Author name: Komunikator Serikat Jesus

Reflection on the 58th Anniversary of Pingit Social Village On October 19-26, 2024, Pingit Social Village (PSP) held a series of activities to commemorate Pingit’s 58th anniversary. The theme this year was “Togetherness in Joy.” Pingit administrators and volunteers reflected on the joy they experienced while holding teaching and learning activities at PSP. The spirit of the theme was expressed in three main activities: (1) free health checks, (2) people’s competitions, and (3) a night of vigil.   Free Health Check Saturday (10/19/2024), volunteers collaborated with the Realino Primary Clinic to organize free health checks for the elderly and residents around Pingit. The health services provided include uric acid, blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure checks. The examination was continued with personal consultations by doctors at the Realino Primary Clinic. After the examination, the prescription obtained from the doctor can be exchanged for the medicines provided.   The residents’ enthusiasm for participating in this activity shows the high need for personal health. This event reminds the community that attention should be focused on the productive age and the elderly, who are often neglected. As reflected in the closing prayer of the event, “[…] serving them, the elderly around us, who are rarely noticed by society,” this event carries a message about the importance of paying attention to the welfare of the elderly as an essential part of society.     People’s Race Sunday (10/20/2024): In addition to free health checks, Pingit’s 58th anniversary was also enlivened by a folk competition for the residents’ children. Although the implementation was postponed due to rain, the enthusiasm of all those present did not fade. After the weather cleared, the volunteers immediately prepared for competitions based on age categories. Kindergarten children competed in eating crackers and colored straws. Younger elementary school children played straw relay and bottle nails. Older elementary school children played cardboard shake and newspaper relay in line.   When the weather cleared, the enthusiasm of the children and residents grew even more intense until the competition was completed smoothly. The activity ended with the excitement of playing water volleyball. The happiness radiated from the children and residents, which was a memorable memory for the volunteers. Not forgetting, the children and residents received snacks that the committee had prepared. Although tired, the volunteers were grateful because they could carry out their duties well to create a memorable experience.     Night of Vigil  Saturday (10/26/2024): The peak of the series of activities for Pingit’s 58th anniversary was celebrated with a night of vigil. We were very impressed with the enthusiasm of the volunteers, who gave each other time for one month to prepare the children’s performance. Practicing the performance with the children was a challenge we overcame well.   On the day itself, volunteers and residents of Pingit helped each other to prepare the stage and tent for the night of the vigil. This was a valuable experience where all parties cared about each other to help each other make the series of events for Pingit’s 58th anniversary a success. The joy culminated on Saturday, October 26, 2024, the night of the vigil.   Togetherness is one of the things we got during our activities in Pingit. After about a year of meeting the residents and children, we felt a sense of closeness and familiarity with them. At the beginning of our time as Pingit volunteers, we always saw the enthusiasm of the children we accompanied. After accompanying them for a long time, we learned various stories of Pingit children, from their family conditions to their struggles. In addition to meeting multiple children’s stories, we also met Pingit residents who were friendly and sensitive to being involved in activities in Pingit.   In addition to the children and residents of Pingit, we also feel comfortable with the Pingit administrators and volunteers. We often share stories and experiences that bring joy. We are very grateful that each volunteer also has the sensitivity to help each other. One of the fruits of that sensitivity is the success of the series of activities for Pingit’s 58th anniversary.   Contributor: Adelia Dwi Maharani, Alessandra Josephine Lie Saragih, Lidwina Paskarylia Shinta – Volunteer Pingit

The Eucharistic Thanksgiving Celebration of the 92nd Anniversary of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Girisonta Parish, themed “Maguyub Welas Asih,” took place solemnly and lively. Father Agustinus Sigit Widisana, S.J., as the Parish Priest, and Father Leonardus Dibyawiyata, SJ, who previously worked as a parish priest from 1973-1977, led the thanksgiving mass.   The Eucharist began at 08.00 WIB, beginning with the pramisa song, greetings from the committee, and a dance performance from the students of Santa Anna Kindergarten, Girisonta. Joy and happiness enveloped all the people present. Not to forget the joint choir of the extended family of SMPK Girisonta and the alumni, enlivening this Eucharistic celebration of gratitude.   The atmosphere of Sunday, November 10, 2024, truly lifted the spirit of the entire 4,873-person Girisonta community.     A piece History​ The birth of the Church in Girisonta cannot be separated from the establishment of the Girisonta Retreat and Novitiate House. The retreat house was built in 1930, with the laying of the first stone on October 3, 1930. This retreat house was then named Girisonta. Giri means mountain, and Sonta means Holy. Girisonta was intended as a place at the foot of a quiet mountain, suitable for meditation and purification.   In 1932, Girisonta became the SJ Community for the first time. Father H. Koch, SJ, was the rector at that time, Father G. Schmedding was the novice master, Father Th. Verhoeven was the retreat house director, Father J. Hellings was the minister scholasticorum, and Father J. Schouten was undergoing Tertiants. At that time, there were 7 junior brothers, 7 novice brothers, and 3 novice brothers; there were also 2 postulants interested in becoming brothers. Of them, Father Schmedding and Verhoeven lasted the longest until the Japanese era, when they were still in Girisonta.   The Birth of the Church in Girisonta At the time Girisonta was born, there were almost no Catholics around Karangjati; only a small group lived in Ungaran. In the book De Katholieke Missie, published in 1933, the number of Catholics in Ungaran and Girisonta was only 99. That number included 21 new baptisms. On Easter Day, 38 people received Communion.   Father G. Schmedding, S.J. initially began teaching catechesis to the college employees. The novices began to explore the surrounding villages so that, little by little, people began to know Father. The response from the people around Karangjati was still minimal, but those who lived in villages a little further from Girisonta responded better.   So, for the first time, in 1932, Father G. Schmedding, SJ, baptized and pioneered the baptism book in Girisonta as the beginning of the birth of the Church in Girisonta. The first baptism, recorded in the first book, occurred on February 22, 1932.     The Community of Compassion The parish anniversary celebration falls on the Feast of the Name of St. Stanislaus Kostka every November 13. Sunday, November 10, 2024, Girisonta Parish has been present in our homeland for precisely 92 years, treading a historical journey that was not easy during the colonial period and the War of Independence.   The development and progress of Girisonta Parish is always continuous. Now, the number of recorded souls is around 5000 people, spread across 13 regions, 46 neighborhoods, and 1 station, namely Santa Maria Assumpta Glodogan Station, which is still within the territorial area of Semarang Regency.   The Eucharistic celebration of the 92nd Anniversary took the theme “Maguyub Welas Asih,” which is a continuation of the previous theme on the 91st Anniversary, which took the theme “Maguyub Sanggup.” The word maguyub has a deep meaning, namely that all Catholics in the Girisonta Parish Seek to always be united (maguyub) based on a sense of love and affection for others (welas asih. Maguyub welas asih is a message for all Girisonta Parish congregations always to be compassionate and full of love in serving others for the common progress of the beloved Parish church.   Before the closing blessing, the Parish Priest cut the tumpeng given to the chairman of the Parish Anniversary Committee as a symbol of gratitude for the success of the Eucharist celebration and the accompanying activities in the series of anniversary celebrations.   The Eucharistic celebration continued with a congregational party that began by taking fruits and vegetables from the blessed mountain. The event continued with a meal of yellow rice prepared by each neighborhood. The congregational party was enlivened by various performances: a drum band from SDK Girisonta, a drum band from SMK Theresiana Bandungan, and a drum-blak offering from Region 3 Yulius, which is the Committee for the 92nd Anniversary of the Saint Stanislaus Girisonta Parish.   The excitement of this event was created thanks to the cooperation of the Committee, the Parish Council, and all parties involved. Hopefully, the Girisonta church will be more capable and compassionate, and the congregation will be more enthusiastic and actively involved in various forms of down-to-earth and welcoming service, following St. Stanislaus’s example.   Contributor: KOMSOS Girisonta

PT Kanisius’ Participation at the Frankfurt Book Fair A small talk with Father Stefan Kieschle, S.J., during breakfast at the Ignatiushaus refectory, Frankfurt am Main, Elsheimer Straße 9, began the dynamics of PT Kanisius at the Frankfurt Book Fair last October. In the conversation, Father Kieschle, SJ, delegate for Ignatian Spirituality and editor-in-chief of the cultural magazine “Stimmen der Zeit,” told of the challenges of secularism in the European Church. Currently, there are almost no young people interested in coming to Church. The weekly Eucharist is only attended by a handful of the senior generation. Responding to this situation, Father Kieschle, SJ, who previously served as the Provincial of the German Province, consistently testified to the embodiment of faith amidst the current of secularism. “The important thing is to continue to do Evangelical good” was the action taken together by the Jesuit community at Ignatiushaus. We then found this sentence to have a more fundamental meaning in our duties as exhibitors at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2024.   PT Kanisius is present for the seventh time at the world’s oldest international book event since Indonesia was selected as Guest of Honor (GoH) in 2015. Since then, PT Kanisius has been known as an active “Indonesian Catholic Publisher” because it has participated every year as a co-exhibitor for the Indonesian government. The 2015 moment was the beginning of PT Kanisius’ involvement, the only Catholic publisher and the only one from the region, as a partner of the Indonesian Government at the Frankfurt Book Fair forum.   I am grateful that in 2015, PT Kanisius passed the curation as a co-exhibitor in presenting a portrait of Indonesian literacy culture. As stated by the President of the Frankfurt Book Fair, Juergen Boos, this event is an opportunity to introduce the richness and diversity of culture from various regions in different parts of the world. This forum is a place of expression to introduce the cultural identity of a nation. Books with a variety of good content are one of the essential elements that form culture and civilization. Kanisius, who has been struggling as a book publisher for more than a century, should make a visible contribution to the performance of Indonesian books in this international book event.   In a disruptive era like today, the book industry needs to be more active. This situation made us doubt whether we would continue to provide ourselves to contribute to presenting the face of Indonesia with the Catholic literature that we produce at the international forum Frankfurt Book Fair. This year, somehow, Indonesia seems reluctant to consistently present itself as a country with a culture of literacy. Several fellow book business players in Jakarta discussed the government’s tendency to pay more attention to creative business fields that provide income and investment opportunities more quickly, such as culinary or crafts. Even though they are recognized as having the intellectual power to support culture, books must be admitted as being slow to provide economic benefits with all their literacy activities. This phenomenon places book business players at a crossroads, in tension between idealistic roles and economic demands that are not easily reconciled.     In a meeting before leaving for Frankfurt, Father Leo Agung Sardi, SJ, had stated, “Good actions, even if they are continuously carried out, do not seem to produce much. But if they are not carried out, there will be many shortcomings.” This statement was made in response to the confusion of the PT Kanisius management team in facing the challenges of such rapid changes that have an impact on the tendency for everything to be instant. Father Leo Agung Sardi, SJ’s statement aligns with Father Stefan Kieschle, SJ, at the beginning of this article, inviting us to remain consistent in giving testimony of faith amidst the current times.   The journey to attend the 2024 Frankfurt Book Fair felt different now. Not because of the tremendous economic prospects of the book business we saw but because of the depth of meaning of our presence, PT Kanisius, with its Catholic uniqueness amid the world’s literacy scene. A small conversation with Father Kieschle SJ upon our initial arrival in Frankfurt, as well as the statement of Father Leo Agung Sardi, SJ, before leaving for Frankfurt, felt like a spiritual conversation that equipped us to dive into the Frankfurt Book Fair this time not merely as a business trip, but also a spiritual journey that affirms our mission.   Unlike previous years, in 2024, the Indonesian Government will no longer provide sponsorship for book publishers to present the existence of Indonesian literacy at the Frankfurt Book Fair. However, unexpectedly, there were “traveling companions,” fellow fighters on the frontier of the book world, who were willing to work together to share the burden to be able to continue to be present together in this international book scene. We believe our presence is still needed to keep the spirit of literacy alive in Indonesia. If, in the pre-independence era, Kanisius took part in the struggle for the existence of the Indonesian nation through the printing of movement magazines and ORI (Oeang Repoeblik Indonesia), then currently, PT Kanisius continues to take part in the existence of the Indonesian nation in the world literacy culture arena. The presence at the Frankfurt Book Fair is a form of manifestation of faith in the unique mission of PT Kanisius, bringing joyful news to the literacy stage and voicing depth amidst the spread of economic, political, and lifestyle issues.   For PT Kanisius, the crossroads in the book business became a moment of discretion to listen to God’s voice about the direction to take in the spirit of Creative Loyalty. With the pace of the times, PT Kanisius faces the challenge of remaining true to its identity, creatively making relevant breakthroughs and presenting its work as the fruit of its mission.   Contributor: Mg Sulistyorini and Peter Satriyo Sinubyo

The temperature below 20 degrees Celsius with windy weather at Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview, Sydney, Australia, did not reduce the warmth we felt through the training organized by the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific Education on 8-11 October 2024. The training aims not only to help each participant from various Asia Pacific countries learn Ignatian leadership but also to help each participant share their experiences in their respective schools so that brotherhood can be established. This training invited participants who were teachers and employees of Jesuit schools from various Asia Pacific countries, such as Australia as the host, Timor Leste, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, Micronesia, and Cambodia. This meeting discussed Three topics in depth: Authentic and Trust with facilitator Jennie Hickey from Australia, Communal Discernment with Father Non and team (Japan), and Collaboration with Father Jboy from the Philippines.   Authentic Personality Ready to be part of a Trusting Community As a leader in a community, sometimes the community sees us only as a leader, not more than ourselves. However, we are reaffirmed that it starts from within ourselves, which also knows us well because how can we expect others to know us if we do not know who we are? Examen conscientiae is one way that can be done individually to get to know ourselves: what is experienced and felt, what is thought, said, and done. Of course, examen conscientiae begins with giving thanks to God as a real manifestation of our belief in God’s presence in every experience and feeling.   As humans, we have various limitations. In fact, sometimes, we tend to withdraw from God when things do not go according to our wishes. However, we are reminded again that we must always see everything through God’s eyes to be free from our ego as humans. Sometimes, humans use the mantra ‘it is okay to be a human. ‘ However, often, this is used as justification when thinking or doing something that is not in accordance with the Image of God. However, as humans who are like the Image of God, we must be fully aware that God always pushes us toward progress and improvement by giving us challenges in the form of conditions and situations that are sometimes uncomfortable.   Being an authentic leader also means being ready when someone hates and judges. It is a natural thing to happen in a community. However, the most important thing is that you already know and accept all your shortcomings and weaknesses. Furthermore, what you think, do, or decide as a leader is correct as long as it is not solely to glorify yourself but the Lord. When we have become authentic people, we will be ready to join a community to celebrate each other’s authentic people and grow and develop together with a sense of trust in a community. So, we are also ready to continuously shift from ‘me’ as an individual to ‘we’ as someone who is part of a community.   The Listening Person: An Effort to Create Collaboration In the topic of Communal Discernment, we were given two opportunities to practice it with different topics and groups. From the two dynamics, we realized that the primary key to Communal Discernment is healthy two-way communication. When doing it, we must focus not on personal goals to glorify ourselves but on glorifying God. Our focus is on God, who is always present both physically and emotionally, spiritually and socially, so that we can become the Kingdom of God in human form. Leadership is not done based on position from top to bottom because, basically, we are in the same place to achieve the same goal. Therefore, whatever part we take from a community, we must have a humble attitude and always be willing to listen wholeheartedly to establish harmonious collaboration to achieve common goals.   I feel very grateful. As a young teacher, I realize my life’s pilgrimage in this role is still long. There are many things that I still need to learn. I learned a lot from great people during this training. Although they have important roles in their respective schools, not only as teachers but also as directors of particular fields and even principals, they remain humble enough to continue learning. This reminds me of one of Jesus’ attitudes who humbly also always has the willingness to learn from His disciples.   Contributor: Theresia Rianika Septianingtyas – Gonzaga College High School

On October 25, 2024, 478 people, consisting of teachers, guests, and students, witnessed the special moment of the inauguration of the new building at Le Cocq d’Armandville College. Not only was the inauguration of the new building but this event was also held at the peak of the “Ajang Kreativitas Adhi Luhur” (AKAL)—Creativity Event of Adi Luhur. AKAL is a routine biennial activity that aims to channel the talents and creativity of students at the Jesuit College in the eastern tip of Indonesia.   “With Perseverance, We Grow Together” is the theme of the building’s inauguration and AKAL’s event. This theme reflects the spirit of togetherness and hard work that are the foundation of shared success. This perseverance is reflected in various aspects of the event, from the colossal dancers diligently practicing to the committee preparing everything for the past month.     Special Guest This year’s AKAL was attended by some special guests, including the Provincial of the Society of Jesus of the Indonesian Province, representatives of the Jesuit College Alumni Association (PAKJ), Regional Officials, Members of the MRP (Papuan People’s Assembly), Representatives of the PSW YPPK (Regional School Management of the Catholic Education and School Foundation) and the Head of the Population and Civil Registry Service of Central Papua Province.   The event opened with the Eucharist led by the Father Provincial, which was followed by the blessing of the new building. After the blessing, the Father Provincial, the Rector of Le Cocq College, Representatives of the Provincial Government, and Mr. Matheus, Deputy Chairman II of the Papuan People’s Assembly, cut the ribbon as a sign that the building was officially established.   In his speech, the chairman of the AKAL Committee, Elvin Sampary Giyai, explained the meaning of the theme “With Perseverance, We Grow Together.” The procession continued with the national anthems Indonesia Raya and Tanah Papua. There were also special performances, starting with a monologue by Stifani Semboor, a solo instrument by Rika Rinanti Radja, and a colossal dance.     Collaborative Work Several parties also delivered important remarks. In his remarks, Father Johanes Sudrijanta, SJ, the Rector of Le Cocq College and the YPPK Board of Directors, told the story of the ups and downs of the construction of the main building, which took almost two years. Father Sudri said that behind the most magnificent construction in Nabire, there was a central figure who contributed ideas, concepts, and even materials, namely Mr. Frans. He is an architect who once studied at Loyola College, Semarang. Thanks to him, the construction budget, estimated to reach 15 billion, could be cut to 11 billion without reducing its quality and function. When interviewed, Mr. Frans said that this building was designed by applying building physics to maintain quality and safety so that it is earthquake-resistant. Given that Nabire is an earthquake area that makes no buildings more than two floors at this Cendrawasih gate. Mr. Frans added, “The outer walls of this building are designed using solid glass blocks to reduce the risk, but the function of the glass is taken over by small holes as ventilation to maintain air quality.”   Hope Father Benedictus Hari Juliawan, SJ, Provincial of the Society of Jesus of the Indonesian Province, said that this new building is expected to bring a new spirit and passion to the extended family of Le Cocq College so that it can provide quality educational services in Papua in general and Central Papua in particular. This magnificent and sturdy building is expected to be used optimally to develop students’ abilities in all fields.   The head of the Central Papua Provincial Education Office, Mrs. Rita Dessy Fauziah Ananda, ST, as the representative of the Acting Governor of Central Papua, said in her speech that the inauguration of the Main Building is proof of the seriousness of Le Cocq College as one of the best Catholic schools in Papua to participate in providing access to quality education for the sons and daughters of Papua.   Ms. Dessy appreciated the efforts and hard work of the Jesuits and teaching staff at Le Cocq College, who continue to strive to provide quality education in this city. She added that the government will always support the various efforts and good intentions of the managers and implementers of this school, both in the form of moral and material support, so that it continues to develop and produce quality graduates.     Colossal Dance The peak event of the Inauguration of the Main Building and AKAL 2024 was closed with a colossal dance. Around 95 dancers presented six different dances. First, the Hati Su Tatinggal di Papua Dance. This illustrates how beautiful Nabire’s diversity is and is also an expression of gratitude for the beauty of the ancestral land, from the mountains to the coast.   Second, Orsa Modao. This is a song from Napan that means “Good Day.” The third is Waita. In this dance, we express our gratitude for peace through the stone-burning procession.   Fourth, the Kecak Sanghyang Dedari dance is inspired by the story of the meeting between Hanoman and Arjuna. Through this dance, we hope that by always involving God, especially in this event, the new building of Le Cocq College in Papua will become sturdy and functional.   The fifth, the Pangkur Sagu dance, depicts the activities of the Papuan people when preparing to harvest Sago. This dance depicts the intention of students to enter the world of education and find a source of livelihood.   Lastly, the Wi Sisi Social Dance. This dance is performed in masses in mountainous regions and originates from the Dani tribe. This dance is an expression of hope that the sense of gratitude and intention to gather provisions for the future for the younger generation can be transmitted to everyone.   Growing Together In the end, this event is expected to be a new passion for the entire extended family of Le Cocq d’Armandville College. The perseverance, hard work, and

The second batch of the Local Superior, Director of Works, Chairperson, and Secretary of the Foundation meeting was held on November 14-15, 2024, at the Abdi Kristus Retreat House, Gedanganak, Ungaran, and was attended by 42 participants. The theme of this meeting was the Implementation of the Apostolic Plan of the Society of Jesus of the Indonesian Province (RAP).   The meeting started at 5 PM and finished after lunch the next day with presentations, sharing, and response methods. This RAP Implementation Reflection is guided by the Provindo Apostolic Plan (RAP) book and the joint discretion guideline book written by Christina Kheng.   The first session was opened with a prayer led by Father Agustinus Setyodarmono, SJ, and continued with an introduction from Father Provincial Benedictus Hari Juliawan, SJ. Father Beni emphasized the importance of understanding “being” before planning and implementing. So far, many work institutions have rushed into implementation or “doing.” However, this is not a problem that cannot be fixed. For the planning and implementation of RAP in institutions and communities to be more in line with the spirit of UAP, all parties are invited to study Christina Kheng’s writing entitled “Welcoming the Spirit.”      After the introduction, Father Setyodarmono, as the delegate for the implementation of the RAP, invited the participants present to respond to the introduction delivered by the Provincial. Many responses emerged, especially regarding the mission of Provindo, namely being called to repent together with Ignatius so that the Church and the Indonesian people would be more trusted, agile as an organization, and brave enough to embrace the challenges of the world in a measured manner. The theological foundation used as a basis is the belief that the God who is served is not as analogous as a clockmaker who is no longer involved with his creation because it has run according to its mechanics.   The following day, there were many interesting sharing sessions after dinner and other sessions. Communities and institutions, both educational and parish, have implemented RAP with various movements, including those related to the environment and environmentally friendly technology. An interesting response to the environment was given by Father Setyo Wibowo, who saw the environmentally friendly movement, especially electric vehicle technology, information technology, and solar panels, from another perspective. He captured the paradox related to all of this because the carbon emissions produced by these ‘environmentally friendly’ technologies produce more carbon emissions. This is a note to study together. Regarding the implementation of RAP, sharing from the Jesuits working in the Diocese of Ketapang was no less interesting. There were touching stories that could be listened to, for example, regarding the difficult-to-reach work fields and the positive impressions of the faithful who were served there.   Closing the meeting, Father Provincial repeated Father Arrupe’s message that we should not belittle our imagination. Even though it is slight and minor (minima), we must still dare to dream and do what God wants according to the plans we have made. May we not act for ourselves with a language only we can understand.   Contributor: Hermanus Wahyaka – Tim Sekretariat

Jesuit Brothers On October 23 – November 1, 2024, the Indonesian Province of the Society of Jesus was grateful for the presence of representatives of the Jesuit Conference Asia-Pacific (JCAP). They received the grace to walk with God in the JCAP Brothers Retreat at Christ the King Retreat House, Girisonta.  Fourteen Jesuit brothers were attending this meeting, namely Br. Raymund Belleza, SJ (PHI), Br. Paul Pok , SJ (THA), Br. Augustine Tino , SJ (MYN), Br. Pae Song-Mun (KOR), Br. Tha, SJ (TLS), Br. Tran Tien Kinh , SJ (VIE), Br. Tu Howard (CHN), Br. Luong Quoc, SJ (VIE), Br. Jeff Pioquinto , SJ (PHI), Br. John Melad , SJ (PHI), Br. Jeric Madelo , SJ (PHI), Br. Juan Pablo Socrates, SJ (PHI), Br. Dieng Karnaedi , SJ (IDN), and Br. Nicolaus David Kristianto, SJ (IDO). In unity of heart and mind, the brothers underwent a retreat with several themes adapted to the document De Statu Societatis and the Life Story and Reflection on the example of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, SJ:   Theme I: An Open Heart to Listen to Where the Holy Spirit is Leading Me Theme II: The Jesuit Brother in A Changing and Challenging World Theme III: Who Are We? My Identity as a Jesuit Brother Theme IV: Jesuit Brother: My Identity and My Apostolate Theme V: Collaborators in The Mission of Jesus Theme VI: St. Alphonsus Rodriguez , SJ  Theme VII: Prayerful Thanksgiving to Move Forward     There were two solemn and profound moments of togetherness in the middle of the retreat process. The first was an hour of prayer together before the Blessed Sacrament. The second was an hour of sessions about our prayer experiences in retreat. The spiritual stories shared were about the experience of being called to become a Jesuit Brother. Br. Pae Song-Mun, SJ, shared about his apostolic ministry trip to JRS Uganda and his inner struggle with the small number of Jesuits in South Korea, which is only four people. Br Luong Quoc shared his joy in apostolic ministry in Laos and attended his first retreat with the JCAP brothers. Br. Tha from Vietnam talked about his joys decades in Timor Leste. From village to village, he interacted a lot with the local people. Br. Juan Pablo Socrates and Br. Jeric Madelo shared their joy with the JCAP brothers and enjoyed the hospitality of the Indonesian Jesuit brothers. Br. Dieng Karnaedi shared stories about his mission at KPTT Salatiga, and Br. Nicolaus David shared stories about his encounter with the JCAP brothers, who attended the retreat together. Br Paul Pok shared the struggle as the only Jesuit Brother from Thailand and experiencing a spiritual oasis through this retreat. Br Kinh shared the joy of experiencing the unity of heart and mind during the retreat with the SJ Brothers. Br Jeff shared inner struggles at the work site and felt a spiritual oasis when experiencing togetherness with the JCAP brothers during the retreat.   Some spiritual points also confirmed by the presence of Jesuit priests during the retreat were: (1) the Jesuit vocation is a vocation rooted and grounded in the love of Christ and (2) the virtues of selflessness, gentleness, and compassion, which are continuously lived by the Jesuits. The retreat director, Br. Raymund Belleza emphasized that the Jesuit Brother’s vocation is directed directly to the poor and humble Jesus.     Closing the retreat together, we had an outing to Borobudur Temple, visited fellow brothers in the Muntilan Parish while having a mini-tour to the Muntilan Mission Museum, and a mass & celebration of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, SJ at the Mertoyudan Minor Seminary, Magelang. In the mass, the Provincial of the Society of Jesus of the Indonesian Province gave two points of spiritual virtues for the Jesuit brothers: (1) rooted in experience & encounter with God and (2) listening. Father Provincial gave illustrations & reflections on the life story of St. Alfonsus Rodriguez during his 46 years of service as a doorman in Mallorca. His greetings, encounters, and spiritual conversations touched and ignited the hearts of those he met. One famous story is about the encounter of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, SJ (in his 70s) with St. Peter Claver. There is hope that the collaborative presence of the Jesuits is like two sides of a pair of wings flapping together.   In the mass, the brothers were grateful for the renewal of the vows of four Jesuit Brothers, namely Br Augustine Tino, Br Tu Howard, and Br. Nicolaus David Kristianto, and Br Tran Tien Kinh. The presence of other Indonesian Jesuit Brothers also strengthened us in prayer and togetherness. The Brothers are grateful for the formation of the International Commission on the Jesuit Brother. Let us walk together as an example by Maria de La Strada (Our Lady of The Way), who walked with the poor and humble Jesus.   Contributor: F Nicolaus David Kristianto, S.J.