VATICAN CITY, MAR 29, 2003 (VIS) - Pope John Paul today welcomed 36 bishops from the 35 dioceses of Indonesia who have completed their quinquennial "ad limina" visit in Rome.
In an address to the Pope, Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja, S.J., president of the Bishops' Conference, noted that the Catholic Church in Indonesia has grown since the Pope's 1989 visit to that predominantly Muslim nation. He stated that, of the 220 million people in Indonesia, ten percent are Christian, of which 3.4 percent, or six million, are Catholics. There are 2,883 priests, 1,114 of whom are diocesan, as well as 874 religious men and 7,000 religious Sisters.
In his talk in English, the Holy Father underscored the bishops' "differing ethnic and cultural backgrounds," saying this "can offer a model of hope for all of Indonesia" which today "faces the challenge of building a society based on the democratic principles of the freedom and equality of its citizens, regardless of language, race, ethnic background, cultural heritage or religion."
"Religious freedom," he noted, "is guaranteed by the nation's constitution. The Church must at all times remain vigilant to ensure that this principle is respected on both the federal and local levels" in a "climate of respect for the rule of law." Suitable human formation is the first step in achieving this, he said. "Particular attention must be given to the poor" because "promoting the fundamental rights of the weak is a proven path towards a stable and productive society."
Education is a step in helping the poor, the Pope stated, noting that Catholics might be a minority but "they have developed a large and respected school system" which is one of the Church's "greatest contributions to Indonesian society." He urged the prelates to preserve Catholic schools, even where financial problems persist, and to encourage youth "not to forego their education for the lure of shallow and fleeting materialism."
John Paul II praised the work of the bishops, priests, men and women religious and catechists in Indonesia, not only in the field of education but in health and welfare assistance and in "the profound, gradual and exacting work of inculturation. ... This is especially important in a complex society such as your own where, in some areas and among some certain groups, Catholicism is at times viewed with suspicion." He also encouraged the prelates "to continue to promote the traditional values of the family so closely tied with Asian culture," and to fight "the conspiracy against life" and against the family "which is appearing in many forms: abortion, sexual permissiveness, pornography, drug abuse and pressures to adopt morally unacceptable methods of population control."
The Pope turned to the "challenges arising from daily contact with a non-Christian society," and remarked that "there already exists a commendable level of interreligious dialogue in your country on an institutional level. ... Even in predominantly Muslim areas, the Church is actively present in orphanages, clinics and institutions dedicated to helping the downtrodden," as an expression of "Christ's boundless love for not a few but for all."
"Here, I wish to assure you of my deep concern for the beloved Indonesian people at this moment of heightened tension in the entire world community. War must never be allowed to divide world religions. I encourage you to take this unsettling moment as an occasion to work together, as brothers committed to peace, with your own people, with those of other religious beliefs and with all men and women of good will in order to ensure understanding, cooperation and solidarity. Let us not permit a human tragedy also to become a religious catastrophe."
"At the same time," Pope John Paul II affirmed, I am well aware that certain portions of the Christian community in your nation have suffered from discrimination and prejudice, while others have been victimized by acts of destruction and vandalization. In some areas Christian communities have been denied the permission to build places of worship and prayer. Indonesia, together with the international community, was recently stunned at the terrible loss of life due to the terrorist bombing in Bali. In all of this, however, one must be careful not to yield to the temptation to define groups of people by the actions of an extremist minority. Authentic religion does not advocate terrorism or violence, but seeks to promote in every way the unity and peace of the whole human family."
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