Indonesian SVD priest dies while on new assignment in Rome

Fr. Lukas Gewa Tiala, an Indonesian Divine Word Missionary (SVD) priest, passed away on September 29, 2024, while on a new assignment in Rome.

In a letter to the SVD General Superior and the General Council, Fr. Gregorius Genane Kaha, Provincial Superior of the SVD Java Province, expressed deep sorrow over the sudden loss.

"Please keep his name in your prayers and remember us, your brothers, in the Java Province. We thank you for your attention, understanding, and prayers. May Almighty God continue to pour His grace and blessings upon us all," Fr. Kaha wrote.

Fr. Lukas was born on April 12, 1979, in Ende, Flores, Indonesia.

He was the second of four children of the late Paulus Tiala and Margaretha R. Lebaun.

His family later moved to Labuan Bajo, in the western part of Flores, due to his father's teaching career.

He completed his elementary education in Ende between 1985 and 1991, where the seeds of his religious vocation began to take root.

Ende, known for its rich religious and ecotourism heritage, played a pivotal role in shaping his spiritual journey.

In 1991, Fr. Lukas entered the St. Yohanes Berkhmans Minor Seminary of Mataloko, where he completed his junior and high school education by 1997. It was during this formative period that his response to God’s call grew stronger.

In 1997, he joined the Holy Spirit Novitiate in Batu, East Java, and professed his first vows on August 15, 1999, at the SVD Major Seminary in Malang.

Fr. Lukas pursued his philosophical and theological studies at Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Teologi Widya Sasana in Malang before continuing his theological training at Missionspriesterseminar Sankt Augustin in Germany, where he graduated in 2005.

He professed his perpetual vows on September 25, 2005, and was ordained a deacon shortly after on October 18 at Sankt Augustin. On June 18, 2006, Fr. Lukas was ordained a priest in the same place.

Fr. Lukas’ first assignment as a newly ordained priest was in Steppach, Germany, where he served from 2006 to 2007.

In 2007, he was sent to Papua New Guinea, where he served the Diocese of Wewak for nearly six years, dedicating himself to pastoral work until 2013.

In 2013, Fr. Lukas pursued advanced studies in Missiology at the Divine Word Institute of Mission Studies in Tagaytay, Philippines. He earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology, majoring in Missiology, in March 2016.

After his studies, he returned to Papua New Guinea, where he served as a lecturer at the Divine Word College from 2016 to 2018.

Health challenges, particularly related to his heart, led Fr. Lukas to return to the Java Province in 2019, where he continued his missionary work.

He served in the provincial secretariat team from 2019 to 2023, and from 2023 to 2024, he was the mission secretary and mission animation coordinator for Soverdia, a lay missionary partner group.

He also lectured in Missiology at the John Mary Vianney Theology Institute in the Diocese of Surabaya from 2021 to 2023.

In June 2024, Fr. Lukas was assigned to the Domitilla Catacombs community in Rome by the SVD General Superior. Tragically, after just three months in Rome, Fr. Lukas was called to his eternal rest.

His passing has left a profound sense of loss among his fellow missionaries and the faithful he served. His home parish was the Cathedral of Ende Diocese, a community that played a significant role in nurturing his early faith.

The SVD Java Province and all who knew him remember Fr. Lukas for his dedication, humility, and unwavering commitment to the missionary call. His life, marked by service across continents, will continue to inspire those who walk in his footsteps.