Final vows of four Indonesian Jesuits
Semarang, August 15, 2026 – Coinciding with the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, four Indonesian Jesuits pronounced their final vows at Loyola College, Semarang. The four Jesuits were Br. Antonius Dieng Karnedi, S.J., Fr. Effendi Kusuma Sunur, S.J., Fr. Antonius Dhimas Hardjuna, S.J., and Fr. Ferdinandus Tuhujati Setyoadi, S.J. The St. Ignatius Loyola Chapel was chosen as the venue for this historic occasion because two of the men currently serve in the Semarang area: Br. Dieng, Director of KPTT Salatiga, and Fr. Ferdi, Principal of Loyola College High School.
Final vows mark the culmination of a Jesuit’s formation and fully incorporate him into the Society of Jesus. This sacred milestone reaffirms the initial vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience professed at the end of the novitiate. Reaching this stage requires an extensive formation process, crowned by 6 months of tertianship dedicated to cultivating the heart and mind. Following their tertianship, these four men served in diverse ministries across Indonesia: Brother Dieng at the Taman Tani Agricultural Training (KPTT) in Salatiga; Father Ferdinandus at Loyola College High School; Father Effendi as the First Minister of Scholastics at Johar Baru, Jakarta; and Father Dhimas as the Parish Priest of St. Mary Mother of God Church in Botong, Diocese of Ketapang, West Kalimantan.
Father Bagus Laksana, S.J., Provincial of the Indonesian Province, presided over the Eucharistic celebration. In his homily, he offered a profound reflection on the Jesuit journey, likening the lengthy formation process to “slow cooking.” Just as slow-cooked dishes require time for flavors to fully mature and permeate, a Jesuit’s extended formation allows the core values of his vocation to deeply penetrate his being, fostering true maturity and steadfastness.
Drawing from the day’s Gospel reading of the Visitation, the Provincial highlighted how Mary underwent a period of silence and retreat before visiting her cousin Elizabeth. Father Bagus noted that this mirrors Tertianship—the final, intensive period of spiritual formation and retreat. Just as Mary sought quiet preparation before embarking on her mission, Jesuits enter Tertianship to ground themselves spiritually before being fully incorporated into the Society.
The four Jesuits pronouncing their final vows drew inspiration from Mary’s canticle, the Magnificat (My soul magnifies the Lord), seeking to learn from her steadfastness in accepting God’s mission and praying that God would always accompany them on their vocational journey and in their ministry. Speaking on behalf of his fellow Jesuits, Father Effendi, S.J., expressed his gratitude for the grace of these final vows. He thanked the formators and all those present who had consistently supported this vocational path. He emphasized that final vows are not a personal achievement but the fruit of communal life and the support of many.
The Eucharistic celebration was a solemn occasion, with liturgical ministers drawn from the Campus Ministry (CM) of Loyola College; approximately 200 people attended, including the families of the Jesuits making their vows, fellow Jesuits, formators, ministry partners, and friends. Vows within the Society are not a restriction or a shackle, but rather a total self-giving to follow Christ and serve others through the Society’s apostolic works. The entire Jesuit family of the Indonesian Province extends its congratulations to the four Jesuits pronouncing their vows and prays that God grants them the grace of faithfulness and steadfastness in serving the mission entrusted to them.
