Prayers of SVD
May the darkness of sin
and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word
and the Spirit of grace
and may the Heart of Jesus live
in the hearts of all people.
(Saint Arnold Janssen)
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HAPPY EASTER
This Easter I spent together with Fr Stefan Wrosz SVD in Manggarai Province, and more precisely in the mission station of the parish Kisol. I left the seminary in Ledalero on Thursday before Palm Sunday, because in the Garden of Mercy there was a funeral of the missionary of Indonesia - Fr Czesław Osiecki SVD (12/04/2019). Then I went to Mataloko to wait for the transport to the western part of Flores. I arrived on Palm Sunday and met Father Stefan, who had been waiting for me.
After a few days together, on Holy Thursday, we went together to the mission station which is called Nangarawa. The people welcomed us very warmly, because the builder of the local church was also a Polish missionary - Father Jan Olęcki SVD. Each day of the Triduum we started with singing "lamentations" in the morning, at 6:00 am. Later there was preparation for the liturgy together with the faithful. They were very eager to come and clean the church, to practice singing and liturgy. They rarely have the opportunity to participate in the Eucharist celebrated by the priest. The road to the mission station was destroyed by flood, and the current is only from the generator at the church. There was neither coverage of the telephone network, nor access to the Internet.
We lived close to the chuch. Although it was a very simple place, we kept a good spirit. We did not lack food, because always people brought us meals. There were fresh fruit and drinking water on the table. Due to the small distance to the sea, we could enjoy tasty fish. Of course, there was also rice. On Holy Thursday, I presided the Eucharist, on Good Friday and Holy Saturday the liturgy was led by Father Stefan. On Easter Sunday again I said the holy mass. Every day there were many faithful who came eagerly from the most remote parts of the parish. There were various choirs every day. They sang songs both in Latin and Indonesian. Paschal celebrations were also attended by children who, after Holy Communion, always approached the altar for the blessing. Some of them were a little bit afraid and even cried while seeing white missionaries - maybe for the first time in their lives.
I had the opportunity to talk and see the ordinary life of the inhabitants of western Flores. They are extremely friendly people and open to Christian faith. The consecrated people are surrounded by respect and kindness here. The missionary really does not lack anything. Sometimes, however, the Indonesian people are a little surprised that we came from Poland to proclaim the Gospel in Flores. Although faith is strong among them, there has never been a religious or priestly life in this missionary stadion (Nangarawa). Therefore, I asked them to pray for vocations from their parish, so that next year there would be at least one person who would decide to "follow Jesus".
I am asking for prayer for the Church in Indonesia, because there is still much to be done in order to preach the Gospel and to form the faithful.