Pontianak celebrates new vocations among the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (photos-video)

by Mathias Hariyadi

Mgr Agus praised the courage of the young women to say "yes" to religious life and expressed his "gratitude". Five of them became postulants and three novices at the house of Saint Therese of Lisieux. In St Anthony convent, two sisters took perpetual vows whilst 19 novices took temporary ones.

Pontianak (AsiaNews) – Despite a decline in vocations in the Indonesian Church, over the past month the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (SFIC) IN Pontianak (West Kalimantan) received five postulants in their community, as well as 22 novices and two nuns.

This is the outcome of the nuns’ work in promoting the religious life through successful initiatives like "Live-in", which offers women religious the opportunity of spending a few days in different communities and believers’ home in the province the faithful.

Last 10 July, five young women who aspire to enter the Order became postulants at the house of Saint Therese of Lisieux in Pontianak. They are Agnes Indrisari Yuliana and Yohana, both originally from the Archdiocese of Makassar (South Sulawesi); and Tarlia Marsedes, Jubilia Inge Agustin and Vebriabi Lidia Kusmayani, from the Archdiocese of Pontianak.

The local bishop, Mgr Agustinus Agus, and Sister Irene, SFIC provincial superior and director of the novitiate training programme, welcomed them. All five will start their programme next year.

On the same day, postulants Maria Paulina Guyum (Diocese of Sanggau), Kristine Natalia and Theodora Yenita Yeni (Archdiocese of Pontianak) became novices.

In his message to the eight aspiring nuns, Mgr Agus stressed "the courage shown by them in following the vocation of the consecrated life. We must express our gratitude to these young women for their strong commitment to say 'yes'. My advice is clear and real: never be afraid to become a nun."

Two weeks earlier, another joyous event took place at another SFIC facility in Pontianak, the convent of Sant'Antonio.

During a simple ceremony officiated by four Capuchin priests, Sister Oktaviana Safitri and Sister Stella Linda took their perpetual vows, one month after completing their period of religious training. During the same service, 19 novices took temporary vows.