Kota Kupang, TIRILOLOKNEWS.COM || REGIONAL – We are building a new foundation in Kupang, Timor Indonesia because God wills it!
For a long time now, our community in Ruteng has been dreaming and praying for a new foundation in Indonesia. During our 12th General Chapter last June 2019, we courageously brought up this matter for approval. We received a positive response from the capitulars but with the condition that we have to wait for the right time. In the meantime, our community fervently prayed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit which part of Indonesia God wills us to build our new convent. During this time, we received an invitation from the Archbishop of Samarinda to build a convent in the 10 – hectares land of the archdiocese. Two families in Kefa, Timor offered to give us their ancestral land for the same purpose. The provincials of SVD and SSpS Timor province kept on urging us to come to Lahurus, Atambua to complete the presence of the Arnoldus family the place were the first SVD missionaries started their mission in Indonesia. All these invitations, we brought for consideration to our Mother General. But each time, we were told to wait and pray some more.
Our patience finally bore fruit. Towards the end of the year 2023, we were informed that our Mother General, Mother Maria Magdalena with her two councilors, Sr. Mary Renee and Sr. Lusia Maria will come to Kupang to look for a possible foundation. Immediately, we arranged for a meeting with Archbishop Petrus Turang to seek his guidance. He approved of our presence and advised us to look for a place in the suburbs. We then started our search for a land but none seems to fit our needs. Come December, Mother with her two councilors were welcomed warmly by the SVDs and SSpS and with their help within one week we were able to find a place in Manuat, Baumata Timur to build our new foundation. Last February 2, 2024, on the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord and World Day for Consecrated Persons, we celebrated the Holy Mass for the laying of the first cornerstone of the convent and chapel of “Biara Adorasi Santo Mikael Malaikat Agung” (Adoration Convent of St. Michael the Archangel). Incidentally, our convent in Ruteng Biara Adorasi Tritunggal Mahakudus (Adoration Convent of the Holy Trinity) is celebrating its 25th anniversary of the laying of its first cornerstone on March 19, 2024. Thanks be to God after 25 years of presence in Indonesia we are able to stretch our wings to another place in the country!
We believe that our presence in Kupang is an answered prayer not only of our community but also of other people. Firstly, our SVD brothers and SSpS Sisters who have longed for our presence in the Timor Province. Secondly, according to Father Kris Saku, Pr, the parish priest of St. Joseph the worker in Penfui to which the district of Manuat belongs, he has been praying for a contemplative congregation to come to his parish. Presently, he is shepherding 19 active religious congregations of men and women. He hopes that the atmosphere of prayer and silence of a contemplative religious community will bring new vigor in the spiritual life not only of the religious but also of the laity. Lastly, several petitioners from Timor province have expressed their desire for an adoration convent like ours in Kupang.
Through our apostolate of prayer and Eucharistic adoration we hope to support the Church in actively carrying out its mission in the society. Our cloistered contemplative life gives a firm and clear testimony about the meaning of total surrender to God. We believe that our presence will invigorate the faith and strengthen the spiritual life of the Catholics in the Archdiocese of Kupang. We hope that our prayers and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament day and night will bring abundant blessings to the people and draw them to better know, love and serve God through our silent witness.
With our co-founder, Mother Mary Michael, we rejoice, praise and thank God for our second foundation in Kupang. And with our Father Founder, St. Arnold Janssen, we pray “May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in every hearts.”
