Twenty Years of Rogationist Presence
At the Service of Vocations in Indonesia
The Rogationist presence in Indonesia began when Fr. Bruno Rampazzo, then Major Superior of the Quasi-Province of the Philippines, tasked Fr. Jessie Martirizar, Provincial Councilor for Missions, to join Sr. Isabella Carlone, Superior Delegate of the FDZ in the Philippines, on an official visit to the mission in Indonesia. They left Manila on August 12, 2003.
In the evening of the same day, they met with the then Archbishop of Ende, Mons. Abdon Longinus da Cunha. The conversation with the Archbishop touched on the sensitive issue of vocations in the Indonesian Church. At the time, the Bishop was in charge of the Indonesian Bishops' Commission for Religious Vocations, and his main concern was dealing with recruiting local candidates by various Congregations and sending them to continue their formation abroad without proper preparation. Knowing that the Rogationists in the Philippines have a special apostolate for the formation of candidates for religious vocations through the Pastoral Institute for Vocations Ministry (PIVM), the Archbishop showed great interest in this apostolate. In fact, he immediately invited Fr. Martirizar to stay and offered the Diocesan Pastoral Centre as a temporary residence for the Rogationists to begin the same apostolate in his diocese. The Archbishop was assured that the Provincial Council would seriously consider the matter upon his return to the Philippines and that a response to his request would be given as soon as possible.
Also, on the initiative of our FDZ sisters, a series of meetings were organized with some young students. This was a kind of vocation promotion for the Rogationists. During his short stay in Maumere, Fr. Martirizar also had the opportunity to visit some significant places, such as the Major Seminary of St. Peter and the "STFK-Ledalero" Seminary of the Society of the Divine Word, which both serve as a theological school for seminarians from different dioceses and religious congregations.
Faithful to his promise to the Archbishop, Fr. Martirizar made his second visit to Maumere from April 28 to May 11, 2004, this time together with a newly ordained priest, Fr. Henry Ramos, who was then the vocation director of the Rogationist seminary in Manila. They were temporarily housed in the community of our FDZ sisters. This could be considered the second phase of the visit since it was to continue the initial project of fulfilling Archbishop Longinus' request for the formation of candidates from different religious congregations.
It was a special opportunity for our Congregation to spread the Rogate in Indonesia. On May 5, 2004, Fr. Martirizar and Fr. Ramos met with Archbishop Longinus da Cunha to inform him of the willingness of the Rogationists to work in the diocese, especially to help in the initial formation of many young aspirants. Fr. Martirizar returned to the Philippines on May 11, 2004, while Fr. Ramos stayed behind to study the possibility of starting our presence in Maumere. Since there was no house yet, Fr. Ramos stayed at the FDZ convent. He spent his days mingling with the locals and learning Bahasa Indonesia and the local Sikka dialect. Five months later, he was able to rent a house in Pensip-Waioti, just a few meters from the Franseda-Maumere airport. There, he received the first candidates for the Rogationist religious life. Six months later, a young religious in practical formation, Bro. Herbert Magbuo joined Fr. Ramos to strengthen our new presence and to accompany Indonesian Rogationist seminarians. In 2007, Fr. Breynard Peji arrived as vocation director and Fr. Edgar Dacaldacal as assistant to the seminarians. In the same year, the Rogationists bought a house in the center of Maumere.
At the beginning of 2008, the construction of the second Rogationist Seminary began in Wailiti. Fr. Wesley Taguibao, who was still a Brother at that time, also arrived in Maumere. In the following years, other religious students in practical training arrived in Indonesia to strengthen our mission.
The first fruit of the Rogationist mission in Indonesia came on April 16, 2016, with the ordination of Fr. Hendrikus Gualbertus, the first Indonesian Rogationist priest, who was ordained by Bishop Gerulfus Cerubim Pareira, SVD, in the Parish Church of the Holy Spirit in Nelle. One year later we had the joy of the second Indonesian priest with the ordination of Fr. Ferdinandus Heldi Tanga in Manila, Philippines.
To date, the Rogationist Mission in Indonesia has 10 priests, 3 religious in theology, 14 religious in practical training, 2 novices, 4 postulants and 38 seminarians.
For 20 years now, the Institute of Formation of St. Hannibal (FISH) has continued to serve generations of Indonesian vocations who are now witnessing the joy of religious life throughout the world. The Institute is a testimony of the commitment and zeal of the Rogationists for the care of vocations and an expression of their gratitude for the providential request of the then Archbishop Longinus Da Cunha.
By: Fr. Henry Ramos and Fr. Marselinus Koka. - Fr. Henry is currently the Parish Priest of St. Lawrence, the Deacon Parish in Bangui, Ilocos Norte. Fr. Marselinus works at the St. Hannibal Rogate Center, especially assisting the Provincial Archivist and being an Understudy Secretary while studying at the Don Bosco School of Theology.