Armando Romero, cicm
Missionary in Japan
AN ENCOUNTER: CICM visits the Archdiocese of Makassar
The meeting of the CICM ASI Provincial Government, the Bishop, and the KAMS Curia (Archdiocese of Makassar) occurred on Monday, March 18, 2024, at the Archdiocese of Makassar office. His Excellency, Archbishop John Liku-Ada' was accompanied by the KAMS Curia: Fr. Joni Payuk, CICM, the Vicar General; Fr. I Made Markus Suma (Secretary and Chancellor); Fr. Junarto Timbang (Diocesan Treasurer); and the Chairman of the Evangelization Commission, Fr. Edy Kaniu: and Fr. Oslan Lewi, received the visit of the members of the ASI PG(Provincial Government).
Fr. Roger Nshono Mbanji, CICM, General Councilor, was accompanied by Fr. Antonius Harnoko, CICM, Provincial Superior of CICM ASIA Province, and Fr. Ronald Magbanua, CICM (Provincial Councilor). Additionally, Fr. Joni Payuk, CICM, a CICM Asia Provincial Government member, was appointed District Superior of Indonesia-Singapore in December 2023. Two CICM Asia Provincial Council members were absent because they were en route to Makassar. These members are Fr. Dominique Mukonda Kananga, CICM (Vice Provincial and District Superior of SM), and Fr. Rene Candelaria, CICM (District Superior of Japan). The Provincial Administration members, including Fr. Armando Romero, CICM (Provincial Secretary), and Fr. Peter Koh, CICM (Provincial Treasurer), were also in attendance during the meeting.
The meeting took place in the visitors’ lounge of the Curia. With English as the means of communication, a warm and fraternal dialogue filled the meeting room. Bishop John warmly welcomed the CICM leadership and promptly introduced himself. After which, each member of the Curia and Commission Chairpersons and staff present introduced themselves. In response, the Provincial Superior also introduced himself, which was followed by introducing each member of the CICM present.
Father Roger Nshono Mbanji expressed gratitude during the meeting for the Bishop's and Local Clergy's continuous support of CICM's presence and missionary work in the Archdiocese. These efforts align closely with the visions of the Local Church. In addition, he was also grateful for the significant number of candidates from the Archdiocese who wanted to join the Congregation. It is a concrete sign of the local church's support to the Congregation.
Having this, Bishop John expressed that it was the fruit of the mission of the CICM that gave way to the birth and establishment of the Local Church now known as the Archdiocese of Makassar. CICM's decisive action in establishing the St. Peter Claver Secondary Seminary and directing seminarians who aspire to become priests toward the option of becoming Diocesan Priests of KAMS is a visionary policy. The CICM efforts and support for the education of Local clergy, which at present is gradually increasing and getting stronger, is an extraordinary and strategic policy for the life and development of the Local Church. The firm conviction of the CICM played a crucial role in ensuring that KAMS now has ordained personnel and exceptionally well-qualified diocesan priests.
Subsequently, the Bishop requested that Fr. Made, the Diocesan Secretary/Chancellor, provide a brief explanation of the Archdiocese's profile and history of the Archdiocese. Father Made provided a concise overview, stating that on April 13, 1937, the community in the southern region of Sulawesi was canonically established as an Apostolic Prefecture. Eleven years later, on May 13, 1948, its status was elevated to that of an Apostolic Vicariate.
Subsequently, when the Indonesian Church Hierarchy was established on January 3, 1961, this Apostolic Vicariate was further elevated to the status of an Archdiocese, known as the Archdiocese of Ujung Pandang. The first two Bishops were from the CICM Congregation: Msgr. Gerard Martens, CICM and Msgr. N.M. Schneiders, CICM.Following their tenure, pastoral care was carried on by Msgr. Theodorus Lumanauw. Subsequently, the pastoral relay continued under the leadership of Msgr. Frans van Roessel, CICM. After that, Msgr. John Liku-Ada' continues the noble task until today.
According to 2022 statistics, the Catholic population in KAMS numbered 160 thousand people. They are served by 139 Priests, including 114 Diocesan Priests and 25 Religious-Missionary Priests. KAMS hosts 6 Congregations of Priests, 8 Congregations of Sisters, and 2 Congregations of Brothers. This brief profile provides an overview of KAMS, which serves as one of the missionary sites for CICM missionaries.
The CICM Provincial shared details about several programs prepared by the Congregation and expressed hope for increased collaboration and closer cooperation with KAMS in the future. During this meeting, Father Harnoko, Provincial Superior, announced that the Provincial Council would convene for a three-day conference at the HSH ( Home Sweet Home) Makassar Residence.
The Bishop expressed support for CICM's presence, activities, and mission in building and developing the community within the KAMS region. A group photo session took place after the meeting, followed by lunch at the Bishop’s guesthouse.
The CICM Province of Kinshasa held its Provincial Assembly at the Centre Théophile Verbist (CTV) in Mbudi (Kinshasa) from 22 to 28 May 2022. Fifty confreres took part in this Assembly, which was convened in view of the preparation of the 16th General Chapter to be held in Rome from June 4 to 30, 2023. During this Assembly, the discernment and the sharing were focused on the theme “Witnessing to the Gospel in a changing world.” Msgr. Félicien Ntambue, Bishop of Kabinda, was the Moderator and expressed the wish that this Provincial Assembly would take place in a serene and fraternal climate.
Msgr. Félicien also emphasized that the working method adopted during this Provincial Assembly will be the method of discernment.
The exchanges turned around the reflections on the three memos proposed by the General Government, namely, “Spirituality and Mission: Evangelization is our Joy,” “Reconciliation as a gift of God and a missionary task,” and “Interculturality: a witness.”
The discernment led the participants in the Provincial Assembly of KIN to the election of the following delegates and substitutes for the 16th Chapter:
Delegates Substitutes
1. Didier Badianga, ex officio Théophile Nlandu, ex officio
2. Jean Tsoungui, elected Timothy Ngumbi, elected
3. Arnel Batilong, elected André Mangongo, elected
4. Louis Ngoy, elected Emmanuel Iroung, elected
Missionary Priorities 2022
Didier Badianga, the Provincial Superior, presented the missionary project of the Province of Kinshasa, the fruit of a revision process initiated at the 2015 Provincial Assembly.
This project is articulated around four major priorities selected by the Provincial Assemblies of June 2007, May 2016, and May 2021:
- To live our religious missionary identity;
- To raise awareness and ensure the ongoing formation of ourselves, the agents of evangelization, and the people;
- To promote Justice-Peace-Integrity of Creation and Interreligious Dialogue;
- To educate and invest in the integral formation of the youth.
La Province CICM de Kinshasa a tenu son Assemblée provinciale au Centre Théophile Verbist (CTV) à Mbudi (Kinshasa) du 22 au 28 mai 2022. 50 confrères ont pris part à cette Assemblée convoquée en vue de la préparation du 16e Chapitre général — qui se tiendra à Rome du 04 au 30 juin 2023. Durant cette Assemblée, le discernement et les partages étaient focalisés autour du thème « Témoigner de l’Évangile dans un monde en mutation ». Mgr Félicien Ntambue, Évêque de Kabinda, en était le Modérateur.Ce dernier a formulé le souhait que la présente Assemblée provinciale se déroule dans un climat serein et fraternel.
Mgr Félicien a aussi rappelé que la méthode de travail adoptée durant cette Assemblée provinciale sera la méthode de discernement.
Les échanges avaient tourné au tour des réflexions sur les trois mémos proposés par le Gouvernement général, à savoir, « Spiritualité et Mission : Evangéliser est notre Joie », « La Réconciliation comme don de Dieu et tâche missionnaire », et « L’Interculturalité : un témoignage ».
Le discernement a conduit les participants à l’Assemblée provinciale de KIN à l’élections des déléqués et substituts au 16e Chapitre suivants :
Délégués Substituts
- Didier Badianga, ex officio Théophile Nlandu, ex officio
- Jean Tsoungui, élu Timothy Ngumbi, élu
- Arnel Batilong, élu André Mangongo, élu
- Louis Ngoy, élu Emmanuel Iroung, élu
Priorités Missionnaire 2022
Didier Badianga, le Supérieur provincial, a présenté le projet missionnaire de la Province de Kinshasa, fruit d’un travail de révision initié lors de l’Assemblée provinciale de 2015.
Ce projet s’articule autour de quatre grandes priorités retenues par les Assemblées provinciales de juin 2007, mai 2016 et mai 2021 :
- Vivre notre identité religieuse missionnaire ;
- Conscientiser et assurer la Formation permanente de nous-mêmes, des agents de l’évangélisation et du peuple ;
- Promouvoir la Justice-Paix-Intégrité de la Création et le Dialogue interreligieux ;
- Éduquer et s’investir dans la formation intégrale de la jeunesse
La Province CICM de België-Nederland (BNL) a tenu son Assemblée provinciale du 2 au 5 octobre 2022, dans la maison CICM de Schilde en Belgique.
La préparation du 16e Chapitre général (4-30 juin 2022, à Rome) constituait le principal objectif de l’Assemblée provinciale de BNL. Les discussions des participants ont porté sur les trois mémos élaborés par notre Gouvernement général sur la spiritualité, la réconciliation et l’interculturalité.
Cette Assemblée provinciale avait également pour mission d’élire les délégués et leurs substituts qui participeront au Chapitre général CICM de 2023
- Les Délégués
1. Martin Mvibudulu, Ex Officio
2. Thomas Hendrikus, 1er délégué élu
3. André Kalumba, 2e délégué élu
4. Jacques Thomas, 3e délégué élu
4. Léonard Heyse, 4e délégué élu
- Les substituts
1. Luc Colla, substitut, ex officio
2. Frans Van Humbeck, 1er substitut élu
3. Sylvestre Mpia, 2e substitut élu
4. Jan Reynebeau, 3e substitut élu
5. Jozef Lapauw, 4e substitut élu
Toi Dieu qui nous aimes, (…)
Envoie ton Esprit Saint dans nos cœurs comme la marque de la Mission du Christ pour aujourd’hui. Ainsi le temps de préparation au 16ème Chapitre général sera pour nous un temps de joyeuse espérance et de créativité audacieuse.
The CICM Province of the België-Nederland (BNL) held its Provincial Assembly from October 2 to 5, 2022, at the CICM House of Schilde in Belgium.
The preparation of the 16th General Chapter (June 4–30, 2022, in Rome) was the primary purpose of the BNL Provincial Assembly. The participants focused their discussion on the three memos on Spirituality, Reconciliation, and Interculturality produced by our General Government.
This Provincial Assembly also had the mission to elect the delegates and their substitutes to partake in the 2023 CICM General Chapter:
- The Delegates
1. Martin Mvibudulu, Ex Officio
2. Thomas Hendrikus, 1st elected Delegate
3. André Kalumba, 2nd elected Delegate
4. Jacques Thomas, 3rd elected Delegate
4. Léonard Heyse, 4th elected Delegate
- The Substitutes
1. Luc Colla, substitute, Ex Officio
2. Frans Van Humbeck, 1st elected Substitute
3. Sylvestre Mpia, 2nd elected Substitute
4. Jan Reynebeau, 3rd elected Substitute
5. Jozef Lapauw, 4th elected Substitute
Loving God, (…),
Send your Holy Spirit into our hearts as a seal on Jesus’ Mission for us today. So that this time of preparation for the 16th General Chapter may be for us a time of joyful hope and daring creativity.
(Prayer for the 16th General Chapter)