Displaying items by tag: Indonesia

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

After undergoing the Novitiate Program for two years, on Tuesday July 13, 2021, sixteen Novices professed their first vows in the Carmelite Order to the Prior General before the East Indonesia Prior Commissariat, Rev. Fr. Stefanus Buyung Florianus, O. Carm., as the representative of Prior Provincial of Indonesia, Rev, Fr. Ign. Budiono. The celebration took place in the Novitiate House in Maumere-Flores-Indonesia.

The sixteen brothers are Br. Simplianus Geli Nono, Br. Daniel Sai, Br. Marianus Seka Meo, Br. Ferdinandus H. Detu, Br. Siprianus Ngonggo Bili, Br. Maksimus Seto, Br. Mikael Riba, Br. Hendilinus, Br. Oktavianus Yoman Nende, Br. Viktorianus Beda Lebunga, Br. Januarius Dosa, Br. Dino Kada Maghi, Br. Mikael Kornelis Aja, Br. Wilibrodus Aji, Heraklius Mango, Br. Albertus Flavianus Bhala.
The Mass was presided over by Rev. Fr. Buyung and concelebrated by Fr. Francesco Berto as Master Novice and Fr. Leonardo as the first council. In his homily, Rev. Fr. Buyung encouraged the brothers to always faithfully carry out their three vows. By saying these vows, it “does not mean automatically becoming a perfect human without any more struggle, but it is getting more and more challenged”, added Fr. Buyung.

The Brothers are also requested to replicate St. Therese of Lisieux as patron of this Novitiate House. St. Therese always gave all the struggles of her life in Providentia Dei. She really believes in her friend 'Jesus' who is always with her in living her three vows. The depth of her spirituality, of which she said, "my way is all confidence and love," has inspired many believers. In the face of her littleness and nothingness, she trusted in God to be her sanctity. She wanted to go to Heaven by an entirely new little way. "I wanted to find an elevator that would raise me to Jesus." The elevator, she wrote, would be “the arms of Jesus lifting me in all my littleness.”

Due to the increasing spread of the coronavirus and the strict lockdown, the attendance of the families of the brothers was very limited. Only families living near the novitiate were allowed to attend while others did it online. After this celebration, the brothers will take ten days for vacation with their family. Upon their return, they will begin studying philosophy for four years at STFK Ledalero Maumere.
“We pray that our young brothers will always be strengthened in their journey. May with the intercession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Prophet Elijah, and all the saints of Carmel, our brothers can be faithful forever and ever”, added Fr. Yanto Ndona, O. Carm.

Biara Rubiah Karmel “Flos Carmeli”
Jln. Ridwan, 7
BATU 65311 (Jawa Timur)
Indonesia
Tel. (+62) 0341-591913
e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
website: www.floscarmelibatu.org

Biara Pertapaan Karmel St. Joseph
Jln. Bukit Karmel, 14
Banturung – 73224
Tangkiling – PALANGKA RAYA
Indonesia
Tel. (+62) 082 333 675 045

Carmel's mission in this country was begun in 2013 by the Indonesian Province. There are 3 friars living in this country.

St. Anne’s Church
Tung Tau Wan Road, Stanley, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2813-0206
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
stannes.hk

Martyr saints of China Chapel-Holistic Retreat Centre
28 Headland Road, Shek O, Hong Kong
Booking: Order of Carmelites
Tel: (852)2809-4804
Fax: (852) 2809-4525

The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Batu, Indonesia, was held 24 September 2020. The following were elected:

• Prioress:  Sr. M. Laura Inacentia Soelistiowati W, O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor:  Sr. M. Rosa Sukatmi Rahayu Moensarip, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor:  Sr .M. Elisabeth Widhi Habsari Soetadi, O.Carm.
• 3rd Councilor:  Sr .M. Lidwina Koeatmadja, O.Carm.
• 4th Couniclor:  Sr .M Brigitta Gitasianiningsih Purnama, O.Carm.
• Director of Novices:  Sr. M. Rosa Sukatmi Rahayu Moensarip, O.Carm.
• Treasurer:  Sr. M. Elisabeth Widhi Habsari Soetadi, O.Carm.
• Sacristan:   Sr. M. Angelina Wiwik A. Koesman, O.Carm.

The first Elective Chapter of the Monastery of Palangkaraya, Indonesia, was held on 12 March 2020. The monastery was founded in 1993 from our Monastery in Batu, Indonesia and was erected as an autonomous monastery on 19 November 2019 having reached the canonical number of 9 solemnly professed nuns and two novices. The following were elected:

• Prioress: Sr. M. Dorothea Yekti Handayani, O.Carm.

• 1st Councilor: Sr. M. Gerarda Suwarti Jokasemo, O.Carm.

• 2nd Councilor: Sr. M. Yosepha Tinawati Kamsani, O.Carm.

• Director of Novices: Sr. M. Bernadetta Nurhadiyati Soehardjo, O.Carm.

• Treasurer: Sr. M. Gerarda Suwarti Jokasemo, O.Carm.

• Sacristan: Sr. M. Stephana Sugiyanti, O.Carm.