Augustinian Recollects join Vocation Exhibit in Indonesia
INDONESIA–For the first time since their arrival in Indonesia last year, Fray Russell Lapidez, OAR, and Fray Dominador Mercado, Jr., OAR, together with the other congregations and the local clergy, participated in the Vocation Exhibit at St. Joseph Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Pontianak from May 10-12, 2019. The two Augustinian Recollect missionaries were able to interact with the religious from different congregations in the Archdiocese. Booths were assigned to each congregation to exhibit pictures and banners regarding their foundation, spirituality and ministry.
Archbishop Agustinus Agus, DD, led the opening ceremony of the three-day event. During the opening liturgy, Fr. William Chang, OFM Cap., the Vicar General of the Archdiocese, reported that currently there are 28 Religious Congregations and 18 Diocesan Priests in the Archdiocese. He also challenged all the religious participants to be zealous in their promotion of vocations to religious and priestly life in their respective area of ministry.
On the second day, a talk on the Challenges of the Religious Life in the Era of the Millennials was held in the morning and in the afternoon. Catholic Youths from the different Parishes also came for the celebration of the Holy Mass. The three-day event was culminated on Good Shepherd Sunday, which is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, with a concelebrated Mass presided by the Archbishop himself.