by Mathias Hariyadi

In the diocese Fr. Deddy Setiawan Pr organizes a spiritual program for young Catholics over a series of meetings. The children come from poor families who can not send them to private Catholic schools because too expensive. In Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, state institutions completely neglect the study of the Catholic religion.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Fr Deddy Setiawan Pr, a priest of the Diocese of Purkowerto, has held a series of spiritual programs to promote the Catholic faith among public school students. In fact, only the wealthy Catholics have the financial ability to send their children to private schools run by priests and nuns. While the poorest households do not have the money to pay school fees, and their children are forced to attend public schools. In a country where the population is predominantly Muslim, and the study of the Catholic religion is totally neglected in state structures.

Two weeks before Christmas, Fr. Setiawan organized the last of these meetings, hosted by the House of contemplation Hening Griya in Baturaden. At least 80 high school students from around the district Purkowerto participated.

The bishop of the Diocesan Bishop Julianus Sunarko Sj thanked the priest for what all that he has done, and is convinced that this initiative will encourage young people to live according to the Catholic faith.

Fr. Deddy Setiawan said that his diocese includes not only two cities, Purkowerto and Gombong, and that hundreds of Catholic students in other cities are still "neglected", there is a need for a significant turning point also in these areas.

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