The Pontifical Mission Societies of Indonesia held the IX National Conference from the 4th to the 7th of August 2022, at the Atanaya Hotel in Kuta Bali. Almost all of the Diocesan Directors of the PMS were present.
On August 4, the opening Mass was celebrated in the evening by Msgr. Silvester San, Bishop of the Diocese of Denpasar. After dinner, Bishop Sans was able to meet with the participants of the meeting to discuss several important issues, such as the challenges faced in the work of evangelization in the context of a modern era of globalization. He stressed the importance of educating children from an early age, teaching them the values of goodness, life, and, above all, the values of the Catholic faith. Msgr. Silvester San also spoke of how the faithful, as members of the Church, should learn to let go of our own interests in order to be ready to serve according to the needs of the local church, with an authentic missionary spirit. Finally, he thanked the PMS for their cooperation with the Commissions of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference and expressed his appreciation to the National Direction of Pontifical Mission Societies of Indonesia, which diligently and faithfully carries out its mission on behalf of the Holy Father, proclaiming the Good News in local churches throughout Indonesia.
The 2nd day of the Conference began with a morning Mass. The rest of the day was dedicated to the mission and charism of the PMS. Fr. Markus Nur Widipranoto, National Director of the PMS, spoke about the role of the National Direction and its relationship with the Holy See. He also explained the role of the Diocesan Directors.
On August 5, Dr. Respati Wulandari presented the results of a critical study and review that was carried out on the PMS in Indonesia, with the scope of finding ways to help the Societies grow and become better known by Catholics in the country. According to a survey conducted, the challenges of PMS in carrying out their mission include the lack of professional staff, funds, a clear management structure, etc.
In the afternoon and evening, there was a session of “Best Practice” presentations from the POSI, POPF, and POSPA, followed by a group discussion.
The 3rd day of the PMS IX National Conference began with morning Mass. Then, Dr. Harla Octarra, M.Sc., expert in the field of children’s rights and protection, gave a talk on the topic: “Protection and Fulfillment of Children’s Rights through Child Friendly Catholic Churches”. In the afternoon, different sessions were held to discuss important topics, including “Inspiration and Optimization of the 4 Pontifical Mission Societies.”
The last day of the Conference, Sunday, August 7, Fr. Markus Nur Widipranoto presided the Eucharistic celebration. In his homily, he recalled that the theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s World Mission Sunday is “You are my Witnesses”. He stressed that this theme had inspired their reflections during the Conference, and he encouraged the collaborators of the PMS to nourish a profound union with God in order to constantly renew their missionary commitment and thus become authentic witnesses of the Gospel.
