Rev. Herman Pongantung, MSC
Parochial Vicar
Fr. Pongantung professed his first vows on January 9, 1986 and was ordained on January 9, 1993. He previously was
working in Watertown, New York as Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick and St. Anthony Parishes.
Fr. Herman Pongantung belongs to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, an international
congregation of religious priests and brothers who reach out to those who are poor — materially, emotionally, or
spiritually — to bring God's compassionate and tender love to all.
About the MSC
The MSC views parishes as a great place to find God's love. Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are committed to discover and
highlight God's presence in any situation we encounter. The parish setting makes it possible for us to reach many,
many people: the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the sick and the healthy, the single and the married.
The MSC have had a global focus since 1881; indeed the name includes Father Chevalier's desire to act as messengers
to people across the world. From the South Pacific to Colombia, from Guatemala to Papua New Guinea,
the MSC have worked to build chapels, clinics, and orphanages, as well as provide funds to support schools,
health centers, and seminaries.
The MSC is an acronym from the name Latin, Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis.
They run the Sacred Heart Villa in Center Valley, PA
and priests serve parishes in the Diocese, including Holy Guardian Angels, Holy Family, St. Jane de Chantal, St. Thomas More, and others.
In Father's Words...
"It was on 2nd August 2018, after 28 hours
of travelling from Jakarta (Indonesia) across the globe on
the path of Pacific Ocean, I landed on the
North Country, at Syracuse airport. Really
long journey! It was a new travel corridor I
take now. On the road to Watertown, on
highway 81, an advertising Billboard
interested my attention, Welcome to 1000 Islands. You know, I
come from Indonesia, an archipelago, which mean composed
by many islands. Indonesia is a country in the edge west of
Pacific with 17,000 islands. So, I feel home here!
This is I discovered America for the first time in my life.
And yet, it is not my first mission. My first mission is Papua,
1993-2003 and the last mission is France or La Douce France,
2003-2017. I have jumped from one continent to another
continent as well as I jumped from one language to a new other
language. How wonderful, I feel, to be a missionary. Our motto
is "May the Sacred Heart be loved everywhere." The
inspiration text is the message of Jesus to "Go therefore and
teach all nations" (Matthew 28:19-20), the Apostles travelled
to all parts of the known world to spread Christianity. James
stayed in Jerusalem, but Peter and Paul first went to Antioch
(Galatians 2:11). Peter then went to Rome, while Paul made
three missionary journeys from Antioch (Acts), visiting many
places, "as far round as Illyricum" (Romans 15:19)."
