Jakarta (AsiaNews) - With
the Chrism Mass - celebrated in the evening today or tomorrow depending on the
diocese - Indonesian Catholics are preparing to live the rites of Holy Week. According
to a tradition started in Java (by the late Archbishop of Jakarta Mgr. Leo
Soekoto Sj) and taken up in many other areas of the archipelago, during the
"special Eucharist" the bishop imparts the blessing of the oils - used
in subsequent litugies - and accepts the "renewal"
of the promise of obedience and loyalty to the Church. The
first "Misa Krisma" is celebrated today in the Diocese of Bandung,
Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja SJ will preside over the ceremony, since the seat
is still vacant following the appointment of Mgr. Johannes
Pujasumarta Pr as archbishop of Semarang.
In
anticipation of the Easter Triduum, archbishop Pujasumrta Pr has asked all
priests in the province
of Central Java to
participate in a three day retreat, during which they reflected on their
vocation, pastoral work and service to the Church. A similar invitation was
proposed by Msgr. Julianus
Sunarka SJ, Bishop of Purwokerto, attended by the priests of the diocese in a
two-day retreat at Kaliori. "It
will end - a diocesan priest explains to AsiaNews
- with the Chrism Mass to be celebrated in the cathedral."
In the diocese of
Palangkaraya, central Borneo, Msgr. AM
Sutrisnaatmaka MSF called "the annual" retreat of the priests before
Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the period of Lent. A
choice, the prelate told AsiaNews,
dictated by the fact that "our parishes are scattered a little
'everywhere" and it can take "hours or even days on end" to
reach the provincial capital.
Instead,
the retreat of the priests of Padang
and Pangkalpinang was postponed, also in this case because of "logistic"
reasons.
Msgr. Martinus Situmorang confirms that "the retreat will be held in
May," because the Archdiocese of Padang covers a vast territory and it
would be impossible for priests to reach the capital and then return in time to
celebrate the Easter liturgies. Fr. Hans
Jeharut Pr, a Pangkalpinang priest, confirms that "there will be a special
Eucharist in May, along with other planned events."