THE SHORT HISTORY OF MISSIONARIES OF ST. CHARLES-SCALABRINIANS IN INDONESIA

John Baptist Scalabrini, a bishop of Piacenza, was moved by the scene of Italian migrants crowded in Milan's Central Station waiting for the train that directed them to Genoa where they could take the boat to the Americas, a place they hoped for a greener pasture. It was on his episcopate that the mass emigration became one of the most serious social drama. In 1887, that scene of Milano got the real response with the foundation of a religious congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles whose only mission is to assist all the people on the move. Many of Scalabrini's contemporaries considered the migration as only a passing phenomenon, that one day would cease to exist. Scalabrini proved to be right. Migration is not a passing reality but an always-present reality.

Indonesia, a country nel sud-est asiatico, a nation of more than 200 million population, is living the drama of migration. For economic reason and several other reasons, many have been forced to migrate in majorly neighboring countries and some other countries in different continents of the world. Many have to leave the country with the hope that they can build a better future. Many of these migrants have undergone a lot of abuses and manipulations. Looking at this reality, a question arises, who will help them? Who will be with them in foreign land to walk with them in their journey and to offer the warm smile of its country?

On June 29, 2002, the Bishop of Ruteng, Eduardus Sangsun, SVD, welcomed the Scalabrinians to open the formation house in his diocese. Before this formal opening, on March of the same year, 14 of the indonesians have been sent to Manila to undergo a formation to be a religous priest. The number of indonesian candidates has been increasing since then. With the entry of a new race to the congregation, some if not many of the scalabrinian religous began to ask: What can this new race offer to the congregation? How will they see themselves as scalabrinian religious missionaries whose only mission is to follow christ in the service of the migrants? Are there any Indonesian migrants to whom they will have to look after? Can they work with other races present in the congregation? There are still series of questions to be asked for the mere fact that they are new in the congregation. This small work will give an overview of the context in which they live and the future to be defined.

Indonesians after 7 years
As I have stated above, the number of Indonesians are increasing in the congregation. So far, there are ten Indonesians who have done their temporary vows and they have been sent in different parts of the world. There are two Indonesians in Rome, two in Chicago, three in Argentina, one in Manila. The other two indonesians are still doing their pastoral year in Indonesia (Vinsensius) and in Vietnam (Charles). There are still more Indonesians who want to join this family of the Scalabrinians. There is a great enthusiasm for the young Indonesians to be part of this family and to partake the mission to be migrant among the migrants.

Unity in Diversity
First and foremost, we have to take into account the context in which this new race live. Indonesia, the most archipelogic country in the world with its more than 17.000 islands, is largely knowned for its diversity of ethnics, languiges and religions. This diversity is best articulated in its national motto, Bhineka tunggal Ika, that means many, yet one. In other words, unity in diversity. Indonesia is a pluralistic society. Their background will somehow help them to insert well in the congregation whose special character is facing the diversity of the people on the move.

Indonesian Migrants
As the Scalabrinians have their special mission to serve the migrants, it would be right to ask if there are some indonesian migrants scattering in different parts of the world. Indonesia is one of the migrant sending countries. Many Indonesians have left the countries for many reasons like uncertainty in economy, political reasons and even for natural calamity. More than 4 million of Indonesians are migrating in order to look for a better life. In 2008 alone, there are 157.031 indonesian migrants.



Future Indonesian Scalabrinians
As we have seen above, many of Indonesians have left ther country to look for a better future in foreign land. But, are the indonesian Scalabrinians destined only for the Indonesian migrants? The missionaries of St. Charles-Scalabrinians have been well-knowned for their capabilities in working with different races. They have served the migrants without looking at the color of their skins or the color of their passports. The Indonesians will not do otherwise. As I have stated earlier, with the context in which they have lived, will surely help them to insert well in this mission. They will be like all the Scalabrinians in the world. They will live in multiethnical communities and will be opened to serve people of different races. More than ten years of formation will prepare them well to take part in this mission.
My personal experience tells me that the Indonesians are capable of living in the multietnical communities. In Rome, the religous students come from 7 countries. Amidst some difficulties, we can deal well with them. The powerful arm of the Indonesians is that they express themselves, they are not afraid to tell their ideas to other people. In our apostolate on Sundays, we deal more with non-Indonesian migrants. We are happy with what we are doing in our apostolate. If the diversity of the present represents the diversity of the future, then, the future is not a horrible thing to be waited for.


Countries to be.....

The Scalabrinians are now present in 30 countries in five continents of the world. In southeast Asia, the Scalabrinians have opened missions only in the Philippines. In Indonesia and vietnam, they have opened only the houses of formation. In this two countries there is a big flow of migrants departing for some neighboring countries and in different parts of the world. There is a need to open a center for migrants in the big cities for the migrants who are processing their papers to go abroad. Not only in the big cities, there is a need of scalabrinian presence in the boundaries between these two countries and their neighboring countries (especially between Indonesia and Malaysia where there is big flow of migrants).
Many Indonesians prefer to migrate in their neighboring countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. In these Countries, Malay is one of their common languages spoken. There have been many abuses commited against our Indonesians in Malaysia. Many people from Flores are in Sabah. Most of them are catholics. In these countries, there are not yet scalabrian priests who look after the migrants. The Indonesian Scalabrinians perhaps will be the ones who can work in their countries for their knowledge of the language and also for the number of the indonesian migrants present there.