Indonesia: pastoral outreach and native culture, the mission of the Diocese of Makassar
The Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Piero Pioppo led the episcopal ordination of the new coadjutor Archbishop Fransiskus Nipa. The metropolitan archbishop, Mgr Johannes Liku Ada', was also present. He recently turned 75 and has health problems, limiting his activity. One of the new prelate’s first assignments will be taking care of 49 parishes in four provinces on the island of Sulawesi.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The Rev Fr Fransiskus Nipa is the new coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of Makassar, on the island of Sulawesi.
In a place that is ever growing, the new prelate faces several challenges, first among them: boosting pastoral activity according to the eight principles defined in the last diocesan synod and enhancing the culture of his fellow Torajans, the local indigenous people.
On 1 February, Archbishop Piero Pioppo, apostolic nuncio to Indonesia (the most populous Muslim nation in the world), presided over the episcopal ordination of the new coadjutor archbishop.
The service was attended by the current metropolitan archbishop, Mgr Johannes Liku Ada’, who turned 75 recently, and submitted his resignation due to poor health and vision problems, and by Bishop Benedictus Rolly Untu of Manado.
Archbishop Liku Ada’ has problems with his peripheral vision. “Things only become clear when they are shown to him from the front,” Archbishop Nipa explained. He “cannot clearly see things below and above his head. He sees nothing to his left and right.”
For this reason, he has had to limit his pastoral and Church work. Hence, right from the tart, Archbishop Nipa will be in charge in particular of the pastoral care of 49 parishes in four provinces that the diocese covers.
Sulawesi is the third-largest area in the Indonesian archipelago divided into two dioceses – Makassar and Manado – with the former responsible for a few thousand Catholics scattered in four provinces (South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and West Sulawesi).
Through his pastoral motto, Misericordiam Volo, et Non Sacrificium (I desire mercy, not sacrifice), Archbishop Franciscus Nipa shows a strong personal desire to serve the local population.
Previously, he served as secretary general of the archdiocese for 12 years, a key task to embrace the "human capital" essential to meet the current challenges and needs of the community of believers, which has been waiting for a long time for a second pastor.
Since the work of the diocesan synod in 2012, pastoral activity in Makassar has been based on eight key points: evangelisation, family, education, health, sociocultural, socio-economic, socio-political, and managing Church assets.
“Our vision for 2025 is to focus on these eight priorities," the prelate noted. "As a Torajan priest, I have a personal passion to preserve the cultural richness of native Torajans and their Christianity, whether Catholic or Protestant,” he added.
For the archbishop, “there should be practical policies on how to manage these strategic issues, among them, the cultural and religious elements in Torajan society."
Otherwise, “It would be a blow to all Torajans across the country if some years later these fundamental aspects of our native Toraja (life), including cultural heritage and Christianity, were to disappear due to our ignorance and negligence.”
(Renny contributed to this article)
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24/10/2019 17:56
