SEMINARIAN and former intern at The Catholic Leader, Adi Indra, can tick getting ordained over the burial site of the first pope from his bucket list.
The Indonesian-born seminarian for the Sandhurst diocese in Victoria was ordained a deacon on October 3 at St Peter’s Basilica which, in Catholic tradition, is known as the place where St Peter was buried.
Deacon Indra was one of two Australians who were ordained in Rome last week.
Both are among a class of 31 men studying in Rome at the Pontifical North American College.
Deacon Indra, who completed a three-week internship with The Catholic Leader in 2014, said he felt a sense of peace following his ordination.
“I don’t feel anything particularly different, however I think that the grace of ordination comes as a sense of peace and confidence,” he said.
“Seeing my classmates being vested as deacons was a beautiful moment, a reminder that we, myself included, are now deacons.”
Deacon Indra said the idea of the priesthood came later in his life.
“Through personal prayer, Eucharistic adoration, Reconciliation and Mass, I was able to hear that gentle voice of God calling me,” he said.
“Also, God has put me in contact with people and situations that led me to eventually give the seminary a go, and now here I am.”
He also disagreed with the notion that giving your life to the Church “is crazy and restricting”.
“On the contrary, I think it is very freeing,” he said. “If God has the best life options for you, why would you choose anything else?”
Deacon Indra said living in the heart of the Church in Rome gave students a unique glimpse of the Universal Church.
“Also, the closeness to the Holy Father helps us to put our formation into perspective.”
The date for Deacon Indra’s priestly ordination has not been confirmed but he hopes to work in a parish in Sandhurst following his studies.
