Laying the Foundation Stone for the Formation House in Surabaya, Indonesia

A Long-Awaited Dream Comes True – Laying the Foundation Stone for the Formation House in Surabaya, Indonesia

The Provincial of the Philippine Province, Br. Filemon I. dela Cruz Jr., OP captured the sentiment perfectly during his address at the Province’s anniversary celebration in Manila: “A long-cherished dream has come true!” Since 2016, under the leadership of the current Master of the Order, Fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, then serving as the Provincial of the Philippine Province, work on the project for a future formation house in Indonesia had been underway. Now, the foundation stone has been laid. Present at the ceremony were representatives from the Curia in Rome, including the Vicar of the Master of the Order and Socius for Intellectual Life, Fr. Pablo Sicouly, OP as well as the Socii of the Master of the Order for Asia and Europe, Fr. Jamshed A. Gill, OP and Fr. Thomas G. Brogl, OP and the General Promoter for Dominican Lay Fraternities, Fr. Cristobal Torres, who were visitating the Philippine Province at the time.

The strong desire for a formation house is evident not only in the significant increase in vocations among the brothers (as well as among Dominican lay members) but also in the participation of the five current Indonesian aspirants, who contributed to the liturgy for the foundation stone ceremony. This commitment is further demonstrated by the fact that the house is being largely financed through donations from Indonesian faithful. Equally crucial was the steadfast support of the recently deceased Bishop of Surabaya, Vincentius Sutikno Wicaksono, whose efforts opened important doors for the Dominican presence in Surabaya.

With the laying of the foundation stone for the formation house in Surabaya, a cornerstone has been set not only for a future convent and training center in Indonesia but also for a significant step toward establishing a more autonomous Dominican presence in the country. The Provincial expressed his gratitude to both the diocesan administrator, representing the late Bishop Sutikno, and to the driving force behind the project and the Dominican presence in Surabaya, Fr. Adrian S. Adiredjo.

The Church in Senakin, built by the Dominican Laity.

In recent years, the Dominican presence in Indonesia, centered around Pontianak—where Bishop Agus is the first member of the Dominican priests’ community in Indonesia—and Surabaya, has grown rapidly and substantially. The Dominicans have taken on key roles in church and academic life, contributing significantly to the development and expansion of ecclesiastical universities in Pontianak/Ngabang and Surabaya. Additionally, Dominican lay members are active in areas where the brothers have not yet established a presence, such as prison and parish missions, and have also constructed churches and church structures in places like Senakin. In other locations, such as Ngabang, Dominican sisters oversee university chaplaincies and are occasionally supported by the brothers.

In recent years, a strong Dominican presence has been established in the church and intellectual culture of the country, often supported equally by brothers, sisters and lay people, which has thus become a wonderful example of the development of a Dominican presence in a country through the various branches of the Dominican family.


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