Catholic Family News

Indonesian Seminarian Seeking Financial Assistance to Cover Expenses

Photo: Mr. Anggha Satya (Stefan) Nugraha serving Mass in Jakarta, Indonesia for one of the priests from the SSPX priory in Sri Lanka.

Editor’s Note: CFN was recently contacted by Mr. Anggha Satya (Stefan) Nugraha, a 34-year-old man from Indonesia, who has been accepted into St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary (SSPX) in Dillwyn, Virginia. Below is the text of Mr. Nugraha’s fundraising appeal. We encourage readers to visit his fundraising page and consider making a donation.

O Lord, grant us priests.
O Lord, grant us holy priests.
O Lord, grant us many holy priests.

*****

Salve! I’m Stefan, a 34-year old Indonesian Catholic who’s seeking to enter St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary this year (2022) for the SSPX and I am asking for your generous support.

The journey of my vocation hasn’t always been an easy straight line: my personal thoughts, resistance from parents, etc. I’d tried to run from God’s call by going abroad to New Zealand and did my PhD study there at the University of Canterbury — it didn’t work. I finished my study but His call’s still there in my heart. So I insisted to join one religious community and tried my vocation there.

To cut the story short, after some experiences I had to go through and careful discernment, I decided to leave. Months after I left, when I still couldn’t fly back to my country because of COVID, I found my way back to the Tradition and the thought of joining SSPX came back to me, though first I was convinced to try my vocation with a traditional Benedictine monastery in France.

In April 2022, I was allowed to apply to enter their seminary in Virginia and, Deo gratias, got accepted.

Some issues remain, though. The study itself takes about seven years to finish while the tuition each year is $10,000, not including visa, books, supplies, flights, clothes, etc.

Thus, I humbly ask for your support in the pursuit of this vocation. I’d really appreciate your assistance and if you cannot help me financially, do help me spiritually by your prayers and penances, and I will be forever thankful to you. God bless you.

This photo was taken at St. Francis Xavier Priory (SSPX) in Sri Lanka (March 2022), where Mr. Nugraha resided for six months (November 2021–April 2022). He is on the left (in the red cassock).

Use of funds

This is NOT an all-or-nothing fundraiser. Even if I don’t meet the goal, my formation will still continue by God’s will and every penny will be used towards tuition fee or any personal expenses associated with my formation to the priesthood.

To donate, visit Mr. Nugraha’s fundraising page. Those who prefer to donate using PayPal may send a donation to sitoresmir@gmail.com via PayPal.

Avatar photo

Catholic Family News