Girisonta is a place of great significance for the Indonesian Jesuits. It marks both the beginning and end of their Jesuit journeys. The Novice Directors of our Jesuit conference are grateful to the Stanislaus Kostka Novitiate community in Girisonta for generously welcoming and accompanying us during our assembly from 8 to 12 January. The nine formators from the six novitiates in Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, Korea, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste were able to see around the novitiate complex, interact with the novices, visit senior Jesuits in the infirmary, pay a visit to the Emmaus house for the elderly Jesuits, and offer prayers for our departed companions laid to rest in the Jesuit cemetery within the novitiate complex.
An integral part of the meeting was the exposure to different places that shape the context of the Jesuit mission in Indonesia. One of the places we visited was the Muslim Boarding School, Demak, located on the north coast of Central Java. The boarding school, overseen by young, knowledgeable, and humble Muslims trained in Cairo, expanded our understanding of Islam in Indonesia. It provided a deeper insight through direct encounters with the concrete realities of the Muslim community at the grassroots level. The hospitality and friendship of Gus Qodir, the head of the boarding school, exemplified the quality of living the Islamic faith—an openness and humanity that left a lasting impression.
We also had the opportunity to visit the Provincial House, the agricultural centre known as “KPTT”, run by the Indonesian Jesuits, and the Cistercian Sister Monastery. These places showcase the Jesuits’ approach to their mission in the country and highlight their collaboration with different communities.
The dynamics of the meeting in Girisonta were not significantly different from last year’s gathering. Each formator shared both the joys and challenges encountered in novitiate formation within our respective contexts. It is a precious moment for the formators as a peer group to be able to share and listen to one another. We sensed the presence of true companionship in our group. Moreover, it was an opportunity for us to learn from novitiates with more resources and a longer tradition.
In addition to the sharing among the novice directors, our gathering was enriched by the presence of Ignatian Spirituality experts, Fr Ramon Bautista SJ and Fr Priyo Poedjiono SJ. Fr Priyo delved into the topic of contemplation, while Fr Bautista offered practical tips for administering the Spiritual Exercises to the novices. Both sessions concluded with assignments, prompting us to reflect deeply on our understanding of the Spiritual Exercises and how we guide novices through them. Through these sessions, we realised that, as formators, we have much more to learn in terms of preparing and accompanying novices in their experience of the Spiritual Exercises.
Fr Fortunatus Parwoto SJ from Indonesia is the Convener of Novice Directors in the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific.