ACN: New printing press helps spread the timeless Faith

A CATHOLIC charity came to the aid of a diocese in Indonesia having problems producing catechetical materials, as its printing machine was falling apart following nearly 50 years of service.

Aid to the Church in Need responded to an urgent request for help from Fr Augustus Habur of the Catechetical Commission of Ruteng, Indonesia.
Commission Director, Fr Habur wrote: “We face the problem of how to buy a new one because of lack of funds. We really need your support for this project.”

Despite having been repaired numerous times over the years, their printing machine – which was built in 1964 – was not only breaking down, but it was difficult to obtain new parts for it.
Although Indonesia is predominantly Muslim, the Ruteng Diocese is located on the island of Flores, where more than 93 per cent of the local population is Catholic – meaning catechetical materials are vital to the life of the Church.
Diocesan figures state that last year there were 673,596 baptized Catholics out of 717,000 inhabitants.

Levels of poverty are high in the eastern part of Indonesia meaning the diocese was unable to afford the cost of a new press.
With a working printing machine being essential for the Catechetical Commission to continue its work supporting religious education in schools and catechesis in parishes, ACN responded to their plea for aid with $11,077 towards the $13,579 total for a new machine.

The Catechetical Commission produces more than 41,000 copies of different catechetical materials for teachers and catechists each year.

The Reuteng Diocese’s 77 parishes – each of which has at least 30 volunteer catechists teaching the faith to everyone from children to adults – rely on the Commission’s books to help instruct the faithful.

Annual publications include 10,000 Catechetical books for adults produced every Lent and Advent.

They also print 8,000 catechetical books aimed at young people, as well as another 8,000 books for children.

Additionally they are responsible for various other publications for the diocese, including collections of Sunday homilies, church bulletins – including children’s bulletins – and other materials for church events, such as Easter cards.
Expressing his gratitude to ACN, Fr Augustus Habur wrote: “Thank you very much for your kindness and your support for the Catechetical Commission of the Reuteng Diocese. May God bless you.”

The Apostolic Vicariate of Ruteng was established in 1951, and elevated to a diocese a decade later in 1961.


Editor’s Notes:



Directly under the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need.  ACN is a Catholic charity - helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.

Founded in 1947 by Father Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity,” the organization is now at work in over 145 countries throughout the world.

The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 43 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.

For more information contact Michael Varenne at michael@churchinneed.org or call 718-609-0939 or fax718-609-0938. Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222-0384. www.churchinneed.org