More than 150 Catholic youths from the Sacred Heart of Jesus (HKY) Parish Bombay in the Diocese of Amboina gathered on Kelapa Island in Southeast Maluku on May 14 for an “Easter Healing” program aimed at strengthening faith, cooperation, and leadership ahead of their Bible Camp in September 2026.
The activity brought together members of the St. John Don Bosco Youth Group (OMK) from four stations of the parish on Kei Besar Island, a remote area that requires hours of travel from Ambon City through flights, motorboat rides, and land transportation.
Held on the small island of Kelapa, located near Elat Bay in the Kei Islands cluster, the gathering combined faith formation, community-building activities, and leadership development for young Catholics in the parish.
Participants were accompanied by youth mentors and station councils from Salvator Mundi Station in Soinrat, the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Center in Bombay, St. Cecilia Station in Watsin, and Three Kings Station in Sirbante.
The main speaker during the event was Fr. Yoseph Rettob, MSC, regional superior of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Maluku Region, also known as Fr. Oce.
“Life today is difficult, and the economy is challenging. Catholic youth must prepare themselves well to face a future full of challenges. One of the most important preparations is education,” Fr. Rettob told the young participants.
Fr. Anselmus Amo, MSC, parish priest of HKY Bombay, said the activity also served as a way of strengthening cooperation among young people and church leaders within the parish.
“This Easter Healing activity is one way of testing cooperation among the youth, mentors, station councils, and the parish council. I see that the coordination has been running well and must be maintained and further improved,” Fr. Amo said.
“Easter Healing means that the Resurrection of Jesus brings healing through forgiveness, bringing peace and joy,” he added.
Aside from faith formation sessions, the participants also joined group dynamics activities and community-building programs designed to strengthen fraternity among the youth.
During the gathering, acting chairperson Lisa Talubun introduced the new vision and mission of the St. John Don Bosco Youth Group and launched the organization’s new motto: “One Heart, One Faith, One Service.”
Church leaders said the activity forms part of a wider series of preparations leading to the Bible Camp in September 2026.
In recent months, the youth group has organized initiatives including a “Way of the Cross Hiking” activity during Lent, the inauguration of youth leaders at the station level, and the establishment of parish-level youth leadership structures.
Youth members are also cultivating gardens and planting vegetables in their respective stations as part of fundraising efforts for the upcoming Bible Camp.
Additional activities scheduled in the coming weeks include a “Rosary Hiking” program and further leadership formation sessions for parish youth officers.
