The Archdiocese of Semarang celebrates 85 years of faith and service

Over 20,000 faithful participated in the grand celebration for the anniversary of the archdiocese, cradle of spiritual and social initiatives that have become a model for the entire Church in Indonesia. Cardinal Suharyo thanked those who worked in Semarang ‘for its living legacy of service and mission.’

Semarang (AsiaNews) - In an atmosphere of great joy, over 20,000 faithful from 109 parishes gathered in the Jatidiri stadium to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Semarang, an important reality within the Indonesian Catholic Church.

The celebration, which took place in recent days, was attended by Julius Darmaatmadja SJ and Ignatius Suharyo, cardinals and both former bishops of the archdiocese, together with nine prelates from the same ecclesiastical territory. A visible sign of the extraordinary pastoral and spiritual legacy that this community has been able to build over time.

In his homily, Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo, now head of the Archdiocese of Jakarta, recalled Semarang's decisive contribution to the life of the Church in Indonesia and to the country's path towards independence. It was in fact Monsignor Albertus Soegijapranata, the first Indonesian bishop of the diocese and a close collaborator of President Sukarno, who promoted diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

The Vatican was among the first states to officially recognise Indonesia's independence, proclaimed on 17 August 1945. Cardinal Suharyo also praised some initiatives that originated in Semarang and then spread to all 38 Indonesian dioceses, including:

the Lenten charity initiative launched in 1968, the pioneering role of the WKRI women's association founded in 1924 in Yogyakarta, and the custom of bringing children to the altar to receive a blessing, which began in the parish of Wedi and is now widespread throughout the country. ‘For all these inspired and generous initiatives,’ said the cardinal, ‘I want to say a big thank you to this archdiocese.’

The growth of the Church in Semarang was fostered by a lively catechetical programme, launched in the early 20th century by lay people such as Barnabas Sarikrama, the first person to be baptised in 1904, and continued thanks to the support of Jesuit missionaries such as Fr van Lith. That first generation of baptised Christians became the beating heart of an intense evangelisation effort in the regions of central Java.

The Archbishop of Semarang, Robertus Rubiyatmoko, emphasised the importance of an ‘inclusive, inspiring and present’ Church for society: ‘We are called to be 100% Catholic and 100% Indonesian,’ he said. ‘The Church must be a blessing not only for Catholics but for the entire nation.’ These concepts were also shared by the president of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference, Monsignor Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, and the mayor of Semarang, Agustina Wilujeng, who described the city as ‘warm like a parish courtyard and open like a sanctuary for pilgrims.’

The Archdiocese of Semarang is home to two of the most influential seminaries in the country: the minor seminary of St. Peter Canisius in Mertoyudan and the major seminary of St. Paul in Kentungan, where thousands of priests and numerous Indonesian bishops have been trained. It is a tradition that continues to generate vocations and service today, with an ever-present focus on mission and the common good.