Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Pope Francis addressed church workers in Indonesia on September 4, emphasizing that sharing the Gospel should be done with joy and respect rather than attempting to convert others at all costs.

“Proclaiming the Gospel does not mean imposing our faith or placing it in opposition to that of others, but giving and sharing the joy of encountering Christ, always with great respect and fraternal affection for everyone,” Pope Francis stated during a meeting with bishops, priests, religious members, and catechists.

The pope urged Indonesian Catholics to act as “prophets of communion in a world where the tendency to divide, impose and provoke each other seems to be constantly increasing.”

Bishop Antonius Subianto Bunyamin of Bandung welcomed Pope Francis to Jakarta’s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. He expressed hope that the pope's visit would inspire Catholics to seek an encounter with God that manifests "the joy of the Gospel," fosters a culture of seeing others as brothers or sisters, and addresses environmental concerns by listening to "the cry of the poor and of the earth."

Pope Francis' speech focused on the theme chosen by Indonesian bishops: “Faith — Fraternity — Compassion.” He noted that these values align well with "Pancasila," Indonesia’s founding philosophy emphasizing belief in one God, just citizenship, unity, democracy, and social justice.

Indonesia's population stands at approximately 276 million people, with around 87% identifying as Muslim. The Vatican estimates about 3% are Catholic.

Father Pilifur Junianto from Batam highlighted how Indonesian Catholics practice “silaturahmi,” meaning they engage with people from different religions and cultures by visiting each other on feast days. He emphasized education as a primary service through which Catholics can influence students from various backgrounds.

Brother Ivan from the Brothers of Our Lady of Mercy described his experience at the cathedral as overwhelming due to Pope Francis’ humility. Despite being seated separately based on gender for most part, Brother Ivan sat with Sisters who run his school.

Schoenstatt Father Matius Pawai recounted how many attendees arrived hours early for their meeting with Pope Francis despite high temperatures.

During his address following testimonies from catechists about their ministries, Pope Francis highlighted their crucial role within the church hierarchy. He also made several off-the-cuff comments throughout his speech.

The pope remarked on Indonesia’s natural beauty as a divine gift reminding people of God's generosity. “There is not an inch of the marvelous Indonesian territory...that is not a gift from God,” he said.

He emphasized living out fraternity by recognizing human diversity as another divine gift: “No two drops of water are alike...Living out fraternity means welcoming each other.”

Finally, he stressed that faith should lead to compassion beyond mere charity: “This doesn’t mean being a communist; it means charity — love.” According to him true vision comes through compassion which allows better understanding underpinned by love rather than self-interest which often leads destruction division among communities.