By Peter Tukan, SDB

Jakarta, 15 August 2019 – This year, the INA Vice-Province enjoys having two newly ordained priests, namely Father Ignasius Hariato SDB and Father Marselinus Tanggu Daga SDB. They were ordained together with three other deacons from the Archdiocese of Jakarta on 15 August, the day of the solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. This same day last year, 2018, the newly born Vice-Province INA was graced also with two new priests.

The venue for the ordinations this year was a meeting hall of “Taman Mini Indonesia Indah” (TMII) – Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park. This culture-based recreational area is near one of the parishes of the Archdiocese. The parish church at the moment cannot afford to hold such a celebration as an ordination.

The Archbishop of Jakarta, Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo, who celebrated the Holy Mass and ordained the five deacons, used the profile of Mount Calvary where the Cross of Jesus stands, to encourage and inspire the ordinands. The name of the host parish for this ordination is “Calvary Parish” in East Jakarta.

The prelate said that from the moment of priestly life, a priest should accept the reality of the cross. This is the only way to become like Jesus, the real priest of God. This is exactly the same as Mamma Margereta said to her son, young priest John Bosco: from the moment you are a priest, you suffer and continue to suffer!

But before our two newly ordained priest go to the mission entrusted to each one of them, where they will meet many challenges and difficulties, they took opportinities to celebrate their thanksgivings. The morning after ordination they celebrated their first mass in the chapel of the post-novitiate community, Wisma Salesian Don Bosco – Jakarta. In the evening they celebrated the holy mass in the community of Tigaraksa, Tangerang.

The second day after ordination, each of them went to their place of origin. They were accompanied by their relatives who came to attend the ordination. Father Igan celebrated his thanksgiving on 23 August in his own place, the village of Rejing – Compang Kules in the district of Manggarai Barat, which is under the diocese of Ruteng – Flores.

Several Salesian confreres from diffrent communities came to join Father Igan in his thanksgiving. They represented the Salesians of the Vice-Province. From the city of Ruteng, the capital of Manggarai Barat regency, the visitors travel by car for two hours, going down to the valley of the Rejing village. The bumpy road along the way becomes so challenging for those have never been in such experience.

But the visitors then felt satisfied with the way they were welcomed and all activities of the feast that they participated. Father Igan celebrated his first Mass in his village and was concelebrated by five other priests, and one of them is father Agustinus Catur, a Salesian.

Another story of thanksgiving comes from the island of Sumba, where Father Marsel comes from. His thanksgiving mass was celebrated on 27 August in his home village of Kalaki Kambe, about 12 km from the Salesian community at Weepengali in the district of Sumba Barat Daya.

Marsel is the first Salesian vocation from this Island. After 17 years of presence and work in this land, today the Salesian Congregation can harvest the first fruits from this land. When he finished high school, he intended to join a religious congregation he was more familiar with, but he was late in catching up with the registration deadline. He was then guided to the Salesian community that was still little known at that time.

In his thanksgiving, Father Marsel was assisted by more than 50 priests, mostly diocesan priests, who concelebrated. There were 8 Salesians priests who came from diffrent communities to participate and represented the Salesians of the Vice-Province. It was estimated that about 1000 faithful participated in the first mass of Father Marsel in his village.

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