Ergens is het triest, dat Nederland zo weinig nieuws brengt over een land, waar Nederland eeuwenlang een "intieme" binding mee had en tegenwoordig de binding nog steeds bestaat uit hoofde van de circa 1 miljoen nazaten hier in Nederland gevestigd/woonachtig.
Zou het gezegde hier van pas zijn? "Uit het oog, uit het hart" en dan doelend op de politieke leiders en de media hier in dit "geciviliseerde " Nederland.
'De wereldpers neemt wel de moeite om langere berichten hierover te publiceren en ook nog in uitgebreide vorm, terwijl de Nederlandse pers (en dan ook nog slechts via christelijke sites) het heel summier bericht.
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Indonesia: Muslim award goes to Catholic priest for his work in favour of peace and the environment
Fr Vincentius Kirjito’s mission focuses on dialogue between Christianity and Islam and the preservation of the ecosystem of the Mount Merapi volcano. He and a Muslim involved in finances were selected for this year Ma’arif Award. “Faith is performed through deeds,” he said.
Saturday, June 12, 2010By Asia News
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Jakarta – Fr Vincentius Kirjito has been made a recipient of the Ma’arif Award for his many years of work in favour of peace, inter-faith dialogue, environmental conservation and interpersonal harmony among people of different religions. “Frankly, I would have never thought that I would become a Ma’arif Award laureate,” Fr Vincentius said. Nevertheless, the 56-year-old priest is grateful. “Faith is performed through deeds and not just only through words or speeches,” he said.
Yesterday, in Jakarta, he and Habib Ali al-Habsy, head of the Consortium of Shariah Economy Societies and founder of four Sharia-based micro-finance companies, received the award, which is named after a Muslim leader, Ahmad Syafii Ma’arif, a former chairman of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second largest Muslim organisation.
Fr Vincentius Kirjito Pr (pictured with Card Jean-Louis Tauran) was born on 18 November 1953 in Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta province. He was ordained on 25 January 1984 and began his mission as a parish priest in a farming region. For five years now, he has promoted basic education about the environment and culture of Mount Merapi, one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in Central Java.
In Javanese society, Mount Merapi is seen both as a curse and a blessing. From the top of its 2,698 metres, the volcano has wiped out hundreds of lives and dozens of villages. In the past century, it has erupted on several occasions with devastating consequences, most notably in 1930, 1994, 1998, 2001 and 2003. At the same time, the volcano has been a source of popular legends and myths, and one of the island’s best-known tourist attractions, as well as a source of a valuable material, volcanic sand.
For ages, locals have dug its slopes using traditional methods. However, in the last decade multinationals have tried to muscle their way in, changing the traditional balance with increasingly big sand-mining projects.
In the past 12 years, Fr Kirjito’s presence has been a blessing for the residents of the mountain slopes, Muslim and Christians alike. He has helped them better defend their rights and taught them how to adopt a sustainable development strategy for their territory. He has done all this whilst promoting evangelisation, inter-faith dialogue and peace.
His work is appreciated by Muslims as well. Last year, when he celebrated 25 years of priesthood, leaders of other religious groups took part in the festivities, held in the diocese of Semaramng. On that occasion, Muslim Rebana songs and music were played by Asyiqin Nasyid under the direction of Sodiq Asnawi.
“Truth be told, I never thought I would get the Ma’arif Prize,” Fr Kirjito told AsiaNews. “Still, I thank everyone” for the award.
“Being a churchman with a mission in rural areas,” he said, means, “becoming an effective communicator with everyone.” Indeed, “Faith is performed through deeds and not just only through words or speeches.”
Hermawan Kertajaya, a marketing expert and president of World Marketing Associations, said that after he met Fr Kirjito he found ways to launch initiatives in cooperation with locals.
For him, the priest has done excellent pastoral work, promoting peace, a sense of tolerance and compassion, regardless of religious affiliation.
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Habib Ali dan Romo Kirjito Terima Award Jumat, 11 Juni 2010 | 04:26 WIB
Jakarta, Kompas - Maarif Award kembali diberikan kepada dua pemimpin lokal yang menunjukkan kerja nyata dan menjadi inspirasi bagi komunitasnya, yaitu Habib Said Ali al Habsy dan Romo V Kirjito. Keduanya dinilai menjadi pendorong demokratisasi dan memperjuangkan keadilan, kesejahteraan, serta kemanusiaan.
Pendiri Maarif Institute, Ahmad Syafii Ma’arif, dalam sambutannya seusai penyerahan penghargaan itu di Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, Kamis (10/6) malam, mengatakan, kerja nyata yang ditunjukkan para pemimpin lokal itu menjadi nyala lilin-lilin kecil yang memberikan harapan bagi kehampaan dalam proses kepemimpinan Indonesia selama ini.
”Negeri ini bagaikan kampung tak bertuan. Ada pemimpin dan kaum elitenya, tapi tak dirasakan (keberadaannya). Semua mencari muka, tak ada (persoalan) yang tuntas diselesaikan,” katanya.
Maarif Award 2010 ini diberikan kepada Habib Said Ali al Habsy, penggerak ekonomi mikro lintas iman, pengadvokasi pemulung dan anak-anak punk di Martapura dan Banjarbaru, Kalimantan Selatan. Penghargaan juga diberikan kepada Romo Vincentius Kirjito, pastor di lereng Gunung Merapi, Magelang, Jawa Tengah, yang peduli menjaga lingkungan dan budaya serta kemanusiaan.
Menurut Habib Ali, masyarakat masih memiliki potensi besar untuk mandiri. Hal itu dibuktikan oleh munculnya lembaga-lembaga yang dikelola masyarakat miskin. ”Jika negeri ini menghargai masyarakat miskin untuk mengatasi kemiskinannya, negeri ini tak perlu berutang kepada bangsa asing,” katanya.
Romo Kirjito mengajak masyarakat untuk menghargai desa dan segala sumber dayanya. Selama ini potensi desa dikeruk untuk pembangunan kota. Namun, perlakuan masyarakat justru mengidentikkan desa dengan konotasi negatif.
Syafii menambahkan, Habib Ali dan Kirjito adalah pemimpin lokal yang bekerja tanpa memandang agama.
Kamis siang diresmikan Kantor Maarif Institute di Jalan Tebet Barat Dalam II Nomor 6, Jakarta Selatan. Peresmian dihadiri Jakob Oetama, Sudhamek AWS, Busyro Muqoddas, Dedy Julianto, dan Sjahrial Djalil.
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UCA News Kerstmis 2006:
INDONESIA Inculturated Mass Features Water, Supper And Traditional Theater
MAGELANG, Indonesia (UCAN) -- Churchgoers in a Central Java village were surprised to see a pot containing water in place of the statues of the Infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph on Christmas Eve.
The "kendhi," a traditional earthenware water carafe with a spout, stood in a stable made of used cement sacks, with young coconut leaves around it, in Lor Senowo mission station, on the western slope of Mount Merapi.
"I think it is not wrong for us to use a kendhi to symbolize the Child Jesus because he is the spring of water, welling up to eternal life," Father Vincentius Kirjito told about 400 people attending the celebration. He serves as parish priest of St. Maria of Lourdes Parish in nearby Sumber, 425 kilometers southeast of Jakarta. The mission station, known as Gubug Sela Merapi (small stone hut of Mount Merapi), belong to the parish.
In keeping with a "theology of water," various earthenware and some other vessels as well as plastic bags filled with water were placed in front of the altar for the Dec. 24 vigil.
In his homily, Father Kirjito highlighted the need for preserving water. "A way of showing love and respect for God is by loving and appreciating water, because it is a gift of God that supports human life and the life of all creatures," the priest said, referring to God as "the spring of life." He also urged the people to protect and preserve the environment, especially the springs scattered on the slopes of Merapi.
Besides stressing water and environmental issues, the inculturated Christmas Eve Mass also featured "mangan kuwi sembahyang" (eating as prayer), for which people ate a supper of "sega gurih," rice cooked with coconut milk, from banana-leaf containers after Communion.
Father Kirjito explains that this practice reminds people to act wisely while eating and to see deep meaning in the food. According to him, mangan kuwi sembahyang, which is inspired by the Latin motto "Ora et labora" (pray and work), teaches people to respect every grain of rice as God's gift.
Conversely, the priest advised the people not to eat food obtained from crimes such as stealing or corruption. "Such food is not God's gift at all," he said.
Mangan kuwi sembahyang has been practiced in this parish at every Sunday Mass since the last World Food Day on Oct. 16, 2005.
The special Christmas Eve Mass also included a performance of an excerpt from the story of the birth of Raden Parikesit, a character from traditional Javanese folklore who descended from warriors with supernatural power.
Performed after the Scripture readings, the 15-minute drama began with angels visiting Raden Parikesit's mother. The angels express their joy, because it is believed he will be a king who will bring wealth to the people.
Nevertheless, to prevent calamity his mother carries several objects -- a small mirror, a strip of bamboo, an oil lamp, yellow rice and a palm rib decorated with red chilies. In the performance, a woman dancer brought these items to the stable, accompanied by teenage-girl dancers and traditional Javanese musical instruments.
Demons who knew of the birth use a spell to make the angels watching over the baby fall asleep. Then they try to kill Raden Parikesit, but his mother drives them off by throwing the yellow rice at them.
Ismanto, director of the play, pointed out the similarity of this story with the story of Jesus' birth. "The Infant Jesus, the Messiah, would save all people. King Herod tries to kill him, but his mother Mary saves him with prayer and faith," he told UCA News.
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ma 14 jun 2010 - 7:19
