It will be led by the Reverend Maksimus Regus, of the Ruteng clergy, until now rector of the local Catholic University of Saint Paul. The territory is one of the few in the archipelago where the Catholic presence predominates (215 thousand out of a population of 276 thousand). The decision is linked to a “better pastoral service” for the community of believers.
Jakarta () – Indonesian Christians celebrate a new diocese in the country. On June 21, in fact, Pope Francis erected Labuan Bajo, in the predominantly Catholic area of the island of Flores, in the province of East Nusa Tenggara (Ntt), and appointed as its first bishop the Reverend Maksimus Regus, of the clergy Ruteng, until now rector of the local Catholic University of San Pablo. Hundreds of faithful and dozens of priests attended the announcement made by Bishop Siprianus Hormat, bishop of Ruteng, at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Labuan Bajo, in an atmosphere of joy that enveloped the entire community.
The new diocese of Labuan Bajo covers an area that is now a popular tourist destination, but until a few years ago was still a remote area in the westernmost sector of the Indonesian archipelago, predominantly mountainous. Today, however, it is one of the most popular exotic vacation destinations, so much so that it has received comments and attention from local and international travelers. From sea travel to the booming economy, it is a driver of the tourism sector for the entire country.
The new diocese of Labuan Bajo has a territorial area of 3,141 km2, a population of almost 276,000 inhabitants, of which more than 215,000 are Catholics. There are 25 parishes, 67 diocesan priests and 23 religious, in addition to 30 seminarians and 19 other non-priest religious. There are 78 nuns. Pope Francis appointed Monsignor Maksimus Regus, born on September 23, 1973, in Woang, Manggarai regency, in the current diocese of Ruteng, to head the diocese. The prelate attended the Pius XII Roman Pontifical Minor Seminary and studied philosophy and theology at the Saint Petrus-Ritapiret Pontifical Major Seminary, in Maumere.
He was ordained a priest on August 10, 2001, after which he held various positions and deepened his studies, including: parochial vicar of Cristo Rey (2001-2007); president of the diocesan commission for youth ministry and member of the diocesan commission for interreligious dialogue (2002-2007); higher studies at the Faculty of Socio-Political Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, Depok (2007); Social Sciences studies at the Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam and ad Doctoratum studies at the Universiteit van Tilburg (Netherlands, 201-2017); since 2018, professor at the Catholic University of Saint Paul, Ruteng, and dean of the Faculty of Education and Training Sciences (2019-2023); finally, since 2020, coordinator of the diocesan priests in Ruteng.
The new diocese – whose formation process began three years ago on the recommendation of the local synod – borrows part of its territory from that of Ruteng, one of the few areas of the country where Catholics predominate with more than 966,000 faithful, 85 parishes and 296 priests . A request transmitted by Monsignor Hormat during the ad limina visit and welcomed by the pontiff, which confirms the importance of the region for the local Church. Labuan Bajo is located within the Western Manggarai district, meaning it will most likely become the pastoral territory of the new diocese.
Addressing the faithful at the time of the announcement of the new diocese and its first bishop, Monsignor Hormat said that the creation of Labuan Bajo was for “better pastoral service,” but without giving further details. However, with the new territory there will also remain some unresolved questions regarding the “management” of some “properties”, among them: the Sukma Foundation with its pastoral school; the Sukmatim Foundation with the Kisol Minor Seminary; the Sukmamabar Foundation with the Saint John Paul II Seminary; and the Ernesto Foundation with its secondary schools. “From the bottom of my heart, I must admit that I am a sinner and therefore I need your support and your prayers,” stressed the new bishop Maksimus Regus when greeting the community.
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