Religious Leaders of Jakarta: The Pope’s Visit Brings a Mission of Humanity and Brotherhood
Jakarta – As the state visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia approaches, many see this opportunity as an effort to strengthen interfaith bonds and foster brotherhood amidst diversity.
The Chairman of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI), Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, revealed that there is no special mission in Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia, but rather a mission of humanitarianism and brotherhood.
“Because the Pope’s visit to Indonesia is not just about the visit itself, which is important and necessary, and many people are looking forward to it, but also about how to socialize various teachings and practice them in our daily lives,” said Antonius.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Jakarta, Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo, emphasized the importance of the physical presence of the Catholic Church leader, Pope Francis, in Indonesia. It is hoped that Pope Francis’ visit to the homeland can make Indonesia an agent of human brotherhood in Asia.
“Why is the physical presence of the Pope important for Indonesia? The answer is as simple as a child longing for the presence of a father. Likewise, the Catholic community in Indonesia hopes for the presence of their leader,” said Cardinal Suharyo.
In anticipation of the arrival of Pope Francis, the Islamic Brotherhood and Interfaith Harmony Division (UI-KUB) of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in Jakarta Special Region held a gathering and dialogue with Catholic priests affiliated with the Central Jakarta Deanery at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Kramat, Central Jakarta.
The chairman of MUI-KUB MUI DK Jakarta, KH Gunadi, stated that they are promoting interfaith dialogue not only at the level of leaders but also down to the grassroots.
“Silaturahmi is an important instrument for harmony in the context of getting to know each other (ta’aruf) among fellow citizens. From there, it evolves into mutual understanding (tafahum), which then fosters cooperation and mutual assistance (takaful) among religious communities,” said Gunadi.
The same sentiment was expressed by the Chairman of the HAAK Commission of the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Father Antonius Suyadi. According to him, it is indeed necessary for religious leaders in Indonesia to strengthen their ties of kinship.
“This activity is aimed at fostering brotherhood and togetherness.” “Indeed, as figures, we should be able to support each other,” he said.
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