Ninety-five diocesan priests and five bishops from across Indonesia’s Sumatra Region gathered in Padang from Feb. 23 to 27 for a week of ongoing formation focused on priestly renewal, unity, and mission.
Padang holds a significant place in the history of the Catholic Church in Sumatra. It became the oldest station in Sumatra under the Apostolic Vicariate of Batavia, with the first recorded pastoral visit on April 13, 1857.
The territory was elevated to an Apostolic Prefecture on June 19, 1952, and later established as the Diocese of Padang on Jan. 3, 1961.
Its first bishop, Msgr. Raimundo C. Bergamin, SX, designated St. Theresia Church as the cathedral.
Participants reflected on the steadfastness of the missionaries who first proclaimed the Gospel in the region, entering moments of silence as they gathered in the historic city.
Call to make love concrete
The formation opened with a Eucharistic celebration at St. Theresia Cathedral, presided over by Bishop Vitus Rubianto Solichin, SX, of Padang. He was joined by four other bishops of the Sumatra Region, the 95 priests participating in the program, and hundreds of faithful.
In his homily, Bishop Vitus urged priests to make God’s love tangible in their pastoral ministry, particularly through care for the vulnerable.
“What we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, we truly do for the Lord Himself,” he said.
He encouraged priests to be both proclaimers and doers of the Word so that more people may encounter God’s love and joy.
Strengthening synodal fraternity
At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, UNIO Indonesia President Father Maxi Un Bria thanked the bishops for their consistent presence and support of diocesan priests.
He said the gathering reflected visible communion among bishops and clergy. Their reflections and sharing, he noted, brought the joy of fraternity and embodied “communion, participation, and mission.”
Fr. Maxi reminded priests that their ministry bears fruit when lived in unity with their bishop and fellow priests, citing Scripture: “I am the vine; you are the branches…” (John 15:5).
He added that UNIO Indonesia serves as a space of fraternity where diocesan priests strengthen one another and nurture communion.
The joy of the priesthood
The first session of the formation carried the theme “The Joy of the Priest Is Sustained by the People of God,” presented by Bishop Vitus.
Quoting Pope Francis during the Chrism Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 17, 2014, he said: “The Lord has anointed us in Christ with the oil of joy… and this anointing invites us to receive and embrace this great gift: priestly joy.”
He described priestly joy as missionary in nature, safeguarded by what he called “three sisters”: Sister Poverty, Sister Fidelity, and Sister Obedience. Priestly joy flows, he said, when the shepherd remains in the midst of his flock.
The bishops present included:
- Msgr. Kornelius Sipayung, OFMCap, Archbishop of Medan
- Msgr. Yohanes Harun Yuwono, Archbishop of Palembang
- Msgr. Adrianus Sunarko, OFM, Bishop of Pangkal Pinang
- Msgr. Vinsensius Setiawan Triatmojo, Bishop of Tanjung Karang
Their participation underscored unity between bishops and diocesan priests across the region.
Ongoing formation as a pastoral priority
In his concluding remarks, Fr. Maxi emphasized the need to support the priesthood through sustained education and formation.
“I would like to recall the importance of supporting the priesthood through education and ongoing formation. He described the long procession of priests at an episcopal ordination as a sign of God’s greatness. Yet, large numbers do not automatically guarantee quality. What we need is not merely a long line, but priests who are strong, mature, and faithful,” he said yesterday.
Indonesia currently has 2,788 diocesan priests serving in 38 dioceses.
UNIO Indonesia, he noted, exists as a fraternity of diocesan priests to support one another in holiness of life, ongoing formation, and unity. Its spirit is “Priest helping Priest.”
“We are aware that this vocation is a treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). Please pray for us, and lovingly correct and remind us whenever we falter. Let us unite in supporting our priests and in ensuring the success of the formation gathering in the Sumatra Region,” he said.
