Fr Boni Buahendri SVD this month marked the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood with a multicultural Mass and celebration hosted by the parishioners of St Mark’s Parish, Inala in Queensland.
Fr Boni said the celebration was a time to give thanks to God for his missionary vocation and to all the people he has journeyed with along the way.
After being attracted to the Divine Word Missionaries by the example of his childhood parish priest on the small Indonesian island of Flores, Fr Boni joined the SVD after high school, making his final vows in 1997. He was ordained a priest on October 10,1998 in Flores and arrived in Sydney on July 6, 1999, having been assigned to the SVD Australia Province.
His first parish appointment was as assistant priest in Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast, followed by assignments at Macquarie Fields in Wollongong Diocese and the SVD formation house, Dorish Maru College, in Melbourne. In 2019 he was appointed Parish Priest of St Marks Inala, a thriving faith community made up of people from many different cultures.
On Sunday, October 8, the parishioners of St Marks organised a multicultural Mass to celebrate his Silver Jubilee.
Chief Celebrant of the Mass was the Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane, Bishop Tim Norton SVD. The Mass was also attended by the Queensland Premier and Member for Inala, Annastacia Palaczszuk, Sr Philomina Mathew (Provincial Leader of the Holy Spirit Sisters), and Mrs Allison Malouf (Principal of St Mark’s Catholic School).
There were also many invited guests from the Indonesian communities in Melbourne and Brisbane and all the parishes where Fr Boni had worked during his time in Australia. Fellow SVD priests concelebrated and also priests from Brisbane’s South-West Deanery.
“The Mass was wonderful and showed the very strong cultural diversity of St Mark’s parish,” said Fr Boni.
“Many ethnic groups and communities were involved in different parts of the liturgy - the welcome to the country, gospel procession, offertory, hymns and prayers of the faithful. All were performed in different languages and by different cultural groups.
“The celebrations concluded with sharing of multicultural foods and performances at Mercy Hall to celebrate the multicultural gifts of our parish.”
Fr Boni said it was wonderful to see all the various communities and groups come together to celebrate his special occasion, including groups from Vietnam, Samoa, Philippines, Tonga, India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Indonesia, Fiji, Latin America, Couples for Christ Australia Group, Divine Mercy Groups, Legion of Mary and St Mark’s parish Youth Groups.
In his address, Bishop Tim spoke about the special nature of the St Mark’s faith community.
“St Mark’s Parish, with its diverse cultures is very much a picture of Australia today and a gift for the Catholic Church,” he said.
Fr Boni said the milestone of his silver jubilee of ordination was a time for reflection and to give thanks.
“It’s a time to thank God, who has called me and journeyed with me in all the joys and struggles of my priesthood, vocation and ministry in this land of Australia,” he said.
“It’s also a time to thank all the people who I’ve come across in my life in the last 25 years of my mission in Australia, from Terrigal to Macquarie Fields in NSW, Melbourne in Victoria and now Inala in Queensland.
“And it gives me the opportunity to step aside, to reflect, to look back on all the love God has given me.
“I ask all my partners in mission to continue to pray for me as I continue to serve God and his Mission in the future.”
Fr Boni thanked all the SVD confreres, families, friends, volunteers and especially the St Mark’s parishioners who were involved in the celebration and who congratulated him on his Silver Jubilee.
“It was a really well prepared and attended celebration involving lots of people from many places – parishes that I used to work with and cultural groups – who were involved with the Mass and the social event afterwards,” he said.
“It reminded me that I am loved and supported by all. I am very thankful.”
PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: Fr Boni at his Silver Jubilee Mass with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaczszuk.
MIDDLE LEFT: Fr Boni with parishioners wearing special jubilee t-shirts.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Bishop Tim Norton SVD, who was chief celebrant of the Mass is pictured here afterwards with Fr Boni.