“There is no holiness in sadness”

Andreas Suparman, SCJ elected as the new Provincial Superior of the Province of Indonesia, from 2019 he has been serving as the Chief of Department of Documentation and Information, at Conference of Episcopal of Indonesia.

His new council members are  P. Yulius Sunardi, SCJ ( Formator, counselor), P. Florentinus Heru Ismadi, SCJ (lecturer at Musi Charitas Catholic University in Palembang), P. Agustinus Riyanto, SCJ (lecturer at Musi Charitas Catholic University in Palembang), P. Christoforus Wahyu Tri Haryadi SCJ (retreat house and pastoral center in Jambi).

How do you see this responsibility?

This responsibility is not a job or a career. It is a grace from the Lord and a trust from our confrerers and the Congregation. Actually, I am not worthy to take this responsibility, because I realize that I have some defects, especially on the leadership. After making discernment and receiving counsel and support from my confreres, finally I, with all my heart, I accept this responsibility. I remember what the Lord says to Saint Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12.9). It is also very impressive what Saint Paul says that: “I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (10).

In fact, the function of Provincial Superior is not a prestige. It is just a specific way of living the religious life. I hope that this responsibility makes me to love and to be loved more. I consider it as the opportunity of conversion.

What are your expectations?

My simple but most important expectation is that we can help our confreres to find genuine joy, the joy in the Lord. Joy is the fundamental character of the consecrated life.

There is no holiness in sadness. Pope Francis says: “Wherever there are consecrated people, seminarians, men and women religious, young people, there is joy, there is always joy! It is the joy of freshness, the joy of following Jesus; the joy that the Holy Spirit gives us, not the joy of the world.” As religious, we are to be testimony of joy of following Christ.” (Meeting with seminarians and novices held in Paul VI Audience Hall, 6 July 2013).

Your dreams on Indonesia Province

• The member will increase in number with spiritual quality.
• Province of Indonesia will take part actively on the global project of the Congregation.
• We will be able to share the Dehonian spirituality and way of life as Dehonian to the local Church in pastoral service. The world today needs testimonies of joy, love, peace and reconciliation.
• Province of Indonesia will give greater attention to pastoral , education and social commitment.
• We will send more conferrers to the mission, either domestic or international mission.

Any message to the Congregation

We thank to the Congregation, to all the Provinces, Regions, Districts and all entities for having supported and still supporting Province of Indonesia. We hope that we can do more collaboration so that the Kingdom of the Heart of Jesus may reign the souls and the societies.

Short biography: Andreas Suparman, SCJ

Born: on 16 November 1967, Wates Yogyakarta

Education and Vocation:

• 1984–1988: Minor Seminary St. Paulus, Palembang
• 1988–1989: Postulant – Noviciate in Gisting, Lampung
• 1989: First profession
• 1989–1997: Philosophy and Theology in Yogyakarta
• 1995: Final profession
• 1997: Ordination of deacon
• 1997: Ordination of priesthood
• 2000–2002: Study formation of the formators of Seminary at Gregoriana University, Rome
• 2002-2003: Study Christian and Classic Literature at Salesian University, Rome

Work:

• 1997–2000: Chaplain at St. Yohanes Parish, Bengkulu
• 2003–2010: Latin teacher in Seminary, Palembang
• 2010–2016: Parish priest at St. Francis de Sales, Palembang
• 2016–2019: Parish priest at “Duabelas Rasul” parish, Belitang
• 2019–2021: Chief of Department of Documentation and Information, at Conference of Episcopal of Indonesia.