Fr. Jonas Tandayu was born October 21, 1955 in Indonesia and ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1982. After many years of service in Indonesia, he came to the United States in 2011. After a little more than a year at St. Catherine Parish in Riverside, CA, he was transferred and appointed Parochial Vicar at Holy Family Parish in Nazareth, PA.
In 2012, he moved to Watertown, NY and was appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish and served there till 2020. Then in July 2020, he went back to Nazareth when appointed pastor of Holy Family Parish. Fr. Jonas continued to hold that position through August, 2025.
Father had decided it was time for retirement and, to return back to his loving home and family in Indonesia. On Tuesday, September 23, he presided over the last mass with the community in Center Valley before leaving early the next day to return to his home province.
The MSC community in PA gathered at Center Valley for his warm farewell party where we acknowledged his contribution to our community as well as the people here in the US. He was loved, and will be missed!
