(ZENIT News / Flores, 02.21.2024).- In a mostly Muslim archipelago like Indonesia, the island of Flores stands out as the only place where the majority of the population practices the Catholic faith. With only 15% of its population attending weekly mass, Flores hosts a surprising 70% of Catholics among its 1.5 million inhabitants, despite being considered the poorest region in the country.
Father Luigi Galvani, an 80-year-old Italian missionary, has witnessed this phenomenon since his arrival in 2009. Flores has become a breeding ground for religious vocations, with five minor seminaries and over 200 religious institutes on an island scarcely larger than Campania. There are 1,300 vocations in one of the religious institutes.
Galvani highlights the simplicity of life and the people’s willingness as key factors for the vibrant ecclesial life on the island. Furthermore, interreligious dialogue flourishes, with the Muslim muezzin and Christian bells resonating in harmony every morning.
Charity also thrives in Flores, with initiatives such as the monthly distribution of food to 160 needy families and the construction of houses for abandoned mentally ill patients.
With impressive growth in vocations and a vibrant faith life, Flores emerges as a beacon of hope amidst the poverty and religious diversity of Indonesia.
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