ASIA/INDONESIA - The Apostolic Nuncio in Ambon, safe city, the seminar and the new school catechetical were inaugurated

Ambon (Agenzia Fides) - To strengthen the fraternal relations between the different religious communities in Ambon; give a signal of trust and dialogue; bringing words of peace to a community that fears a new war: with this spirit the pastoral visit of Bishop Antonio Filippazzi, Apostolic Nuncio in Indonesia, in the city of Ambon, Maluku archipelago was held from 15 to October 18. The visit took place during the 100 years of evangelization of one of the Moluccas islands, Tanim Bar, on behalf of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
As the local Church sources told Fides, the Nuncio celebrated a Mass in Saum Laki, the capital of the island, and then went to Ambon, where he inaugurated the new catechetical institute dedicated to St. John and the new Major Seminary, named after St. Francis Xavier, in the Diocese of Amboina. The Nuncio also traveled the so-called "road of peace", which separates the Muslim area from the Christian area in Ambon.
Upon the opening of the two institutions, the Bishop of Amboina, Mgr. Peter Canisius Mandagi, MSC, underlined that "they will give quality to the population’s human and professional resources, for the development of the Moluccas". The two works intend to give "an example of faith that promotes the good in the life of the community and the nation".
Mgr. Mandagi stressed to Fides that the visit took place "in the joy of the population, Christian and Muslim". The people of Ambon "has proven to love peace and religious harmony", he said, expressing his gratitude "to the civil and religious leaders who worked together for dialogue and brotherhood".
The deputy mayor of Ambon, Sam Latuconsina, expressed great satisfaction with regards to the visit. "It shows that Ambon is a safe city", he said, noting that the city has recovered the normal pattern of community life and the various public and commercial activities. Latuconsina praised the security forces and even the common people, who were able to die down the breeding grounds of conflict and restore peace, which some provocateurs from outside wanted to disrupt.
In Ambon, in September, there were clashes between Christians and Muslims because of an accident involving a Muslim and for the false reports which circulated in this regard (see Fides 12/09/2011). (PA) (20/10/2011)