The Missionaries of the Holy Family marked 100 years of missionary service in Indonesia with a call to renew their commitment to families and young people, highlighting both gratitude for the past and responsibility for the future.
Nearly 1,500 faithful gathered on Feb. 24 at St. Paul Kleco Parish Church in Solo City, Central Java Province, for a thanksgiving Eucharist commemorating the centennial of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Family (MSF – Missionariorum a Sacra Familia). The celebration coincided with the birthday of MSF founder Father Jean Berthier.
The congregation first arrived in Kalimantan in 1926 and expanded to Semarang in 1932. On Feb. 27, 2026, MSF marked exactly one century of continuous service in Indonesia.
Presiding over the celebration was Bishop Aloysius Sutrisnaatmaka, MSF, of the Diocese of Palangka Raya. Concelebrants included Archbishop Yustinus Harjosusanto, MSF, of the Archdiocese of Samarinda; Fr. FX Sugiyana, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Semarang; and Fr. Yohanes Risdiyanto, MSF, provincial superior of MSF Java Province.
Photo credit: FX Juli Pramana
Religious leaders, priests, sisters, brothers, seminarians, MSF Associates, and lay faithful from parishes across the Archdiocese of Semarang and the Archdiocese of Jakarta attended the Mass, reflecting the congregation’s wide pastoral presence.
Today, MSF serves in 17 parishes within the Archdiocese of Semarang alone, alongside ministries in other dioceses. Over the decades, the congregation has been active in faith formation, family pastoral care, vocation promotion, and priestly accompaniment. Three MSF priests originating from the Archdiocese of Semarang have also become bishops in Indonesia.
The centennial carried the theme, “Walking Together with Families and Hope-Filled Youth.”
In his homily, Bishop Sutrisnaatmaka described reaching 100 years as “a blessed age granted by God.” Drawing from the First Letter of Peter, he said missionary life requires authentic witness.
“Strong proclamation must be accompanied by example,” he said. “We are called to become models, not merely to look for them. The capital for proclaiming the Good News is the firmness of faith.”
Recalling the early missionaries who traveled to remote areas carrying liturgical vessels and medicines, he said the essence of mission remains unchanged: proclaiming the Kingdom of God, baptizing, and forming disciples.
To guide renewal, he proposed three steps: introspection, evaluation, and program planning.
“To become missionaries, we must have a strong and attractive faith,” he said, “so that we may proclaim Jesus in ways that truly touch hearts.”
Photo credit: FX Juli Pramana
In his address, Fr. Risdiyanto reflected on a century of missionary resilience across remote islands and cultures, while acknowledging contemporary challenges, including declining religious vocations and the need to accompany Generation Z.
For MSF, he said, families and young people are companions—“besties”—walking together in hope.
He invited members to return to the spiritual foundation of the congregation, the “School of Nazareth,” inspired by Father Berthier. There, missionaries learn from Jesus, Mary, and Joseph: from Jesus, compassionate love; from Mary, gentle service; and from Joseph, refuge and protection.
“Only if God wills it,” Fr. Risdiyanto quoted Father Berthier, “will missionaries have apostolic hearts.”
Archbishop Harjosusanto said MSF’s missionary spirit has endured despite challenges and emphasized nurturing a family spirit within the congregation and expanding family ministry as a key apostolate. He also underscored collaboration with lay partners and MSF Associates as essential for spreading MSF spirituality beyond religious communities.
Photo credit: FX Juli Pramana
Representing the Archdiocese of Semarang, Fr. Sugiyana expressed gratitude for MSF’s presence in the local Church.
“Through MSF’s ministry,” he said, “the faithful have grown more faithful, resilient, missionary, and dialogical.”
The celebration concluded with an online message from MSF Superior General Father Agustinus Purnama, MSF, who congratulated the Indonesian Province and expressed hope that the centennial would renew missionary strength and joy.
One hundred years after its arrival in Indonesia, MSF continues its mission from remote areas to urban parishes, focusing on families and youth as it enters its second century of service.
