By Fr. Lino Belo, SDB

Gent, Belgium - On June 27 was ordained in Gent, Belgium Fr. Andreas Jebarus, an Indonesian Salesian missionary, born 33 years ago in Flores Island, Ruteng.

In 2009 he was sent by the Rector major to BEN province, spent his practical training near Amsterdam (Rijswijk) - Netherlands and continue his theological studies in Leuwen (Belgium) with other young missionaries.

Fr. Jebarus was ordained to priesthoood by Mons. Luc Van Looy, SDB.

He is the first young missionary sent as practical trainee to BEN province after the opening of Project Europe.

After few days of Thanksgiving Mass in Belgium Salesian communities he left for his native Indonesia to give thanks amidst his native people and with the Salesians of Indonesia delegation.

After the priestly ordination is very meaningful to read his very personal sharing of Fr. Andreas coming from his heart during his formation years:

"Coming from my personal life experiences there is only one way to be a missionary mostly in these lands of Western Europe: I have to be a truly Salesian! I have to be a fruitful Salesian. I cannot be otherwise because I would become otherwise a “dead” Salesian. Neither I cannot be in between… I have to be a radical Salesian!!! Means, I have to live as Don Bosco of better like a new Don Bosco. This is the only way to make our presence fruitful, to make me feel at home… otherwise there is no way forward. Those who are living in a mediocre life style, or those who are living for the sake of working or maybe better for the sake of their own dreams they have no future in this European situation. Here we can't be proud of what we are doing, if we cannot make Christ's presence tangible".

Thanks for this sharing coming from the bottom of his heart, echoing the ongoing appeal of the Rector Major as well.

The Timor Leste - Indonesia province have already sent 19 missionaries ad gentes abroad. 6 of them are from Indonesia. For a Delegation with 30 perpetually professed Salesians it's a great sign of love for the universal Church and the Congregation. Let's pray that the life witness of Fr. Andy will wake up more missionaries full of faith in his homeland and amidst the Indonesia Delegation young confreres.