Catholic educators exchange ideas in Pontianak about teaching, disseminating Christian values
SEKAMI’s national Jamboree is an important opportunity to share experiences. For Fr Pey Hurint, teaching methods and spreading the faith "depend above all on the social context of each diocese". Identity policies, corruption and religious intolerance are the most pressing challenges for pluralist Indonesia. Each diocese of the country is responsible for particular initiatives and volunteer training.
Pontianak (AsiaNews) – The second day of the national gathering of young Catholics held in the Archdiocese of Pontianak (West Kalimantan) focused on teaching and disseminating Christian values.
The Pontifical Society of Young Missionaries (Serikat Kepausan Anak dan Remaja Misioner, SEKAMI) organised ‘Disseminating the joy of the Bible within diversity’, a meeting that began on Tuesday and ended today.
On Wednesday, the kids who arrived in Pontianak for the jamboree carried out activities that favoured exchange and mutual knowledge.
Educators took part in a seminar with Fr Markus Nurwidi Pranoto, head of the Pontifical Missionary Works (Komisi Kepausan Indonesia, KKI) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia (Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia, KWI).
Fr Pranoto presented Catholic teaching materials to the participants, explaining how to disseminate them in the social context of modern and pluralist Indonesia.
At the end of the meeting, divided into three sessions, the priest told AsiaNews: "I present issues to educators about our nation’s new social context and the nine challenges that await it."
For the clergyman, the goal is to be always up-to-date and understand the country’s problems.
These include the identity politics promoted by those who exploit religion to obtain support from extremist groups, widespread corruption among government officials and authorities, and the consequent importance of promoting interreligious dialogue.
Teaching methods and spreading the faith "depend above all on the social context of each diocese," said Fr Pey Hurint.
Many young people from his Diocese of Larantuka (East Nusa Tenggara) take part in this mission "on a wholly voluntary basis", as do some educators who came to the jamboree with the kids of other dioceses.
Maria Rosa is a high school teacher in the remote Diocese of Ketapang (West Kalimantan). In addition to her daily activities at a local state school, she is very active in socialising with different "movements of faith" in the diocese.
She is an active member of the Youth Commission and took part in events like Indonesian Youth Day and Asian Youth Day, as a member of the diocesan delegation.
Originally from Merauke District (Papua), Sisilia Sudarmi is instead engaged in the Sunday programme organised by SEKAMI in the city school.
Every parish of the country carries out various activities. However, the knowledge of faith by young volunteers can sometimes be "limited". For this reason, the dioceses should adopt some educational programmes to improve skills, said Frs Hurint and Pranoto.
"The KKI supports them with teaching modules, personnel and financing,” added the director.
SEKAMI’s national Jamboree has thus become an important opportunity for volunteers, young people and adults, to compare and share the initiatives that each diocese has put into practice.
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05/07/2018 16:16
