In my previous post, I shared about the Marian Grotto of Jalan Malang Parish, which carries the same patron as my own parish community. In this post, we continue that thread by visiting a church under the same patronage of Immaculate Mary. The Church of Immaculate Mary in Citra Garden 3 residential area in West Jakarta serves as the heart of Kalideres Parish. This church was a part of an older Cengkareng Parish before being established as a separate parish. Amid the busy life of the Citra Garden residential complex, the Church of Immaculate Mary stands as an important center of worship and community for Catholics in West Jakarta. The history of Kalideres Parish is deeply connected to the mission of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) who continue to serve the parish to this day.
This congregation, whose Latin name is Missionarii Oblati Beatae Mariae Virginis Immaculatae, has played a central role in shaping the parish community. Founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod—a French priest later canonized as a saint—the congregation received official recognition from Pope Leo XII in 1826. Today, with more than 3,600 priests and lay brothers worldwide, the OMI continue to live out their charism in community, including here in Indonesia. This missionary congregation, known for their devotion to the Immaculate Virgin Mary and their service among the poor and marginalized, has long been present in West Jakarta. Their pastoral care first in Jakarta took root in Cengkareng Parish in 1974, which became one of the congregation’s important centers in the archdiocese.
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| Mary Immaculate welcomes the faithful at the main entrance of this church |
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| The Kalideres Parish was initiated to better serve the catholic community in the growing Citra Garden area |
As the Catholic community in the western suburbs of the capital grew, so too did the need for new additional facilities of worship to serve the faithful more effectively. Recognizing this, Cengkareng Parish—under the guidance of the OMI—took the initiative to acquire a plot of land in the newly developed residential area of Citra Garden 3 in 1999. This land would later become the site of the Church of Immaculate Mary, the heart of Kalideres Parish today. The Church Building Committee was inaugurated in 2003, but the actual construction didn’t begin for several years. One major reason for the delay was the time taken to secure the building permit, which was finally issued in 2010.
The church building of Santa Maria Imakulata was officially inaugurated on 8 September 2012 by the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Fauzi Bowo, and later blessed on 8 December 2012, which was not chosen at random but coincided exactly with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception—the very patronage under which the church was placed. The blessing was carried out by Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo, making the celebration not only a liturgical commemoration but also a deeply symbolic moment that linked the parish’s devotion to the Virgin Mary Immaculate. The formal establishment of Kalideres Parish as an independent parish followed in August 2015, giving the community its own pastoral center and identity in this ever-growing residential area.
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| The walls of the staircase toward the church entrance depict various scenes from the Bible |
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| Above the altar of the church, the great Benedictine Cross radiates strength and faith |
Before moving further, it is worth pausing to reflect on the figure under whose patronage this parish stands. The Immaculate Conception refers to the Catholic doctrine that the Virgin Mary, from the very first moment of her conception, was preserved free from original sin. This belief was solemnly defined as dogma by Pope Pius IX on 8 December 1854 in Ineffabilis Deus. As I mentioned in my earlier post on St. Bernadette Parish in Pinang, the doctrine was later powerfully affirmed at Lourdes in 1858, when Mary revealed herself to St. Bernadette with the words, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Here in Kalideres Parish, this same patronage is honored in a parish that continues to grow under her protection.
This Marian identity is further expressed in the church’s statue of the Immaculate Mary, prominently placed within at the top of the church's main staircase, so anyone coming in will immediately lift their eyes toward Mary. The statue portrays Mary standing on a globe, her feet crushing a serpent — a classic iconographic reference to her role in salvation history, echoing Genesis 3:15 where the woman’s offspring triumphs over evil. The statue is adorned with golden cloth, while crowning her head are twelve stars and beneath her feet lies a crescent moon, both drawn from the vision of the “woman clothed with the sun” in Revelation 12:1. At the base of the statue, the Latin inscription “Non mea, sed voluntas tua” (“Not my will, but Yours be done”) invites the faithful to imitate Mary’s surrender to God’s plan. Though these words were spoken by Christ in Gethsemane, they powerfully echo Mary’s own fiat in Luke 1:38 which is also inscribed beneath it: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”
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| These stained glass windows narrate the life of Immaculate Mary in vivid color and light |
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| Among the churches I’ve visited during this 2025 Jubilee, this garden stands out as the lushest and most serene |
As you head to another entrance stairs into the church, the walls are alive with colorful story from the Bible. Inside the church, the spacious nave is flanked on both sides by stained-glass windows that depict the events in the life of Mary, with each panel shedding light on key moments of her faith, her joys, and her sorrows. These windows not only beautify the space but invite us to recall Mary’s journey. The design of the sanctuary, with warm wooden backdrop, clean lines, and generous natural light, ensures that this cross is not just a decoration, but a beacon calling the faithful to worship, reflection, and peace. The church is visually centered on the impressive 5.5-meter Benedictine Cross that dominates the rear wall of the sanctuary, just above the altar. This is no ordinary cross—it carries the medal of St. Benedict, a sacramental long associated with protection against evil and a call to deeper conversion.
On the front of the medal, each letter is an abbreviation of a Latin prayer of protection. Around the cross are the initials C S S M L – Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux, which means “May the Holy Cross be my light” – and N D S M D – Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux, or “Let not the dragon (Satan) be my guide.” Encircling the perimeter of the medal are further exorcistic invocations: V R S – Vade Retro Satana (“Begone, Satan!”), N S M V – Numquam Suade Mihi Vana (“Never tempt me with your vanities”), S M Q L – Sunt Mala Quae Libas (“What you offer me is evil”), and I V B – Ipse Venena Bibas (“Drink the poison yourself”). At the very center of the cross are the letters C S P B, standing for Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti – “The Cross of our Holy Father Benedict.” This cross is not only a sign of Christ’s sacrifice but also a reminder of the light, protection, and hope we receive through Him—echoing Mary, the Immaculate Mother, who always leads us back to the victory of the Cross.
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| A tender image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, inviting prayer and devotion in the parish garden |
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| Next to the Marian Grotto, a serene garden path is marked by 14 Stations of the Cross |
This main church building itself is located on the second floor, with a seating capacity of around 850 people. It also features a mezzanine balcony that can accommodate an additional 445 faithful. Meanwhile, at the corner of the church complex below, lies the lushest church garden I have ever visited so far. Stepping into the church garden, one immediately finds a serene Marian Grotto, where a statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary invites prayer and reflection. Surrounded by greenery and shaded by trees, it offers a peaceful space for parishioners to entrust their intentions to the Mother of God.
Nearby stands the Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, providing an intimate place for devotion. Alongside the grotto runs a complete set of the Stations of the Cross, thoughtfully integrated into the lush garden setting. At the heart of this outdoor devotion lies the twelfth station—the largest and most prominent—depicting Jesus’ death on the cross. With a life-sized crucifix framed by tall trees and circular benches for contemplation, it forms the central focus of the garden, drawing the faithful into the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice in a truly powerful way.
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| At the heart of the garden, the prominent 12th Station depicts Christ’s death on the cross in solemn scene |
Visiting this parish, I was struck not only by its architecture and powerful symbols of faith, but also by the spirit of devotion that surrounds it—from the towering Benedictine Cross above the altar to the serene Marian Grotto and garden below. The presence of the Immaculate Mother here resonates deeply with me, as my own parish community is likewise entrusted to Immaculate Mary. This shared bond of devotion is a gentle reminder that Mary continues to accompany the faithful in every place and time, always leading us closer to Christ.
Paroki Kalideres
Gereja Santa Maria Imakulata
Location Jl. Satu Maret No.27 (Citra Garden 3 Blok B 27), Pegadungan, Kalideres, West Jakarta
Weekly Mass Schedule
Saturday, 05.00 PM
Sunday, 07.00 AM, 10.00 AM, 05.00 PM
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