Coinciding with the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, four Indonesian Jesuits pronounced their Final Vows before the Indonesian Provincial, Fr Bagus Laksana SJ, at St Ignatius Loyola Chapel of Loyola College in Semarang. The four Jesuits are Br Antonius Dieng Karnedi SJ, Fr Effendi Kusuma Sunur SJ, Fr Antonius Dhimas Hardjuna SJ, and Fr Ferdinandus Tuhujati Setyoadi SJ.
Approximately 200 people attended, including the families of the Jesuits, their brothers in the Society, formators, ministry partners, and friends. Members of the Campus Ministry at Loyola College, where Fr Ferdinandus serves as high school principal, acted as liturgical ministers
Final Vows mark the culmination of a Jesuit’s formation and fully incorporate him into the Society of Jesus. It reaffirms the initial vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience professed at the end of the novitiate. Reaching this stage requires an extensive formation process, crowned by six months of Tertianship dedicated to cultivating the heart and mind.
In his homily, Fr Bagus likened the lengthy process of Jesuit formation to “slow cooking”. Just as slow-cooked dishes require time for the flavours to fully mature and permeate, a Jesuit’s extended formation allows the core values of his vocation to deeply penetrate his being, fostering true maturity and steadfastness.
Drawing from the day’s Gospel reading of the Visitation, the Provincial highlighted how Mary underwent a period of silence and retreat before visiting her cousin Elizabeth. He related this experience toTertianship. Just as Mary sought quiet preparation before embarking on her mission, Jesuits enter Tertianship to ground themselves spiritually before being fully incorporated into the Society.
The Jesuits pronouncing their Final Vows drew inspiration from Mary’s canticle, the Magnificat (My soul magnifies the Lord), seeking to learn from her steadfastness in accepting God’s mission and praying that God would always accompany them on their vocational journey and in their ministries.
Speaking on behalf of his peers, Fr Effendi expressed his gratitude for the grace of Final Vows. He thanked the formators and all those present who had consistently supported this vocational journeys. He emphasised that Final Vows are not a personal achievement but the fruit of communal life and the support of many.
The four Jesuits currently serve in diverse ministries. Br Dieng serves at the Jesuit agricultural centre, Taman Tani Agricultural Course (KPTT), in Salatiga; Fr Ferdinandus works at Loyola College High School; Fr Effendi serves as the First Minister of Scholastics at Johar Baru, Jakarta; and Fr Dhimas is the Parish Priest of St Mary Mother of God Church in Botong, Diocese of Ketapang, West Kalimantan.
