Xaverians in Indonesia

Our Presence

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Priesthood Ordination of Ignatius, Wawan, Denny

We, Xaverian Missionaries, arrived in Indonesia in 1951. We operate 30 schools, 3 dispensaries, and 2 small hospitals. After being expelled from China in 1951, eight Xaverians set out for the Indonesian archipelago of over 14,000 islands, and established their presence in Sumatra, one of the larger islands.

Today we encounter tension between different ethnic, cultural and social groups; the attraction exerted by materialism, consumerism, hedonism and secularism; a pastoral approach that gives great importance to activism and high efficiency. This is a Church that wishes to evangelize through dialogue on three levels: with other religions, with other cultures and with the poor.

As a result, we have decided to commit ourselves to strive for a Church that gives more importance to communion than to its organization; to living the values of the Gospel through our involvement with the poor in a religious and cultural context; to living the evangelical counsels and being men of prayer. We are committed to respecting the values inherent in other religions and take part in ecumenical activities; and to living more in solidarity with the poor by active involvement in the cause of social justice.

Though the majority of our missionaries are working in parish settings, we still work on Mission Animation, Vocation Ministry, and Missionary Formation of young Indonesians. In fact, in these latter years Indonesia is giving back to the Xaverians that which they have received. Many young Indonesians, attracted by the example of St Francis Xavier, who was missionary to the Molucca Islands in the 16th century, have joined the Xaverians.

Service, mission, work, news, and presence of the Xaverian Missionaries in Indonesia