ABOUT ME: FR. KUS SPEAKS
About my family
I was born in a simple, devout catholic family. My father was the headmaster of an elementary school in a remote village called Muntilan. I have 4 brothers and 3 sisters. 4 of my siblings are already married. I am blessed with 3 nieces and 2 nephews. My youngest sister is still single. She works at Charitas Hospital, Palembang and as a teacher of a nursing academy in the same town.
Two of my older brothers are SCJ priest. Fr. D. Kusmartono, SCJ is a parish priest in Palembang, South Sumatra, and Fr. CB Kusmaryanto, SCJ is a professor at Sanata Dharma University (where the SCJs have a Major Seminary) and Gajah Mada University, Jogyakarta.
My father, who is retired, is very honest, humble, and wise man. He is now taking care a piece of land that our family owns. As far as I remember he never got angry at us! With him I have a very great and deep respect. So many values and virtues I learned from him.
My mother is now a house wife. She used to be very active in both church and community. She was involved in so many things. I believe I got my active nature from her. She had been involved in a charity foundation for a very long time. Her happiness is in helping other people.
I am proud to say that I have a very good family experience. The Catholicity of my family is very strong. I remember that when I was a kid, my mother used to remind us all to pray.
I can say that, humanly speaking, I was interested in becoming priest because of my activities in the Mission Station during my childhood. My parents were very supportive of us, especially relating to church activities. When I was young, I was involved in so many different activities such as the Legion of Marry, the Catholic Youth Association, Choir Group, etc. But my vocation was also influenced by my older brothers. Whenever they came home for vacation, I was so happy to hear their stories. I entered Saint Paul Seminary after I completed Senior High School. My decision in becoming an SCJ was because of the fact that the SCJs is the only religious congregation working in Lampung, my native province, but I have never regretted my choice.
I did my novitiate under two great SCJs of Indonesian province: Fr. Andreas Lukasik, SCJ (a polish priest) and Fr. Thomas Fix, SCJ (American). I experienced good religious development during my novitiate year. Then I went to Jogyakarta to study Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology "Wedabhakti." I spent almost 6 years there to complete these studies. In between, I had the opportunity to take part in a regency program at Sacred Heart Parish, Palembang, under the guidance of Fr. Titus Purbasuparta, SCJ. It was very good opportunity to learn more about the Church, Community life and other aspect of life.
After finishing my regency, I went back to Jogyakarta to finish my priestly formation. Just after I went back to Jogyakarta I took my perpetual vows in the congregation. Because in Indonesia we needed formators, the province asked me to prepare myself to work in formation. Well, it was a big challenge for me because initially I wanted to work in a parish setting. But because of my new awareness, after a lot of struggle, I accepted the challenge. The province give me the opportunity to pursue further studies related to formation.
After finishing my initial formation, I did my diaconate time in a remote parish called Tegalsari. I experienced a very hard situation. But thanks to God... it formed me!! And after successfully and faithfully passing the programs, I was finally ordained together with 6 other SCJs at Sacred Heart Parish, in Palembang, 14 October 1998. So it took 13 years of initial formation!
My first assignment as a priest was in Tegalsari, the place where I did my diaconate time. I was stationed there primarily because I was ordained in the middle of the school year, because that it was not good to enter the faculty in the middle of the school year. I spent only 3 months in Tegalsari as priest. I am thankful to so many people I served and met in Tegalsari.
After three months I was transferred to Saint Paul Seminary, Palembang. I was very happy to work at Saint Paul Seminary, Palembang because the good programs there. We had very good teams consisting of 5 SCJ priests, 2 religious sisters (not as cooks, but full time staff members), and 4 lay people who became full time staff members too. While I was working at Saint Paul Seminary, I was also serving as rector of three big Catholic High Schools in Palembang, with about 3,500 students. I believe that my time in Palembang was a fruitful time for me. Whenever I had the opportunity, I also participated in Church activities, such as Charismatic meetings. I love classical music and therefore I joined the choir, called “Cantemus.” I can see that I probably am a poor priest in terms of working directly with the people. Until now I baptized only about 20 people. I blessed the marriage for less then 15 couples (most of them my relatives or friends), and I anointed the sick only once. But I should see the fruitfulness of my priesthood in different ways.
After working almost 5 years at Saint Paul Seminary, I was sent to India to work in formation. Actually I already expressed my missionary zeal to my provincial long time before I was actually sent. I am happy that I have the opportunity to be one of the members of our promising district. I stayed 8 months in Kerala. After sometime, to my surprised, my district superior named me as rector of the newly founded Theologate Community, in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh.
I am happy in my work. I know that working in formation is not easy, but it is very important. I hope that my presence here will help my fellow Indian SCJs see and experience the happiness of being a religious. I hope that my fellow brothers in the SCJ congregation will always be serious about their formation. I am only a gardener who helps flowers grow in our “garden” called SCJs and the Church. I am only a helper, and the brothers themselves are the main agents of formation. Of course, the work of the Holy Spirit is very important during the formation process. I believe that every brother will learn personal responsibility, and will try their level best to develop intellectually, spiritually, humanly, psychologically, and morally.
Learning pastoral skills, and developing a Sacred Heart Spirituality are also important projects of life. I dream that some time in the future I will be able to see our brothers become good listening pastors, not directing and commanding ones, who really have strong spiritual lives, with a great heart for the people, priests who are very skillful in their ministries.
Vivat Cor Jesu!
FX .Kusmaryadi, SCJ.
I was born in a simple, devout catholic family. My father was the headmaster of an elementary school in a remote village called Muntilan. I have 4 brothers and 3 sisters. 4 of my siblings are already married. I am blessed with 3 nieces and 2 nephews. My youngest sister is still single. She works at Charitas Hospital, Palembang and as a teacher of a nursing academy in the same town.
Two of my older brothers are SCJ priest. Fr. D. Kusmartono, SCJ is a parish priest in Palembang, South Sumatra, and Fr. CB Kusmaryanto, SCJ is a professor at Sanata Dharma University (where the SCJs have a Major Seminary) and Gajah Mada University, Jogyakarta.
My father, who is retired, is very honest, humble, and wise man. He is now taking care a piece of land that our family owns. As far as I remember he never got angry at us! With him I have a very great and deep respect. So many values and virtues I learned from him.
My mother is now a house wife. She used to be very active in both church and community. She was involved in so many things. I believe I got my active nature from her. She had been involved in a charity foundation for a very long time. Her happiness is in helping other people.
I am proud to say that I have a very good family experience. The Catholicity of my family is very strong. I remember that when I was a kid, my mother used to remind us all to pray.
I can say that, humanly speaking, I was interested in becoming priest because of my activities in the Mission Station during my childhood. My parents were very supportive of us, especially relating to church activities. When I was young, I was involved in so many different activities such as the Legion of Marry, the Catholic Youth Association, Choir Group, etc. But my vocation was also influenced by my older brothers. Whenever they came home for vacation, I was so happy to hear their stories. I entered Saint Paul Seminary after I completed Senior High School. My decision in becoming an SCJ was because of the fact that the SCJs is the only religious congregation working in Lampung, my native province, but I have never regretted my choice.
I did my novitiate under two great SCJs of Indonesian province: Fr. Andreas Lukasik, SCJ (a polish priest) and Fr. Thomas Fix, SCJ (American). I experienced good religious development during my novitiate year. Then I went to Jogyakarta to study Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology "Wedabhakti." I spent almost 6 years there to complete these studies. In between, I had the opportunity to take part in a regency program at Sacred Heart Parish, Palembang, under the guidance of Fr. Titus Purbasuparta, SCJ. It was very good opportunity to learn more about the Church, Community life and other aspect of life.
After finishing my regency, I went back to Jogyakarta to finish my priestly formation. Just after I went back to Jogyakarta I took my perpetual vows in the congregation. Because in Indonesia we needed formators, the province asked me to prepare myself to work in formation. Well, it was a big challenge for me because initially I wanted to work in a parish setting. But because of my new awareness, after a lot of struggle, I accepted the challenge. The province give me the opportunity to pursue further studies related to formation.
After finishing my initial formation, I did my diaconate time in a remote parish called Tegalsari. I experienced a very hard situation. But thanks to God... it formed me!! And after successfully and faithfully passing the programs, I was finally ordained together with 6 other SCJs at Sacred Heart Parish, in Palembang, 14 October 1998. So it took 13 years of initial formation!
My first assignment as a priest was in Tegalsari, the place where I did my diaconate time. I was stationed there primarily because I was ordained in the middle of the school year, because that it was not good to enter the faculty in the middle of the school year. I spent only 3 months in Tegalsari as priest. I am thankful to so many people I served and met in Tegalsari.
After three months I was transferred to Saint Paul Seminary, Palembang. I was very happy to work at Saint Paul Seminary, Palembang because the good programs there. We had very good teams consisting of 5 SCJ priests, 2 religious sisters (not as cooks, but full time staff members), and 4 lay people who became full time staff members too. While I was working at Saint Paul Seminary, I was also serving as rector of three big Catholic High Schools in Palembang, with about 3,500 students. I believe that my time in Palembang was a fruitful time for me. Whenever I had the opportunity, I also participated in Church activities, such as Charismatic meetings. I love classical music and therefore I joined the choir, called “Cantemus.” I can see that I probably am a poor priest in terms of working directly with the people. Until now I baptized only about 20 people. I blessed the marriage for less then 15 couples (most of them my relatives or friends), and I anointed the sick only once. But I should see the fruitfulness of my priesthood in different ways.
After working almost 5 years at Saint Paul Seminary, I was sent to India to work in formation. Actually I already expressed my missionary zeal to my provincial long time before I was actually sent. I am happy that I have the opportunity to be one of the members of our promising district. I stayed 8 months in Kerala. After sometime, to my surprised, my district superior named me as rector of the newly founded Theologate Community, in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh.
I am happy in my work. I know that working in formation is not easy, but it is very important. I hope that my presence here will help my fellow Indian SCJs see and experience the happiness of being a religious. I hope that my fellow brothers in the SCJ congregation will always be serious about their formation. I am only a gardener who helps flowers grow in our “garden” called SCJs and the Church. I am only a helper, and the brothers themselves are the main agents of formation. Of course, the work of the Holy Spirit is very important during the formation process. I believe that every brother will learn personal responsibility, and will try their level best to develop intellectually, spiritually, humanly, psychologically, and morally.
Learning pastoral skills, and developing a Sacred Heart Spirituality are also important projects of life. I dream that some time in the future I will be able to see our brothers become good listening pastors, not directing and commanding ones, who really have strong spiritual lives, with a great heart for the people, priests who are very skillful in their ministries.
Vivat Cor Jesu!
FX .Kusmaryadi, SCJ.
posted by PRIESTS OF THE SACRED HEART, ELURU at 8:53 pm
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