By Fr. Bonifacio Onny, SDB

Jakarta, Indonesia - 38 Salesians of the Delegation of Indonesia (ITM Vice-Province of St. Callistus Caravario) gathered together to hold their Assembly of Confreres in the Salesian House of Tigaraksa -Tangerang from the 23rd of September to the 25th, 2015, under the chairmanship of the Provincial Delegate, Fr. Lino Quintão de Asis Belo. The Provincial of the ITM Vice-Province, Fr. Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, sent his representative, Fr. Manuel Pinto. The first Assembly of Confreres that the SDBs of Indonesia had was from the 20th of August to the 24th ,2012, in Gadok, in which the Vision and Mission of the whole Delegation, together with the Goals and Strategic Plans to be achieved were determined. In 2014, the different heads and representatives of the Commissions of the Delegation (Youth Ministry, Formation, Salesian Family, Social Communications, and Finance) had their gathering to evaluate their situations according to what had been decided in that first encounter. Now, almost all the Salesians of the Delegation, young and old, were present to evaluate what had been achieved and remains to be achieved, and see how the spirit and the principles of the XXVII General Chapter can be applied to their present situation.

The Assembly of Confreres was opened by an inspirational talk on the 23rd evening meant to encourage everyone to work with enthusiasm so as to achieve the dreams of the SDBs in the young Delegation. The Provincial Delegate welcomed in the name of the Provincial everyone who was able to attend.

On the 24th of September, the first day of the encounter began with the Eucharistic Celebration presided by the Director of Novices, Fr. Andre Delimarta, who in his homily expressed the hope that the days of the Assembly may enkindle the desire and help the Salesians in Indonesia to encounter Jesus in one another and in the young, Jesus who, after all, is the One they are following in the same way as Don Bosco did.

After breakfast, the first session was held. The Provincial Delegate emphasized that the Assembly of Confreres is held in response to the instruction given by the Provincial himself, and to the call of renewal ushered in by XXVII General Chapter to be “mystics in the spirit, prophets of fraternity and servants of the young.” He also pointed out that as a Delegation and as a Vice-Province as a whole, as the Rector Major had written in his letter to Fr. Virgilio do Carmo da Silva as he began his term as Provincial, “have a lot of reasons to be thankful for. A good increase of vocations with a nice numbers of young Salesians. In general there is a good family spirit and cheerfulness. A growing youth ministry that is getting more mature and it should grow in all the vice-province, but it should also try to clarify the pastoral work that we should like to do. The vice province has shown the generosity in the rich offer of the young missionaries. We are appreciated in the church and society for our mission in favour of the young and this give us the opportunity to do a better service. There are so many opportunities of mission on behalf of the poorest.” Of course, there are also important challenges that need to be confronted.

The gathered confreres had a review of the results of the former Assembly (2012) and had a glimpse once more of the vision and mission of the Salesians of the Delegation of Indonesia, that is: “To be signs and bearers of God’s love according to the Salesian spirit as educators and servants of the young. Therefore we are committed: to love a life rooted in the evangelical counsels and the Salesian tradition, raise our qualities as educators, serve with humility through the spirit of brotherhood in the community, and educate the young to become honest citizens and good believers.” They then had lively discussions on how the goals of the Delegation and strategic plans based on the mission and vision had been achieved, or still need to be achieved. They divided to different groups according to the commissions already in existence (Youth Ministry, Formation, Salesian Family, Mass Media, and Finance) for their discussions. In the afternoon, the results of the discussions were presented to the general assembly and scrutinized further, coming to several important conclusions as to what else to do as lines of actions up to the year 2018. In the evening, the Confreres had a grand celebration for the Provincial Delegate, who was celebrating his birthday.

On the 25th of September, last day of the Assembly of Confreres, the Eucharistic Celebration was presided by the Provincial Delegate, who in his homily stressed on the importance of going ahead in whatever are planned together with enthusiasm and hope, even if from time to time there may be difficulties or sufferings. Quoting a Salesian from the Philippines who passed away already, he said “Something to suffer, something to offer…nothing to suffer, nothing to offer.”

The last session started with the viewing of the Rector Major’s Message during the conclusion of the Bicentennary Celebrations of Don Bosco’s Birth. “To be experts of humanity” was a phrase from the Rector Major which attracted the attention of the gathered confreres, and which was an invitation which was felt worth answering by many. After the video, the gathered Assembly continued to discuss some more problems confronting the Delegation and gave suggestions for their solutions, which later on will be presented to the Provincial Chapter.

Fr. Manuel Pinto, the Provincial’s Representative thanked everyone for their active participation, and congratulated Fr. Delegate and his collaborators for the well organized Assembly of Confreres. He said, “We are not yet saints, but we are in the process of sanctity. We cannot therefore expect everything to be perfect in our Delegation; that is why we meet and discuss, that is why this brotherly gathering is so beneficial for all of us.”

In his closing remarks, the Provincial Delegate invited everyone “to continue to be open in communicating, because by so doing, and with the family spirit so common among us, we can face all the challenges and obstacles of our Salesian mission in Indonesia, and will therefore help in the progress of our service for the young.”