By Fr. Boedi, SDB

       Indonesia, 19 April 2021 -- On Friday morning, 16 April 2021, Fr. Boedi (Provincial Economer) and Fr. Paulus (Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry) finished their five-day exploration in the Diocese of Ruteng. The area of the Diocese occupies the west part of Flores island. The island itself is part of East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia whose eastern part was hit by cyclone and flash floods recently. The trip is a follow up to the invitation of the Bishop, Mgr. Siprianus Hormat, for SDB Indonesia to open a work in the diocese.

       They visited five potential locations offered for SDB and listened to the presentations and inputs from the Pastoral Center, Youth Ministry and the clergy of the Diocese to discern together what kind of work and where is the place for the Salesians to start working in the Diocese, to answer the need of the local Church with the contribution of the Salesian charism and mission for the good of the young people in particular. The process was ended up with a personal meeting with the Bishop.

       The Bishop, the clergy and the local people are enthusiastic with the plan and they are looking forward for Salesians to come soon to start their service. This will be the first presence of SDB on the Flores island whose population is predominantly catholic. So far, the presence of Salesians in Indonesia has only been on two islands: Java and Sumba, among so many islands of the vast country of Indonesia.

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