The Eastern Indonesian Province Established on March 25, 2025

The Eastern Indonesian Province of the Order of Carmelites has been established, separating from the Province of Indonesia. The Province of Indonesia is currently the largest province in the Order, having been established by the Dutch Province in 1923. Even after the division it will remain the largest province in the Order.

The new province will be under the patronage of St. Titus Brandsma. It comes into existence on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, March 25, 2025. The General Council of the Order named Marselinus Barus, O. Carm., as the first prior provincial. They also named Dominikus Dinong, O. Carm., Ferdinandus Tay, O. Carm., Aloysius Roja, O. Carm., and Innosensius Inno, O. Carm., as the members of the first provincial council. The first Provincial Chapter will be held within the year.

Fr. Marselinus, the new provincial, reflected on the new reality saying, “"As a new province, of course, we Indonesian Carmelites, especially Eastern Indonesian Carmelites, are very happy with the establishment of a new province considering the large area of Indonesian territory. With this new province, it is hoped that the work of the Carmelites in eastern Indonesia will grow. My hope is that the Eastern Indonesian Province of the Carmelite Order will continue to build fraternity and cooperation with the mother province and with other provinces around the world."

The new province will consist of one hundred and seventeen (117) friars of solemn profession and sixty-five (65) friars of simple profession who choose to be members. The area of the new province covers the ecclesial provinces of Makasar, Ende, Kupang and Merauke.

The process of becoming a province officially began during the Provincial Chapter of 2009. The provincial council and the commissary council were tasked with studying the possibility of the Eastern Indonesian Commissariat becoming a General Commissariat by 2025. However, taking into consideration the new development in the commissariat, the Provincial Chapter in 2022 voted in favor of the erection of a new province in Eastern Indonesia. For 10 days in August 2023, the prior general, Míċeál O’Neill, and the general councilor for Asia, Australia, and Oceania, Robert Puthussery, conducted a canonical visitation of the Eastern Indonesian Commissariat.

The formation of the first group of postulants in Eastern Indonesia started on the Feast of the Prophet Elijah (July 20th). A year later, on July 12th, those students began their novitiate receiving their habits from then prior general, John Malley. In 2006, the East Indonesian region was upgraded to a provincial commissariat.

The new province will have four canonically erected houses and three formation houses.