SCJ of the Month
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Fr. Vincentius Sri Herimanto, scj |
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Father Vincentius Sri Herimanto was born on July 20, 1966 in Gisting, Indonesia. He is the eldest and the only son among the four siblings. His father is a retired teacher and his mother a housewife. The story of his vocation started quite early. Since the SCJ Novitiate in Gisting is a walking distance from his house, he had many opportunities to pay a visit there and to observe what religious life is all about. His family was very close to the Novitiate. His father at least twice a week played volleyball with the Novices. The Novices also many times visited their house. It was the time, when he got attracted by their kindness and simplicity and decided to become one of them. This was also a wish of his father. Here, he recalls his words, who told him one time, that he and his family would be very proud of him if he would offer his life to God in the name of the family. In 1982, after completing his studies in High School, he entered the Minor Seminary in Palembang, which he finished in 1986. The next step was the Novitiate (1986-1987) and after that studies of Philosophy and Theology in Yojakarta. He was ordained as a priest on November 23, 1994. After the ordination, the superiors wanted to send him for further studies, but it seems he did not like too much this idea. The decision to come to the Philippines, he took still in the seminary and it was influenced very much by the first group of missionaries going to the Philippines. Inspired by them, he thought that time: "I also want to be a part of you". When the rector of the seminary was looking for volunteers to the Philippines, he had a hard time to find somebody. It was then when Fr. Vincent volunteered. He arrived in the Philippines in July 1996 together with Fr. Lukas Sasmito. His first assignment was in Dimataling and later on until the present, in the formation at Cagayan de Oro. |