kong.”

What would such icons represent for their author? “It acts as a connection between myself and others in the tender hand of God. It is a way of communion with our Father in heaven, his constant presence to us. I am so grateful to be one of his tiny tools as iconographer serving in the Catholic, Orthodox, and Christian churches, religious communities, and monasteries both overseas as well as in Hong Kong.”

“The Carmelite saints I was invited to write are Lady of Mount Carmel, St. Jospeh, the Prophet Elijah, and St. Titus Brandsma. I do all of the icon writing as a result of an invitation, not because of my own wishes. 

The icon of Titus is striking. It was written for a specific purpose. “There is an icon of Elijah created from icon material which was donated by an Orthodox person in gratitude for the of Carmelites prayers and kindnesses. However, that icon was sent to the new retreat house in Sumatra last year with Fr. Heru Purwanto, O. Carm. So, a Catholic sponsored icon material for me to write another icon for Carmelite evangelization. Fr. Albertus Herwanta, O. Carm., suggested that I write an icon of the recently canonized saint Titus Brandsma. So, I began to study about the life of St. Titus Brandsma. I received guidance from Fr. Benny Phang, O. Carm., other Carmelites in Rome, and the brothers of Mount Athos. Fr. Phang summed up the advice of those Carmelites, and asked me to include some signs on the icon which represent the virtue of the saint.

The Carmelites gave me the story of St. Titus and quotes from the saint to read for my spiritual preparation. I took a week for retreat and tried to reflect on my relationship with God through the poem which was written by St. Titus regarding Eucharist. Since Eucharist often comforted him in his suffering, Titus kept close to Jesus on the Cross. He really experienced the loneliness of the Lord and was devoted to the Eucharist through sacrifices and standing with weakness.”

“How do I stand with the weak through the icon writing in prayer, the pain of illness, and the grace that God gave me in His plan? How did I get to know His plan and the vision of God? From St. Titus I learned that I should be present to the Lord. I learned from the Prophet Elijah to have the courage to walk with Jesus in weakness. Those questions appeared in my mind when I was writing the icon. I feel the heaviness of my heart and brush. I beg for the mercy of God for my weakness in service, especially in my sacred harp music. With the icon for the illness, I kept praying by invoking Jesus' name, a kind of aspirative prayer in Carmelite spiritual and early Chrisitian faith. Hoping the Lord accepts my compassion, and lets me be his tiny tool to finish the icon in his way. Glory be to the Lord!”

According to the theology of traditional icons, there are special meanings in the icon of St. Titus Brandsma. Those colors were made with rare crystal and metal stone in prayer. The icon panel of special wood was made by carpenter in prayer. Those colors were mixed with egg, vinegar, and water in prayer. As iconographer, we cannot make any changes or put our on creative touches into the icon. All the colors of traditional icons were written from dark color to bright color. Because it means “Lord save us from sin,” it reminded me of the words of St. John of the Cross: "Even in the darkness, there is light.”

The dark blue color of the background is a sign of a martyr with purity in the soul. The shape of nose is straight, it means the breath of Holy Spirit is present in the life of the saint. The prominent, slightly out of proportion head of saint means the saint is full of wisdom in the Lord. St. Titus holding a pen and paper because he is a reporter and wrote to bring about justice.

“There also a quote of the saint written on a scroll of paper ‘He who wants to win the world for Christ must have the courage to come in conflict with it.’ It reminds us to be brave in following Jesus Christ. The mirror effect of the halo was made with real gold. Gold means the true light of God. It acts as the mirror of the heart which reflects our prototype of God's image. How did St. Titus Brandsma come to reflect the true light of God in his life, in the darkness? How he can he guarantee himself to be present before our Lord Jesus Christ? How enormous his courage be in order to savor the loneliness on the cross of Jesus Christ?”

Carmelite Edison Tinambunan Elected Rector of Widya Sasana School of Philosophy and Theology in Malang

On April 15, 2024, Edison Tinambunan, O. Carm., a member of the Indonesian Province, was unanimously elected as the rector of Widya Sasana School of Philosophy and Theology in Malang. The university was founded by Indonesian Carmelites and Vincentians in 1971 in Malang, Indonesia. This school offers academic degrees in both philosophy and theology from the baccalaureate, master, and doctoral levels. Today the school has around 400 students from different religious congregations, dioceses, and lay persons.

Edison earned licentiate and doctoral degrees in patristics from the Augustinianum and the Angelicum Rome. He completed his studies in 2001 and has taught extensively since then. He was the librarian of the Order at CISA from 2004 to 2010 and is a member of the Institutum Carmelitanum. He is the editor of the series Corpus Constitutionum Ordinis Fratrum Beatissimae Virginish Mariae de Monte Carmelo with the two part 5th volume in preparation.

This year is the first centenary of Carmelite Presence in Indonesia. It all began in 1923 when three friars from the Dutch Province arrived in Eastern Java, in the city of Malang. From very small beginnings, the Carmelilte presence in Indonesia has now grown to include some four hundred friars, two monasteries of nuns, three affiliated congregations and a very strong Carmelite Third Order.

Very joyful celebrations were held in Jakarta, August 11, 12 and 13, in Malang and in Maumere, August 15. Further celebrations are due to be held in Medan later this month. The Indonesian form of celebrations includes a solemn celebration of the Eucharist, a meal to which the masses are invited and a presentation of song and dance in the native culture, all very colourful, and overflowing with exuberance and welcome.

The achievements of the Carmelites in Indonesia are very clear to be seen. Not only are the numbers of vocations both of men and women very abundant and significant, but the sense of identity as Carmelites and the quality of formation over the years is and has been very encouraging. It augurs very well for the future in a country that respects religion and religious difference and promotes an education that is steeped in tradition but also very focused on the demands of the modern world. In the fields of pastoral ministry, education and spiritual accompaniment, Carmelites in Indonesia make a very important contribution. By the same token, we may say that in the future Indonesian Carmelites will find themselves making a major contribution to the international life of the Carmelite order and family, something that has already begun in many parts of the world. As a country that recognises very clearly the value of prayer, our prayer is one of gratitude for what has been done and of great hope for what is to come in the future as people respond to the call to be Carmelites and offer their very generous service to the Church and to the society in Indonesia and beyond.

Indonesian 100^th Anniversary Celebrations Move from Jakarta to Malang

The celebrations for the 100 years of the Indonesian Province of the Carmelite Order continued in Jakarta on August 12-13. In addition to celebrating with the various Carmelite, parish, and school communities, this week has provided an opportunity for the Carmelites from other parts of the world to see the various ministries and houses of the Indonesian Province.

On Saturday, August 12, the community gathered with the community of the Mary Magdalene of Pazzi priory for lunch. This happened to coincide with the birthday of Huub Welzen, the prior provincial of the Netherlands. So in addition to the meal, the tradition birthday songs were sung, gifts were provided, and cake was shared.

Later in the afternoon, there was a Eucharistic celebration with the people of Mary Flower of Carmel parish. Benny Phang, a member of the Indonesian Province and vice-general of the Order was the main celebrant and preached. Following communion, FX Hariwan Adji, the prior provincial of the Indonesian Province spoke and then introduced all the Carmelites from other provinces who were in attendance. The prior provincial of the Dutch Province, Huub Welzen, also spoke as did Míceál O’Neill, the prior general of the Order. A reception followed the Mass with food, music, dancing and raffles.

On Sunday morning, the parish community of Mary Mother of Carmel parish joined with the Carmelites to celebrate. The prior provincial was the main celebrant. A meal followed this Mass for the Carmelites and some invited guests.

In the evening, the Carmelites joined the Little Way Community, to celebrate the 7^th anniversary of the organization. The couples provide support to the province, particularly in the area of formation. Approximately 100 people attended the dinner.

On Monday the festivities transferred to Malang which is where the Carmelites originally established themselves in 1923. The Order took over administration of Malang’s Sacred Heart Parish from the Jesuits to begin their ministry in Indonesia. Flights were delayed due to the air force practicing at and around the airport for the up-coming Independence Day celebrations. So the planned visit to the novitiate in Batu had to be cancelled. The prior general and Robert Puthussery, the general council for Asia, Australia and Oceania, will visit the community later as will some of the Carmelites who are remaining a few extra days in the Malag area.

The Carmelites travelled on Tuesday morning to the Titus Brandsma Formation House. This community is made up of the professed who attend theology and philosophy classes at the university, STF Widya Sasana next door. Members took a tour of a classroom and office building completed in recent years. Then the group moved to the blessing of the new provincial library building. This multi-story structure with have a reading/study area which can be easily adapted for a meeting or conference with the students. The next floors will contain the library books. The roof will provide space (and secure safety measures) for the Carmelite students to play football or other sport since the library building eliminated their sports’ field.

That evening, the celebration of the Eucharist took place outdoors at Sr. Albert’s Carmelite High School. The main celebrant was Bishop Henricus Pidyarto Gunawan, O. Carm. He was joined by many Carmelites and religious priests, sisters, and approximately 1000 lay people. The Mass was followed by a lively show of dance and singing with many of the religious communities present as well as student groups from the school performing.

On Wednesday morning the Carmelites traveled to House of Mercy, Dau, a hospice established by the province to welcome elderly who have no family to take care of them. The house is open to people of all faiths. A local foundation of Carmelite sisters minister there full time. Carmelite students from Batu also provide assistance to the people as part of their outreach into the community.

On Wednesday evening Bishop Pidyarto dedicated the new chapel, community house, and museum at Karmel Parantijati, a columbarium established by the Carmelites. In addition to the columbarium, the space provided individuals or families area to walk around and pray while reflecting on scenes from the scriptures. Also on the property is a museum celebrating the story of the Carmelites as well as their ministries in Indonesia. The museum displays many objects from the members of the province that would have been part of their daily lives as well. Art pieces and some of the other collections celebrate the Indonesian culture.

The final days of celebration included a trip to Karmel Syanti Argo, a retreat house with accommodations for about 30 people. The staff includes two Carmelite sisters and 1 priest. The house sits on the side of a mountain, providing spectacular views. We shared a noon meal with the community there while enjoying the cooler air and incredible panorama.

Since August 17^th is Indonesian Independence Day, another Mass was held at St. Albert Carmelite High School followed by a reception. This was followed by a dinner.

The celebrations move to Flores in the coming week.

Indonesian Province Begins 100th Anniversary Celebrations in Jakarta

The largest province in the Carmelite Order began its celebration of the 100^th anniversary of its founding with a lively festival of prayer, music, dance, and a gala dinner. During 2023, the Carmelite Province of Indonesia is celebrating its foundation by three Carmelites from the Dutch Province. The first event took place in the parish hall of Mary, Mother of Carmel in Jakarta on Friday, August 11. Besides friends and co-workers from the various area ministries of the Carmelites in the Jakarta area, Carmelites from many parts of the world were in attendance.

The evening began with Carmelite students acting as hosts, introducing the variety of presentations and dances. Internationally known vocalist and harpist, Angela July, led the evening. She was a finalist of the second season of Asia’s Got Talent. At the Carmelite celebration, she sang a number of songs, including two duets, first with the Carmelite Prior General, Miceal O’Neill, and later with the Vice Prior General and member of the Indonesian province, Benny Phang.

The Carmelite formation students from Malang provided both religious moments as well as dance from the various regions that today make up the Indonesian province. A procession of a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel began the evening with it being carried to a place of honor on the stage of the hall.

For the intermission, the attendees were provided a delicious meal featuring local dishes. Although the Indonesian language dominated, conversations could be heard in a variety of the languages spoken in the provinces around the world. It was a genuine celebration of the internationality of the Order with representations from the Netherlands (the founding province of the Indonesian province 100 years ago), the Philippines (a nearby province also founded by the Dutch), Vietnam, India, Italy, the USA, Perú, and Ireland. Three members of the General Curia in Rome are participating. Besides the prior general and vice prior general, the General Councilor for Asia, Australia, and Oceania, Robert Thomas Puthussery, took part. Sisters from various congregations also joined in the celebration.

Afer the dinner/intermission, the Carmelite formation students took over the stage, performing dances from the various regions of the country where the province now has established communities. As the evening went on, the audience became more and more active in the celebration. Eventually the stage was crowded with the various representations of the Carmelite family who were present.

Following the restoration of the Rio de Janeiro Province in Brazil, the Carmelites in the Netherlands turned their focus to undertaking the work of evangelization in the Dutch East Indies. The mission-minded St Titus Brandsma, then a provincial councilor of the Dutch Province, played no small role in this decision. Carmelites Clement van der Pas, the superior, Paschal Breukel, and Linus Hemckens arrived from the Netherlands to take over the island of Madura and the Eastern part of Java with headquarters in Malang. At the time, less than 200 native Javanese were Catholic.

The province was officially erected in 1967. In 2022 the Province had 405 members in 77 communities in Indonesia. A number of members also serve in other provinces or are residing in other province while they pursue advanced studies.

Other celebrations in Jakarta will be reported on in the next CITOC online. The celebrations continue in Malang this week.  

Pictures/Videos of the Events:

Opening Mass (To Be Posted)

First Banquet (YouTube)

On Monday, November 21, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake stuck the Cianjur region of the island of Java in Indonesia. The area struck includes the area where the Carmelite affiliated Putri Karmel sisters and the Carmelitae Sancti Eliae are located. One building in Cikanyere suffered extensive damage to its roof. There were no injuries. 

An estimated 22,000 homes and buildings in a highly populated area of West Java province were toppled. An estimated 268 people were killed with at least a thousand injured. Some 150 people remain missing. Some 58,000 people have been displaced. 

The majority of those who died are thought to be children, many attending school. More than fifty schools are said to have been impacted.

The Society of the Little Way Jakarta, an Indonesian lay Carmelite group inspired by St. Therese of Lisieux, held a social ministry in Gempol Sukun, Malang, Indonesia on October 1st, 2022. They involved the Carmelite students in Malang were also involved in this social ministry.

The area of Gempol Sukun Malang was chosen as the location for this social ministry because it is the area where the Carmelite friars started their social ministry back to 1970s. The decision to become socially involved was made following the general chapter which discussed the preferential option for the poor. In 1973 the Indonesian Carmelite friars were entrusted by the local government of Malang to help empower the homeless people living under the bridges and in the slum area of the city. The local government gave a piece of land intending it to be the center for the Carmelite ministry.

The Carmelites did fundraising in the Netherlands and in Jakarta to fund the project. They built simple houses in the area and distributed the house to the poor. The Carmelites also invited the sisters of various congregation to educate and to receive the children in their boarding schools. Some of the people who accepted the efforts of the Carmelites 50 years ago now are living better lives. The next generation of the neighborhood number many teachers and nurses. However, the acceptance of the program was not universal. Those who did not want to follow the empowerment program and some of those continue to be poor and live below standard. They became the focus of the social ministry of the Society of the Little Way Jakarta.

In doing this social ministry, the members of the Society of Little Way, accompanied by the Carmelite students, visited the poorer families, going house to house. They talked with the families, gave them a package of items for their daily needs, and encouraged them to struggle for development. Although at that time the weather was not good and it rained heavily, they continued walking around the area, following the narrow path to the various houses.

The people were very happy to spend time with the Carmelites. They said that they felt really touched by the visit and the friendliness of the members of the Community of the Little Way.

After doing the social ministry, the members of the Community of the Little Way and the Carmelite students joined the mass in St. Therese of Lisieux chapel which is located in the heart of the area. They experienced that in the Church, they all belong to the same family: the family of the Lord, there are no more differences among them; they all are one regardless their race and ethnicity, educational background, social status, and political tendencies.

Titus Brandsma left many writings, either in the form of books, articles or letters, but he never wrote about his teachings on fraternity. In spite of that, he lived a fraternal life. We can learn how he valued fraternity from his life journey. For Titus, love is the foundation of fraternity. Fraternity is impossible without love. Titus' love for others grew from his close relationship with God. Titus realized that God loved him and that he loved God. This experience of love with God made Titus love his fellow human beings. When dealing with others, Titus realized that his main task was to love them. Titus lived the second Law of Love, namely: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Titus believed that God was present in his fellow human beings. To love and serve them means to love and serve Jesus. His love is also shown in the form of generosity. Titus always told his brothers and sisters in the Order to share with those in need. He warned them not to be stingy in giving food and money to the poor, because they had the right to the food and money. He urged the brothers and the sister to live on charity. For him, the poor are God's friends. In order for us to be friends of God, we must be friends to his friends.

Titus's fraternity is not limited to certain circles or to his own group (ad intra) but penetrates group boundaries (ad extra). He never discriminated against people because of their religion, ethnicity, race, class, or nationality. Titus made friends with people regardless of their background. Titus also fought for equal rights for his neighbors regardless of their ethnicity, race, religion, and social class. True fraternity always transcends the boundaries of fit and unsuitability. True fraternity does not look at whether someone has the same views or backgrounds.

Fraternity for Titus not only includes being together in physical terms, although that is also important, but also being together in spiritual terms. Being together in the presence of God is no less important than doing something together and working together. Titus also paid attention to the spiritual development of his brothers. When Titus heard that there was a nursing home for the elderly people that needed a priest to celebrate the weekly mass, but was unable to provide the stipends, he asked permission from his prior to give them spiritual services. Likewise, when Titus was imprisoned by the Nazis, Titus always tried to provide spiritual service to other prisoners.

One of the shelters run by the Indonesian Carmelite NGO is dedicated to Titus Brandsma. The shelter was blessed on April 18, 2018. It is located in one of the slum areas in Malang. This shelter functions as a shelter for homeless poor people. These unfortunate people are taken care with love by the volunteers. Any person, regardless their religious background, ethnicity and affiliation, may live in the shelter but, of course, it depends on bed availability. The requirements to be accepted in those houses are that they are really poor and have nobody to takes care of them.

The shelter also functions as an informal school for children from poor families to develop their knowledge. Students with different religious backgrounds participate actively in this school. The subjects offered by this informal school are the usual subjects (mathematics, English, and general knowledge). The difference between this informal school and formal schools is the process of teaching is founded on love. Students are accepted as they are, with their strengths and weaknesses. Each student is taken care of without any judgement being made. Their competence is developed individually since we believe that every child is created uniquely. The students are happy to study here because they are respected as individuals. Thanks to God, most of the students studying in this informal will be successful when they go to a formal school. Moreover, this informal school offers character building and the Christian value of love. Students are invited to respect themselves, be open to others, accept differences and love their neighbors without knowing their backgrounds. Finally, this informal school also offers performance and creativity classes. The students are encouraged to develop themselves and to be independent.    

There are some other done by the volunteers together with the local people. They cook together and share the meal with people living on the streets and poor people in the area. On certain occasion they cooperate with donors to get daily needs and then share them with the poor families who are affected by the Covid 19 pandemic.   

Many people with different backgrounds love to come to that place since they may experience the love shared by the volunteers, the patients, the teachers and the students. Students from Islamic university in Malang often come to visit the patients and the students. They also become volunteers in some of the programs. The spirit of fraternity of Titus Brandsma really fills the atmosphere of this shelter. This place becomes a meeting place for people to celebrate fraternity.

Below are some pictures of the activities done in the Titus Brandsma Shelter, Malang. 

The Carmelite NGO in Indonesia established Mercy House — dedicated to Blessed Titus Brandsma — in Malang in April 2018 to serve the elderly and children from families of all faiths. The elderly are provided a dignified place to live with food and care. The children are provided education and enrichment. It is a living example of Blessed Titus’ words “He who wants to win the world for Christ must have the courage to come in conflict with it."

You can see a short video on the Indonesian Mercy House Dedicated to Blessed Titus Brandsma below.

* Fr. Hariwan Adji, O. Carm., the author of this article, is the current prior provincial of the Indonesian Province of the Carmelite Order. He is a member of the Carmelite NGO and chair of the Indonesian Carmelite NGO. He holds a doctorate and is a lecturer on the Faculty of Humanities at Airlangga State University.

The Indonesian Province, the largest province in the Order, held elections for their leadership on Friday, February 11, 2022, in Tanjung Pinggir, North Sumatera. As you can see in the videos of the Chapter, the elections were celebrated with the members and invited guests dancing in traditional dress of the Batak tribe. Many young lay people from the parish joined in the celebration. 

Also present for the opening of the Chapter was Bishop Kornelius Sipayung, OFM.Cap. 

Elections for the Commissariats of Sumatra and Flores will take place at later gatherings. 

Sadly, news was received that Carmelite Bishop Fransiscus Xaverius Sudartanta Hadisumarta, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Malang and of the Diocese of Manokwari-Sorong, had died early Saturday morning in Jakarta. He had been hospitalized for a few weeks. 

We congratulate the new leadership of the province and ask God’s continued blessings upon their lives and work. We also give thanks to God for the humble, gentle service of Bishop Hadisumarta to the Order and Church these many years.

The following were elected:

Prior Provincial | Prior Provincial | Priore Provinciale: 

P. F.X. Hariawan Adji, O. Carm.

Vice Provincial | Vice Provincial | Vice Provinciale: 

P. Barnabas Krispinus Ginting, O. Carm.

1er Consejero | 1st Councilor | 1° Consigliere: 

P. Dominikus Dinong, O. Carm.

2do Consejero | 2nd Councilor | 2° Consigliere: 

P. Ignasius Joko Purnomo, O. Carm.

3er Consejero | 3rd Councilor | 3° Consigliere:

P. Agustinus Irtikandik Darmawanto, O. Carm.

4to Consejero | 4th Councilor | 4° Consigliere:

P. Andreas Deddy Purnawan, O. Carm.

To celebrate Earth Day 2021 on April 22, 2021, the Indonesian Carmelite NGO launched vertical farming project at Karmel Syanti Argo ("syanti" means "peace" and "argo" means "mount"). The center is also the Laudato Si' Centre in Pasuran, East Java, Indonesia.

The purpose of this project is to teach poor urban people to grow vegetables even though they live in a limited space. By growing these vegetables themselves, they will spend less money for their food. Moreover, by doing this themselves, they help reduce their carbon footprint because of the decrease in the use of fuel to transport vegetables from the villages to the cities.

Furthermore, oxygen produced in the photo-synthesis process of the vegetables also helps maintain the quality of the air in the cities. Finally they sustain the environment.

For more information about the Carmelite NGO visit here

Apart from our presence at the United Nations, Carmelites have established other organisations working for justice, peace and integrity of creation issues throughout the world.

Visit Indonesian Carmelite NGO here