Indonesia: Pope meets with civil authorities, church leaders, young people

Pope Francis arriving at Jakarta's Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption - Screenshot

Source: Vatican Media

During his first full day in Indonesia today (Wednesday) Pope Francis had severals huge meetings - with civil authorities, clergy, religious and catechists and then young people.

The Pope was was welcomed to the Istana Negara presidential palace in Jakarta, by President Joko Widodo, a crowd of Indonesian children waiving Vatican and Indonesian flags, and several members of the presidential guard.

Signing the Book of Honour, the Pope wrote, in Italian: "Immersed in the beauty of this land, a place of encounter and dialogue between different cultures and religions, I wish the Indonesian people growth in faith, fraternity, and compassion. God bless Indonesia!"

In his address the Pope thanked everyone for welcoming him to Indonesia, and highlighted how the country's many ethnicities and religions could be called its "unifying fabric," just as the ocean unifies its thousands of islands.

"Your national motto: 'Bhinneka tunggal ika' (United in Diversity, literally Many but One) captures well this multifaceted reality of diverse peoples firmly united in one nation," he said.

The Holy Father noted that harmony in diversity requires everyone to embrace a spirit of fraternity in seeking the good of all.

"This wise and delicate balance, between the multiplicity of cultures and different ideological visions, and the ideals that cement unity, must be continuously defended against imbalances," he said.

Such a work of craftsmanship, he added, involves all Indonesians and invites them to strive toward harmony, equity, respect for human rights, sustainable development, and the pursuit of peace.

Pope Francis promised the engagement of the Catholic Church in promoting interreligious dialogue and fostering a "peaceful and fruitful harmony," helping to eliminate prejudices and create a climate of mutual respect and trust.

"The Catholic Church is at the service of the common good and wishes to strengthen cooperation with public institutions and other actors in civil society, encourage the formation of a more balanced social fabric and ensure a more efficient and equitable distribution of social assistance."

The Pope then pointed out that the Preamble to Indonesia's 1945 Constitution refers to 'Almighty God' and social justice several times in just a few lines. "Unity in multiplicity, social justice and divine blessing are thus the fundamental principles intended to inspire and guide the social order," he said. "They can be likened to a support structure, the solid base on which to build the house."

Lamenting the violent tensions that can erupt in countries when civil authorities impose uniformity, Pope Francis said the philosophy guiding the Indonesian state is "both balanced and wise." He recalled the words of Pope St John Paul II when he visited Jakarta in 1989, inviting the Indonesian authorities to respect the "human and political life of all citizens" and to encourage "the growth of national unity based on tolerance and respect for others".

Peace, he added, "is the work of justice" (opus justitiae pax), and is the work of every person. "Harmony is achieved when we are committed not only to our own interests and vision, but to the good of all, to building bridges, fostering agreements and synergies, joining forces in order to defeat all forms of moral, economic and social distress, and promoting peace and concord."

After this ceremony, the Pope was taken to Jakarta's Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption where he met with bishops, priests, deacons, religious men and women, seminarians, and catechists.

After hearing testimonies from a priest, a religious sister, and two catechists, Pope Francis reflected on the three virtues that comprise the theme of his Apostolic Journey to Indonesia: faith, fraternity, and compassion. "I think these are three virtues that express well both your journey as a Church and your character as a people, who are ethnically and culturally diverse", the Pope said. "At the same time, you are characterized by an innate striving for unity and peaceful coexistence".

The Holy Father then spoke about faith, saying that the immense natural wealth of Indonesia can be an occasion for recognizing God's presence in the cosmos and in our own lives. "There is not an inch of the marvellous Indonesian territory, nor a moment in the lives of its millions of inhabitants that is not a gift from God, a sign of his gratuitous and everlasting love as Father," he said, noting that Agnes, a catechist, bore witness to this by inviting everyone to a relationship with creation and to one another.

To illustrate the idea of "fraternity", Pope Francis borrowed an image from the 20th century Polish poet, Wiszlawa Szymborska, who said that being brothers and sisters means "loving each other by recognizing one another 'as different as two drops of water'". He drew the lesson that "living out fraternity" - a value that he noted was "dear to the Indonesian Church" - "means welcoming each other, recognizing one another as equal in diversity."

He recalled the testimony of Sister Rina who emphasized the importance of trying to reach everyone, and expressed his hope that not only the Scriptures but also the teachings of the Church might be translated into Indonesian. The Pope also expressed his appreciation for the witness of Nicholas - another catechist - who described his mission as a "bridge" that unites people by overcoming barriers and embracing diversity.

Finally, Pope Francis commented on the close relationship between fraternity and compassion, which, he said, does not consist solely in charitable giving, but in "drawing us close to one another" and embracing "the dreams and desires for freedom and justice" of those who are in need.

Compassion, he insisted, is not a weakness; it does not "cloud the true vision of life" - as some would have it - but instead, "makes us see things better, in the light of love."

The Pope then pointed to the architecture of the Cathedral's entrance as an illustration of his message. The statue of the Blessed Virgin at the top of the arch shows that Mary is a model of faith, while also symbolically supporting the whole Church.

She serves, then, also as an image of fraternity, of genuine welcome for all who wish to enter; as well as an icon of compassion, "watching over and protecting God's people who… gather in the Father's house".

Pope Francis concluded his address by inviting all those who work in the Church to bear witness to the joy of the Resurrection (echoing the words of Pope St John Paul II); and encouraging them to continue in their mission "by being strong in faith, open to all in fraternity and close to one another in compassion".

After this meeting the Holy Father went on to the Grha Pemuda Youth House for a gathering with young people.

He was welcomed in the courtyard by the leaders of Scholas Occurrentes and by 100 children from the Archdiocese of Jakarta. Two children offered him a gift, while the others sang a song. Then, the Pope went to the Saint Mathias and Saint Tadeus Hall, where he met with the participants of the 'Scholas Aldeas' project. Afterwards, he was accompanied to the Saint Jacob Hall for a private meeting with the Board of Directors of Scholas Occurrentes. Then then Holy Father had a brief conversation with some students, completed the work of the polyhedron created by the young people by positioning the final piece. Finally, the Pope planted a tree and gave the final blessing.

Crowds greeted Pope Francis as he was slowly driven back to the Nunciature, stopping many times to greet people.

Video Links

Meeting with Authorities: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXitf3pp_94

Meeting with Clergy, Religious, Seminarians, and Catechists: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Swdy5EZTMM

Meeting with young people: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLsu5iFbXDQ