Opening of the Jubilee Year in 2021
The opening of the 180th anniversary of the foundation of the Congregation of Divine Providence was held in Bandung on November 3, 2021, with the theme: “The strength of the Charism impels us to take care of life”. The ceremony was organized by the network branch of the Divine Providence Education Institution in Bandung. Sisters, collaborators and lay people of Divine Providence who could not attend in person were able to follow in the online modality. One of the opening events of the Jubilee Year was an “online pilgrimage” to Saint Mauritz, Münster, where the Congregation was founded.
The General Coordination of the Congregation invited the Sisters to celebrate the founding jubilee of the Congregation with a celebration of solidarity in the face of the concerns that surround us. The theme of the Jubilee Year manifested itself in the form of compassion for the needy and concern for the preservation of created nature. In addition to pastoral action, the Sisters from Germany, Holland, Malawi, Mozambique, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Indonesia also explored the topic in greater depth in the monthly prayer scripts made available by the General Coordination.
Year of Thanksgiving by the Foundation of the Congregation, from November 2021 to November 2022
In the celebration of the 180th anniversary of the founding of the Congregation, the Sisters of the Indonesian Province united their hearts with all the Sisters from other continents. In communion with the deceased Sisters, a Eucharist was celebrated in the Sisters' cemetery in Ambarawa. The Eucharist was also attended by the extended family of the Sisters of Divine Providence. Gratitude to God for the foundation of our Congregation cannot be separated from the service provided by the Founder and the dedication of the Sisters who have passed away.
The Province distributed a souvenir of the statue of Eduard Michelis to each Community and a brochure of the Congregational Remembrance Day to all the Sisters.
Several activities developed since November 2021, especially solidarity actions, were dedicated to taking care of life. These solidarity activities involved collaborators, lay people of Divine Providence, family members, children and any person of good will, to witness God's love and Christian hope.
The service of caring for life was also strengthened by spiritual practice through retreats, prayer tours and meetings with collaborators in the Sisters' places of service. The Spirituality Team of the Province guided and accompanied the families of collaborators and children to experience the love of God.
Concern about the destruction of the universe, our common home, motivated the Sisters to get involved in the ecological movement, involving interfaith communities. Awareness of land care and motivation to preserve the environment were important priorities.
Students from Collegeof Saint Josephy, in Jakarta, spread ecoenzymes in the river, so that the water in the river is clean. The Sisters of the Community in Sambiroto-Semarang distributed 180 plants to the faithful of Saint Peter's Parish. This activity involved lay people from Divine Providence, students and teachers of the Elementary School “Kebon Dalem 2”, and sectors of society and the environment. The plant sharing/distribution event was also hosted by the Kebon Dalem Community.
The celebration of the 180th anniversary of the foundation of the Congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence took place on November 3, 2022, during the Eucharistic Celebration in Saint Theresia Parish, Bongsari, Semarang. This was presided over by Fr. FX Sugiana, accompanied by Fr. E. Didik Chahyana, SJ. At the beginning, videos and photos of the solidarity and environmental care activities carried out by the Communities of the Sisters of Divine Providence were shown. During the Eucharist Sr. Chatarina Yuli made her perpetual vows and the Jubilee Sisters celebrated her Jubilee of Religious Life: Sr. Afonsa (60 years old), Sr. Benedikta and Sr. Helen (70 years old).
After the Eucharistic Celebration, an activity was carried out along the Banjir Kanal River, in Semarang: 5,000 small fish were placed in this river. This activity involved leaders from different religions and beliefs.
The Sisters of each service sector also celebrated a Thanksgiving feast, involving collaborators and lay people of Divine Providence in creative ways. In addition, the lay group of Divine Providence expressed its gratitude, among others, by forming a choir group at the Temanggung Church and an online pilgrimage to Münster - Germany.
Simultaneously, the Sisters of the Communities and the work sectors held a social service on November 4 and 5, 2022, as a sign of love for those in need.
The gratitude for the Foundation Day of the Congregation can be felt even more for the greetings received from the children, collaborators and employees. Gratitude to every person who supported the Congregation's journey! Gratitude for the good wishes that were sent to us.
Sr. Maria Rosa and Sr. Leoni Windarti