What a surprise from God!
Along with the closing Mass of the 100th anniversary of our first Constitutions and the Testament Letter of our Founder which was celebrated on July 3, 2021 in the Wisma Xaverian Bintaro community, the news about the bishop-elect of Padang Diocese was announced. Due to the pandemic restrictions, the Mass was attended only by the community members and several members of the Xaverian Lay Community (PAX). During the eucharistic celebration, Fr. Antonius Suhud Budi Pranoto, Regional Superior of the Xaverian community in Indonesia, read a letter from Bishop Piero Pioppo, the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the Repubblic of Indonesia, regarding the appointment of P. Vitus Rubianto S.X as new bishop of Padang.
There were so many feelings: surprise, gratefulness and also wonder! We were surprised because we never thought that the Diocese of Padang would be guided by a Xaverian from Indonesia. Mgr. Bergamin, the first Bishop of Padang Diocese, used to say that the next bishop had to be Indonesian. In fact, in 1987, Martinus Dogma Situmorang OFM Cap (28 March 1946 – 19 November 2019), from Palipi, North Sumatra, was appointed to be the second Bishop of Padang. He had been ordained bishop in 1983.
Indeed, the great accomplishment for a missionary is to see the local Church growing and self-reliant. After 70 years of Xaverian's mission in Indonesia, Pastor Vitus Rubianto, our confrere was appointed as bishop. What a surprise from God! In his sharing, P. Rubianto said that he himself has never thought to be chosen as bishop. After going through the discernment process and in the name of obedience he accepted the task. He thanked the Xaverian confreres for always supporting him. He really feels the spirit of family within the congregation and experiences such aspect as a unique missionary experience.
The election of Mgr. Rubianto coincides with two major events in the Xaverian Province of Indonesia. First, the celebration the culmination of the Great Jubilee of the first Constitutions and of the Testament Letter and second, the 70th anniversary of the presence of the Xaverian mission in Indonesia. We are truly grateful for these two events which show us the benevolence of the Lord. The Testament Letter again reminds us of the lovely paternity of Mgr. Guido M. Conforti that invites us all to be grateful for the precious grace: the apostolic vocation and consecrated life. The moment of celebrating 70 years is also a special blessing, namely the revival of the missionary spirit among our confreres especially for the mission in West Sumatra. West Sumatra is considered an “barren land” because of the difficulty in entering the culture of the indigenous people who generally practice a “very strict” Islam.
By the way, on July 10th, fifteen young men were officially accepted in the formative community of Bintaro, as new postulants. They come from several different Diocesan Minor Seminaries and from different ethnicities. And last Thursday, July 15th – 2021, in the same cathedral of Padang, our young confrere Marselinus Yerisko, s.x. has been ordained Priest by Mons. Kornelius Sipayung, OFM Cap., Bishop of Medan.
With all these events, and in particular way with the election of Mgr. Vitus Rubianto, God continue to wake us up! We can take advantage of all this, asking ourselves if we are being “loyal” and faithful to the ad gentes mission – the vocation entrusted to us – and strengthening our passion and dedication for the first announcement of the Gospel to those who still don’t know Jesus.
