The Indonesian Christian Meditation Community recorded its largest-ever turnout during its 2025 National Gathering, held in May at the Sanjaya Pastoral Centre in Muntilan, Central Java.
A total of 162 participants from 11 dioceses in Indonesia, along with delegates from Singapore and Timor-Leste, took part in the four-day event, which explored the theme “The Risk of Living Together.”
The gathering examined the promises and challenges of communal spiritual life in a rapidly changing world.
Ahead of the main sessions, 35 meditators joined a Silent Retreat from May 25 to 28, guided by Carmelite priest Fr. Siriakus M. Ndolu and Marian Oblate priest Fr. Vincent Watun. The retreat provided a space for “deep contemplation,” rooted in the community’s core practice of silent prayer.
A key driver of this year’s record participation was the Meditator Sharing Program, inspired by the Italian Caffè Sospeso tradition. The initiative enabled dioceses and local meditation groups to sponsor fellow members, allowing broader access to the national gathering.
In his opening address, Fr. Siriakus, national moderator of the Christian Meditation Community, highlighted the importance of building community amid the pressures of individualism and societal competition.
“Community emerges not from common hobbies, but from a shared encounter with love – agape – nurtured through consistent meditation,” he said.
Citing the Latin phrase bonum diffusivum sui—“goodness naturally seeks to share itself”—Fr. Siriakus stressed that genuine love cannot remain isolated.
However, he also warned, “Ego flourishes easily in a competitive world,” and added, “Without vigilance, even spiritual communities can experience conflict.”
He said that regular meditation helps cultivate “hospitality and empathy,” which are essential for sustaining communal life.
The Indonesian Christian Meditation Community is affiliated with the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM), based in Bonnevaux, France.
The WCCM was founded by Benedictine monk Fr. John Main OSB and traces its roots to the early Christian monastic practice of silent prayer, particularly as taught by 4th-century monk John Cassian.
Globally, WCCM is active in over 100 countries and has 67 national coordinators. In Indonesia, the movement has expanded significantly since it was introduced in 2003.
It now operates in 19 dioceses and has extended into parishes and schools, promoting daily meditation grounded in silence, stillness, and simplicity.
Practitioners are encouraged to meditate twice a day for 20 to 30 minutes using a sacred word such as Maranatha (cf. 1 Cor 16:22), repeated internally in silence and love.
As the national gathering concluded, participants reaffirmed their commitment to contemplative practice and embraced the ongoing challenge of “walking together in faith.”
