Silver jubilee of Sr Agatha Linda Chandra

09/06/2021

I will be Your God who walks with you!
You will be always in my hand!
Take your heart and give it all to me!
Strong and constant is my love!
(from the song by Fr Frank Andersen MSC)

“Strong and constant is your love” – with these words we praised God in song during the Jubilee of the 25th anniversary of the religious profession of Sr. Agatha Linda Chandra OSU, General Councillor, who is originally from Indonesia.

On 5 June 2021, at 11 a.m., a solemn Mass was held in our chapel of the Generalate in Rome, presided over by Fr Mario Absalón Alvarado Tovar MSC, Fr Paulus Laurentius Pitoy MSC and Mgr. Laurentius Tarpin OSC. The selected verses from the Gospel according to St. John and the homily spoke of the great and sacrificial love that God bestows on us and desires from us: "I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love" and "This, then, is what I command you: love one another." Sr Agatha solemnly renewed her vows, which was a very moving moment. The Eucharist was also enriched by beautiful singing - some of which was also in Indonesian.

Some of Sr Agatha's friends also came, including the Indonesian Ambassador H.E. Mrs. Esti Andayani. After Mass we continued the celebration with a superb meal.  At the end of the meal there was a time to give good wishes and thanks to a programme prepared by the communities, we were able to find out some details about Sr Agatha's life. The Novitiate even used an online application for this, which was very interesting.

We wish our Jubilarian, paraphrasing the words of the homily, that the sun of God's love will always shine in her heart and, with its light, dispel all darkness and obstacles, even though they are as numerous as the stars in the night sky.