DAYS with uncertainty. But today, the information is now valid and clear.
Indonesian Ambassador to the Holy See HE Antonius Agus Sriyono has come to see Pietro Cardinal Parolin to render official invitation from Indonesian Administration signed by President Joko Widodo to Pope Francis.
The letter submitted to the Vatican on 28 January 2020, explaining Jakarta would be very pleased to welcome the Pontiff to visit Indonesia possibly in September 2020.
“I gave the invitation letter to Pietro Cardinal Parolin in the State Secretariat Office of the Vatican on 28 January 2020,” writes Indonesian Ambassador HE Antonius Agus Sriyono to AsiaNews on Wednesday (29 January 2020) morning time in Jakarta.
A photo showing the Ambassador posing with the Cardinal is also delivered, exposing the validity of this interesting information.
In Indonesia there have been various “interpretation” about what Mr Yahya Cholil Staquf’s statement two weeks ago to explain the Pontiff’s hope that he would likely to visit Indonesia on his way to make her pastoral trip to both PNG and Timor Leste.
Unofficial “invitation letter” by Jakarta to the Holy See has also been disseminating through social media outlets without the validity of the “news” and official confirmation from both parties: Jakarta and Vatican.
As AsiaNews shared this “disseminating issue” with Ambassador Sriyono last two weeks, he clearly stated that “all things are still being discussed and this arrangement is still confidential matter.”
But today, it becomes clear that Indonesia will host the Pontiff possibly this coming September 2020 as Pope Francis has already scheduled his next pastoral trip to PNG and Timor Leste.
No fixed date has been officially declared.
Last papal visit to Indonesia happened in 1989 when the late Pope John Paul II visited Jakarta and chaired a festive mass with more than 110 thousands Catholics in Senayan Sport Stadium.
The same Eucharist was then performed in Yogyakarta’s Open Airfield that belongs to Indonesian Air Force Academy and later on in Flores.
Huge enthusiasm
When the breaking news comes to light for Indonesian readers this early morning and is quickly disseminated through Sesawi.Net –an Indonesian Catholic media outlet—the response shown by all Catholics are marvellously good.
They express their huge enthusiasm to welcome the Pontiff by at least spare the specific date to join any event hosted by both Indonesian authority and the KWI where Pope Francis will show up with open-air Eucharist Celebration.
Dozens of nuns, priest, and laypeople finally write and speak –“This breaking news finally true (after days of uncertainty and no confirmation has been issued by both government officials and church figure),” they said.
“We strongly hope that everything will run smoothly and well planned,” says Father August Surianto from KWI.
The Buddhist Borobudur Temple in Ethnology Vatican Museum
For most Indonesian Catholics and their prelates, Indonesian has been very “special” to Pope Francis who likely have strong interests to know better what Indonesia –the world’s largest Muslim nation and the local Muslims are also moderate as well—looks like on the ground.
The presence of the Buddhist Temple Borobudur in the Vatican Ethnology Museum has gained much attention to the Pontiff.
As once explained by Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo to Indonesian media as he met with Pope Francis in the Vatican during his ad limina visit last June 2019, he extensively explained to the Holy See prominent figures how the world’s largest Buddhist Temple of Borobudur could be built in Central Java where most local natives are Muslims.
This fact clearly shows that most (Muslim) Indonesians are friendly and show their strong tolerance to their fellow Indonesian citizen despite their strong differences in so many ways: culture, social values, ethnicities, languages, and religious beliefs.
Indonesia is a huge and vast archipelagic country consisting of thousands of islands with at least 700 different languages, hundreds of ethnical people, but can be nationally united due to its “national language” the Bahasa Indonesia and the nation adopts Pancasila as its political platform.
Pancasila strongly echoes the spirit of pluralism which reads “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” or “Unity in Diversity” –something that might have been gained much attention from the Pontiff, regarding different political “events” in some other countries where horizontal violence emerged due to sharp differences in religion and political aspirations.
Don’t retire first before I come to see you
A funny but real story was first coming to light as Cardinal Suharyo shared his personal experience to meet the Pontiff along with scores of Indonesian bishops during their ad limina visit last June.
During a courtesy visit with the Pope and each Indonesian bishop was cordially invited to shake hands with the Pontiff, an Indonesian bishop Msgr. Guilio Mencuccini CP from Sanggau Diocese in West Kalimantan Province personally shared his concerns and hopes to the Pope.
Msgr. Mencuccini CP, the only ever Italian-born bishop and the “last batch” of European bishop in Indonesia- told the Pope that he would likely retire when he will perfectly get 75 years-old. He personally invited the Pope to visit West Kalimantan Province where most local are predominantly Catholics before he would render his resignation letter to the Holy See.
When the Indonesian entourage would leave the Vatican to return home as still had the opportunity to meet the Pope, explained Cardinal Suharyo, “Pope Francis publicly approached Msgr. Mencuccini and said humorously “Please don’t ever retire first before I come to visit Kalimantan (Borneo)” and then everybody suddenly busted in big laughs,” said the Cardinal.
There is not yet the official response from the KWI over this latest development.
