Jogjakarta, Indonesia. In his address for the opening of the synod on Synodality, Pope Francis said that we are called to unity, communion, the fraternity born of the realization that all of us are embraced by the one love of God. He encouraged everyone to journey together, to experience a Church that receives and lives this gift of unity and is open to the voice of the Spirit.
Likewise, during the audience of the XXVI General Chapter members with the Holy Father, he said that he hopes that the Chapter has led the members to concentrate on the essential elements that define consecrated life today: consecration, which values the relationship with God; fraternal life in community, which gives priority to an authentic relationship with our brothers; and the mission, which leads you to go forth, to decentralize ourselves to go forth to meet others, particularly the poor, to bring Jesus to them.
On this call and hope of the Holy Father, the thirteenth edition of the Consecrated Life Week hosted by Indonesia-Timor Leste Independent Delegation developed and took place online on January 27 to 29, 2022, with the theme “Synodality and Consecrated Life.”
Thanks to its online mode, more participants, particularly the religious of the different religious congregations in Indonesia and East Timor, participated. The coverage even extended to Claretians and other Indonesian and Timorese religious of other parts of the world—the Philippines, Mexico, El Salvador, France, Italy.
Distinguished speakers shared their knowledge on different perspectives of Synodality. Fr. Valens Agino, CMF, Major Superior of Indonesia-Timor Leste, spoke on Synodality from Sacred Scriptures’ perspective; Fr. Yohanes Dari Salib Jeramu, CMF on the theological perspective; Fr. Yoseph Ferdinandus Melo, CMF, in the context of Consecrated Life. On the other hand, Fr. Agustinus Supur, CMF, spoke on Synodality and the Religious Vows and Dr. Norbertus Jegalus on Synodality and Leadership in Consecrated Life. Fr. Methodius Manek, CMF, moderated the sessions.
(News contributed by Sch. Mario F. Cole Putra, CMF)
