Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Maumere (Agenzia Fides) – On Sunday, October 18, the 83rd World Mission Sunday, in Maumere, on the Indonesian island of Flores, the first Indonesian Camillian priest - Fr. Alfons Oles - was ordained. In the same Mass, 17 young Divine Word Missionaries were ordained as well. According to information sent to Agenzia Fides from Fr. Luigi Galvani, MI, who has been a missionary in the Philippines for over 30 years, Fr. Alfons Oles was born 32 years ago in the mountainous area of the island of Flores, and completed his philosophical and theological studies and his religious formation in the Camillian Theologate in Manila (Philippines). He first met the Camillian Missionaries from the Philippines several years ago, while he was attending a two-year course at the Diocesan Seminary of Mataloko, for young people interested in becoming priests.
Fr. Alfons continues: “Following this encounter and after great prayer and reflection, I decided to enter the Camillian Seminary in Manila, with another six companions in May 2000. The experience of 9 years living in another country with a different culture, in spite of the small difficulties, has been enriching and made me mature a lot. Now I am glad to have reached the goal and to contribute to planting the charism and spirituality of San Camillo in my country.”
Fr. Alfons's ordination, which was celebrated on this day that remembers all the missionaries throughout the world, confirms the vitality of the mission that takes the news of the Gospel to the ends of the earth, says Fr. Galvani. This ordination is, in fact, an important moment for the Camillian Missionaries that, already present in the nine countries of Asia, have now established their presence in Indonesia. Fr. Alfons will be, along with his companions, the “human force” now ready to return to their country. The first steps were recently taken towards acquiring a small house in Maumere on the island of Flores, to establish the first Camillian seminary in Indonesia as soon as possible (see Fides 29/5/2009).
The island of Flores, with a population of over a million, is 80% Catholic and has been the birthplace of a great many vocations for the Catholic Church: hundreds of priests and religious from this island today work in various countries throughout the world. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 19/10/2009)
