By Jessica Easthope
The Holy Father touching down in Jakarta marked the third Pope to visit Indonesia.
The last visit was St. John Paul II in 1989. Father Aloisius Albert wasn’t born yet, but his parents and church community told stories that inspired him.
“The history is there, it was so beautiful! Our parents, our relatives are also like that’s really to strengthen our faith, and that, like, helped me a lot, especially in my way of my vocation.”
Father Albert, a priest on temporary assignment in the Diocese of Brooklyn at St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church in Bushwick, said the Pope’s trip could be the spark for other young Catholics.
“I think it’s an inspiration for the young to join in the congregation and also to become a priest.”
While in Indonesia, Pope Francis will explore the relationship between the Catholic minority and the Muslim majority. Catholics make up just 3% of the population.
“Even though I’m not in Indonesia right now, I’m in New York. I can feel the hype, I feel the people, they’re really happy.”
Pierre Tambuwun is the President of the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Indonesian Apostolate. He said interfaith relations in Indonesia serve as a global example of how to live together peacefully.
“I went to the mosque too. I pray with the Muslims because of the society and everybody, it’s normal,” Tambuwun said. “And then they go to church too to celebrate with us, it’s normal for us, it’s just unity.”
“And the relations between Catholic and Muslim Indonesia are quite harmonious. We’re living together in harmony and high tolerance.”
Father Paul Rahmat, a temporary priest assigned to Queen of Angels Church in Sunnyside, was a seminarian when St. John Paul II came to visit. He remembers the excitement to this day.
“My personal experience was very exciting with the visit of Pope John Paul II,” Father Rahmat said. “In our place, in our residence in Flores, I was a student at the time, and the seminarians and I sang in the choir.”
These men say Pope Francis is a unifying figure for people everywhere.
“He’s not only the leader of the Catholics, but also the messenger for humanity. Now we need to work hand in hand. We need to make the world like a community of real love and peace.”
“They can feel it. They can experience it. Maybe they are gonna feel different. They can feel the calling too.”
Their hope is that the Holy Father leaves Indonesia with a deeper appreciation for interfaith relations and what can be possible all over the world.