Final Vows:
On Friday, August 15, 2025, during the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Indonesian Province of the Society of Jesus celebrated the final vows of seven priests; they were Frs. Thomas Septi Widhiyudana, S.J., Christoforus Bayu Risanto, S.J., Peter Benedicto Devantara, S.J., Bernadus Dirgaprimawan, S.J., Agustinus Winaryanta, S.J., Alexander Koko Siswijayanto, S.J., and Christoforus Christiono Puspo, S.J.
The Mass was presided over by Father Benedictus Hari Juliawan, S.J., at the chapel of Kanisius College, Jakarta, attended by family members, parishioners, and Jesuit members from various communities. The Mass could also be watched via live streaming on the Jesuit Indonesia YouTube channel. In his homily, Father Benny invited the faithful to reflect on the moment of Church reform by Pope Gregory VII, who sought to free the Church from worldly power. Emphasizing the effort to preserve the purity of the Church as the Body of Christ, he linked the meaning of Final Vows with full incorporation and acceptance into the Society of Jesus, which unites one spiritually, structurally, and in mission.
Father Benny invited the votaries to live out holiness in their current time and context, emphasizing concrete actions in thought, word, and deed, in line with the spirit of the Spiritual Exercises and the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus. He also reminded them that their presence in the Society is both a gift and a responsibility, with the hope of bringing new perspectives and raising reflective questions about the impact of their presence within the Society.
At the end of the Eucharist, Father Koko Siswijayanto, representing his seven colleagues, expressed gratitude for the journey they had travelled, feeling God’s grace in their imperfections. He stated that final vows were not the end, but a new beginning for God’s mission. He asked for prayers so that they could live out their vocation as Jesuits with humility and fidelity.
Contributor: Sch. Ignatius Dio Ernanda Johandika, S.J.
