NEWS IN BRIEF
FIRST PROFESSIONS AND NEW NOVICES IN INDONESIA On 24 April 2021, five novices in Pematangsiantar made their first temporary profession. The main celebrant at the Holy Eucharist was Father Leopold Purba, OFMCap. Due to the Covid-19 health regulations, only a few people were present. Others could follow the events via livestream. The theme of the celebration was derived from Psalm 118: 14,21, “The Lord is my strength and my courage; I praise Him for He has answered me, and He is my Saviour.”
Rolly Untu, MSC, Bishop of Manado and assisted by Father Maxi Ignatius Manewus. The new novices are Agustinus Lafau, Agustinus Naisoko, Abel Alexander Gary and Yunorius Saunoah. Later this year another five novices from Timor Leste will join them: Marcelino Martins, Natalino Martins Babo, Cipriano Soares, Avelino Maia Soares and Felis Benevides Tilman. In the meantime, they follow the novitiate programme online from Timor Leste.
The Brothers Januario Sani Quehi, Benyamin Pati, Emanuel Barreto Amaral, Gabriel Fatima Soares and Wilhelmus Mendröfa made their first vows in the hands of Brother Alfons Seran, Provincial Board member. The Brothers Paskalis Wangga and Bosco Wuarmanuk were witnesses. Father Leopold hoped that the young brothers experienced God’s call and would: ‘have faith, and not murmur’, as Jesus said (John 6: 60-69). On 8 May 2021 an entrance ceremony was held in the Tomohon novitiate for the first-year novices. They were welcomed by Brother Martinus Mangundap, Provincial Superior. The Holy Eucharist was presided over by the Most Reverend Benedictus Estephanus
The newly professed brothers with their novice-master, Brother Paskalis Wangga.
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL Like everywhere on earth where people live, the Covid-19 pandemic did not bypass the Joannes Zwijsen Community in The Netherlands, where our elderly and sick confrères live. The first wave of the virus had an enormous impact on this community. The Brothers André de Veer, Joop van Dooremaal, Harrie van Geene and Louis Mommers died within a little over a month. Brother Wim Verschuren of the Eleousa Community in Vught followed a few months later. Because of the strict rules only one brother could be with them in their final hours. Only thirty people were allowed at the funeral services and the other brothers had to make do with livestream.
18
After this troublesome time, which will remain engraved in the memory of the fellow brothers, a second and a third wave of the pandemic rolled in. For quite some time the brothers were not allowed to leave their rooms. Finally, things eased up again. They could pray together again in the chapel, talk with each other in the living room and eat together in the dining room. And, it could be a miracle, but none of the brothers at Joannes Zwijsen became infected anymore. Apart from a few restrictions, community life resumed step by step. For the brothers at Joannes Zwijsen there was at long last some light at the end of the tunnel.
