Participants come 19 religious orders. The purpose of the event “is to enable priests to prepare their hearts for the voice of the Holy Spirit” so that their lives can be more “fruitful for the whole Church”.

Jakarta (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Year for Priests ended in Indonesia with a religious retreat in Jakarta attended by 208 priests from 19 religious orders. “A retreat is not just a religious and pastoral event,” wrote Mgr Johannes Maria Trilaksyanta Pujasumarta (pictured), bishop of Bandung, in an address to participants. “Its purpose is to enable priests to prepare their hearts for the voice of the Holy Spirit” so that their lives can be more “fruitful for the whole Church”.

Lumen 2000 sponsored the event in co-operation with the Forum on Co-operation and Continuing Education for Priests in Indonesia (BKBLII).

During the event, the life of Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, the pastor of Ars and patron saint of priests, was commemorated.

Mgr Ignatius Suharya, coadjutor bishop of Jakarta, coached the retreat, which focused on loyalty to the model and the persistence in faith of Christ.

In his address, he insisted that everyone must continue to bear witness to the faith of the Church “so that pastoral work can be trusted and be meaningful for the whole of humanity.”  

To do this, all we must do is “follow Jesus’ way of being,” Bishop Pujasumarta said.

His is the example that priests must follow in their missionary work, said Mgr Leopoldo Girelli, apostolic nuncio to Indonesia.

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