Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
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Kupang (Fides News Agency) – May 3, 2026, will remain a historic and significant date for the Camillians of Indonesia and the parish community of Bolawolon. In a solemn ceremony, Father Andrea Yobe was officially installed as the first parish priest of the Camillian Order in the parish of Bolawolon. This marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Camillian missionaries in the Diocese of Maumere.
Father Luigi Galvani (MI), who himself lived and worked on the island of Flores for many years and is now active at the St. Camillus Social Center in Kupang, West Timor, reports this to Fides.
“For many, this return of the Camillians to Bolawolon had the character of a ‘return to Emmaus.’ Seventeen years ago, the Camillians, myself included, began their work in Indonesia in this parish after arriving from the Philippines,” he notes. “Here they took their first steps, focusing primarily on vocations and various social welfare activities.”
“Looking back on their journey in Indonesia today, one can truly speak of a story blessed by divine Providence. In just seventeen years, the Camillian presence in Indonesia has grown with positive and far-sighted development, which is now bearing concrete and promising fruit,” says Father Galvani.
Currently, the Camillian delegation comprises 24 young priests, 6 deacons, 25 theology students, 8 novices, and more than 40 seminarians studying philosophy, distributed among four seminaries. “These numbers testify not only to the institutional growth but, above all, to the courage of so many young people who have chosen to dedicate their lives to serving God and the sick in the spirit of Saint Camillus de Lellis.”
In addition to religious formation, the Camillians have also initiated significant social and pastoral activities. “The two community centers in Maumere and Kupang have become important reference points for meetings, seminars, and educational programs, especially for young people. In addition, there is a positive missionary impetus, which testifies to the growth of the Camillian mission in Indonesia. Two young missionaries have already been sent to Taiwan and two more to Australia—a sign of a young community that not only cares for itself but also feels the desire to share the gift it has received beyond its borders. The same spirit also characterizes the commitment to vocations in Pakistan and East Timor,” the report states.
The new task entrusted to the Camillians in the parish of Bolawolon gains even more significance within the context of the Diocese of Maumere, a vibrant Church with many vocations. The diocese comprises 42 parishes and 61 diocesan priests, as well as 60 religious institutes, 17 for men and 43 for women. It is a dynamic, mission-oriented church deeply rooted in the faith of the people of Flores.
“The installation of Father Andrea,” Father Galvani concluded, “is not merely an appointment by the community, but a symbol of a growing mission and a hopeful dream. The Camillians are not returning to Bolawolon as strangers, but as sons and daughters rediscovering the homeland where it all began. From here, they continue their missionary journey, looking to the future with renewed enthusiasm and striving to grow in service to the Church, the poor, and the sick. As always, they entrust everything else to God, who has silently guided every step of their mission throughout the years.” (AP) (Fides News Agency, 11/5/2026)
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