Father Nicholas Strawn, SVD: A Life Devoted to Lembata’s People

Father Nicholas Strawn, SVD, a missionary from the Society of the Divine Word, has spent over six decades serving the people of Lembata, Indonesia.

 Born on September 24, 1934, in Iowa, USA, Father Strawn celebrated his 90th birthday this year. His unwavering dedication and love for the people of Lembata have become his defining legacy, as he chose to remain in the region rather than return to his homeland.

During a recent visit to Bukit Hospital in Lewoleba on September 13, 2024, where Father Strawn is bedridden due to age and illness, locals reflected on his profound impact.

 Laurentius Lewo, a native of Lembata, shared his heartfelt memories of meeting Father Strawn for the first time when he was just five years old.

"When you first arrived at St. Paul's Station in Atawolo, I was a young child," Laurentius said. "We affectionately called you 'Tuan Nico.' Your kindness and warmth made all of us children feel close to you."

Laurentius fondly recalled how Father Strawn regularly visited schools during his pastoral missions, teaching religious lessons and engaging with students. "You were like a shepherd to your flock," he added.

Father Strawn's commitment extended to the Parish of Lerek, where he served with unwavering enthusiasm and humility. Despite the physical challenges of his advanced age, he remains in Lembata, embracing the community that has become his family.

For the people of Lembata, Father Strawn's decision to stay is a testament to his deep love and devotion. Laurentius expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you, our shepherd, for choosing to be with us. May you find joy on your 90th birthday, and may God bless you always."

As Father Strawn rests in Lewoleba, his story continues to inspire the island's residents, a living example of faith, service, and love.

Gereja Tua di Lembata Tahun 1950-an

Oleh Peter A. Rohi

Wartawan Sinar Harapan

Pada tahun 1970-an, beberapa kali menyeberangi Pulau Lembata, saya sangat terkesan dengan kerukunan di sana dan keramahan penduduk di kampung-kampung yang saya lalui.

 Dari Loang ke Lewoleba, lalu dari Lewoleba memotong ke tengah pulau menuju Waiteba. Menyusuri arah barat dengan berjalan kaki, menginap di rumah penduduk sepanjang perjalanan.

Saya ingin menyampaikan Salam Natal kepada mereka yang dengan senang hati mengulurkan tangan membantu saya setiap kali saya melanglang ke pulau indah itu. Terutama saat meliput detik-detik terakhir Kampung Waiteba sebelum akhirnya runtuh atau tenggelam ke dasar laut.

Inilah foto tahun 1950 dari sebuah gereja di Lewoleba, Pulau Lembata, yang saat itu masih dikenal sebagai Pulau Lomblen.

Pada tahun 1979, ada sebuah kota kecamatan bernama Waiteba di selatan Pulau Lembata yang runtuh ke dasar laut. Sebelumnya, gempa terus-menerus terjadi akibat aktivitas Gunung Hobalt, sebuah gunung berapi di bawah laut.

 Ketika meletus beberapa bulan kemudian, kota tersebut tenggelam ke dasar laut, menelan ratusan jiwa.

Peristiwa itu sangat dahsyat. Namun, karena pada saat itu media di Indonesia masih terbatas dan televisi hanya satu, kejadian ini tidak banyak terekspos. 

Meski begitu, laporan saya di Harian Sinar Harapan dijadikan bahan penelitian ilmiah oleh Universitas Colorado. Saya adalah satu-satunya wartawan yang melakukan peliputan beberapa saat sebelum kota itu tenggelam.

Remembering the 1979 Eruption of Mount Hobalt and the Tsunami in Lembata: Nearly a Thousand Lives Lost

Mount Hobalt, an active underwater volcano located in the Atadei District, southern Lembata Island in East Nusa Tenggara, is known for its dangerous eruptions. Its eruption in 1979, accompanied by a tsunami, claimed the lives of nearly a thousand people and submerged coastal villages.

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) records that Mount Hobalt erupted in 1976, 1979, 1983, and 2013, with the most devastating eruption occurring on July 21, 1979. 

Before the disaster, Peter Rohi, a reporter for Sinar Harapan, had warned in his article that Waiteba, the capital of Atadei, could be submerged if Mount Hobalt erupted.

Peter had witnessed numerous fish, including sharks, washed up on the shores, likely killed by the heat from the volcano. He warned the authorities about the impending eruption, but his caution was dismissed. 

Local government officials even told the residents to ignore the journalist's concerns. "Don't worry, just continue your work as usual. It's just a journalist's story," Peter recalled them saying.

Tragically, just days later, Mount Hobalt erupted, triggering a tsunami that reached up to 50 meters in height, sweeping along the coastline. Waiteba was swallowed by the sea.

 The East Nusa Tenggara provincial government recorded 539 fatalities, 364 missing persons, and 470 injured. A total of 903 lives were lost.

Peter's warning had come from a source in East Flores who had noticed signs of an eruption, coupled with information from a relative working at PVMBG in Bandung. Without hesitation, Peter chartered a boat from Larantuka to Lembata. 

Upon arrival, he traveled on foot to Lewoleba, the capital of Lembata, where he stayed the night. The next day, accompanied by a local, he continued his journey to Waiteba, traversing difficult terrain, and reached the village at midnight.

 While photographing Waiteba from a hilltop the following day, a sudden earthquake struck, causing the ground to collapse beneath him.

"I was thrown among the rocks but managed to survive. My goal was ahead—there was a major story, lives to be saved," Peter recalled.

Jonathan Lassa, from the Institute of NTT Studies, described how the tsunami inundated nearly the entire bay area, stretching 12 kilometers long and 500-600 meters wide. Debris lodged in lontar palm trees reached a height of about seven meters.

The event involved three tsunami waves, followed by landslides. After the eruption, the tip of Mount Hobalt vanished beneath the sea, and it remains an underwater volcano to this day.

Javanese Catholic Tradition Lives On in Sweet Friday Prayer Vigil at Puhsarang

Thousands of Catholic faithful from 46 parishes in the Diocese of Surabaya gathered last night for a prayer vigil Mass at the Lourdes Grotto in Puhsarang, Kediri, honoring the Javanese tradition of "Jumat Legi" or Sweet Friday.

 Many pilgrims from Surabaya joined the monthly pilgrimage, a special time for communal prayer.

The Mass was imbued with rich Javanese cultural elements, harmoniously blending Javanese customs with Catholic rituals, creating a spiritually enriching experience for the pilgrims.

"I always make an effort to come to Puhsarang every Friday Legi night unless there are unavoidable obligations," said Susilo, a Catholic from Sidoarjo.

Maria from Surabaya, also present at the vigil, expressed her gratitude, saying, "Last night's Friday Legi prayer vigil Mass at the Lourdes Grotto, Puhsarang Kediri, was a blessing. May God bless us all."

During the procession to the Lourdes Grotto, participants walked while carrying lit candles and singing the hymn "At Lourdes in the Grotto." 

Each candle was placed before the statue of the Virgin Mary, a symbol of the sincerity of their prayers. Prayer requests, initially hung on tree branches, were burned one by one, symbolizing their submission of hopes and prayers to God through the intercession of Mother Mary.

Keroncong dan Seriosa Kian Redup, Final Bintang Radio 2024 di Surabaya Hanya Lomba Pop

Tren musik keroncong dan seriosa semakin meredup di Indonesia. Hal ini terlihat dari ajang Final Bintang Radio 2024 di Surabaya beberapa hari lalu, yang hanya melombakan kategori musik pop atau hiburan. 

Padahal sejak digelar pertama kali pada 1951, Bintang Radio yang pernah menjadi ajang paling bergengsi di Indonesia ini selalu memasukkan kategori seriosa, keroncong, dan hiburan.

Apakah ini menandakan keroncong dan seriosa sudah tak lagi diminati?

Musafir Isfanhari, dosen musik di Unesa dan mantan juri Bintang Radio, menilai keroncong dan seriosa masih memiliki penggemar, meski segmennya lebih kecil dibanding pop. "Di mana-mana begitu," ujarnya.

Isfanhari melihat keroncong justru sedang bangkit, terutama di kalangan anak muda. "Sekarang banyak grup keroncong muda dengan kualitas permainan bagus," katanya. 

Di Semarang bahkan muncul fenomena "Cong Rock," perpaduan keroncong dan rock yang tetap membawa nuansa khas keroncong. "Banyak grup keroncong sekarang semua anggotanya wanita. Di masa lalu, grup seperti ini hampir tak ada."

Untuk musik seriosa, Isfanhari menyebut bahwa di negara asalnya, Eropa, peminatnya memang terbatas. "Seriosa itu tidak seperti rock atau dangdut yang bisa tampil di lapangan sepak bola dengan ribuan penonton," jelasnya.

Ia menambahkan, seriosa dan keroncong tergolong "chamber music" atau musik kamar, yang idealnya dimainkan di ruangan tertutup. "Penontonnya datang berpakaian rapi dan memberi tepuk tangan secukupnya."

Namun, Isfanhari juga menyoroti tantangan besar bagi kedua genre ini jika dijadikan kategori lomba. "Kalau seriosa dan keroncong masuk ajang lomba, siapa yang mau mensponsori? Pasti sponsornya sedikit, dan ini masalah tersendiri," ujarnya.

Berat Badan Para Romo, Uskup, hingga Paus Cenderung Tidak Terjaga, Rawan Penyakit

Berat badan para uskup dan imam Katolik sering kali terlihat tidak terkontrol, cenderung mengalami kenaikan yang berdampak pada kesehatan. Ini terlihat hampir di seluruh dunia.

 F. Rahardi, wartawan senior sekaligus pemerhati masalah kegerejaan, mengungkapkan kondisi ini mencerminkan pola hidup yang kurang berolahraga di kalangan pemuka agama.

"Berat badan itu salah satu faktor penentu kesehatan seseorang," kata Rahardi. 

Ia mencontohkan Paus Fransiskus yang tampak lebih langsing saat terpilih pada konklaf 13 Maret 2013, namun berbeda saat berkunjung ke Indonesia pada awal September 2024.

 "Saat berdiri terlihat sekali tubuhnya berat untuk ditopang. Padahal di Vatikan ada dokter, ahli gizi, dan instruktur olahraga ringan," ujarnya.

Rahardi juga menyoroti sejumlah uskup muda di Indonesia yang sudah mengalami masalah kesehatan, termasuk sakit jantung. Menurutnya, ini terkait pola makan, pola hidup yang cenderung kurang gerak, serta pola pikir.

 "Jalan kaki satu jam per hari itu mudah dan murah, tapi niatnya yang mahal. Yang jual niat pun langka," ungkap Rahardi yang juga penulis buku.

Rahardi mengingat Paus Yohanes XXIII yang dikenal berperawakan gemuk dan hanya memimpin Gereja selama lima tahun, dari 1958 hingga 1963, sebelum wafat di tengah berlangsungnya Konsili Vatikan II. 

"Monsinyur Ruby wis penakiten, kurang gerak," tambah Rahardi, mengenang dengan nada reflektif sebagai mantan seminaris yang tak jadi pastor.

Senada, Wied Harry, salah satu jemaat Katolik, juga menyoroti masalah kesehatan yang kerap dialami para imam muda. 

"Banyak romo muda yang sudah kolesterol, tensi, gula darah, atau asam uratnya tinggi. Selain faktor makanan, peran 'caosan dhahar' dari umat yang biasanya berupa makanan kesukaan romo juga mempengaruhi," tulis Wied di media sosialnya.

Ahli gizi itu menyebut hanya sedikit romo yang sadar pentingnya pola makan sehat, seperti Romo Fitri dan Romo Santo, yang ia kenal dengan baik.

Mount Batutara in Lembata: A Natural Wonder of Explosive Beauty

Mount Batutara, located in the administrative area of Lembata Regency, sits on Komba Island—a remarkable place that is both an island and a volcanic mountain. Situated in the Flores Sea just north of Lembata Island, Batutara is known for its unique and powerful eruptions.

What makes Mount Batutara especially fascinating is its consistent eruption cycle—every 20 minutes, it releases fiery hot lava, forming beautiful sparks that light up the sky.

 The eruptions are often accompanied by small tsunamis, though these are harmless and can be safely viewed from about 20 meters away. This stunning natural display occurs continuously throughout the day, but according to Ocep Karez, a young man from Atadei who recently visited Batutara, it's most enchanting during dusk and dawn.

A 90-minute journey by speedboat from Lewoleba brings you to Batutara, making it relatively accessible for adventurous travelers. Mount Ile Batutara is one of only three volcanoes in the world with such a unique eruption pattern—the others are in Sicily and the Atlantic Ocean.

Recently designated a geological tourist destination by Lembata Regency, Batutara has begun attracting visitors from across the globe, eager to witness this extraordinary natural show. Just recently, about 35 tourists from Latin America visited Batutara to marvel at its fiery landscape.

"Batutara is incredibly beautiful," said Ocep. "More and more visitors are coming, although most stay along the shoreline to dive and enjoy the coral beauty."

With a steep structure, Batutara's peak is bare, unlike other volcanic mountains. The summit features small, sporadic eruptions, releasing ash and smoke every 20-25 seconds, creating a fascinating sight.

Is Batutara Always Open to Visitors?

While it's possible to hike Batutara, visitors must obtain permission from local security officials to ensure they are aware of any climbing activities. 

"There's no phone signal up there, so it's important to inform authorities if you're planning to climb," Ocep added.

With its unique geological features and captivating views, Mount Batutara is fast becoming a must-see destination for those seeking a rare encounter with Earth's raw beauty.