Home News Indonesian bishop reaffirms ‘church-only wedding’ policy amidst concerns from tourism industry

Indonesian bishop reaffirms ‘church-only wedding’ policy amidst concerns from tourism industry

Bishop Sylvester San of Denpasar has reiterated his stance against Catholic weddings outside church premises, aiming to preserve the sanctity of the matrimonial sacrament despite significant pushback from the tourism sector in Bali, Indonesia. 

The tourism industry in Bali, which benefits substantially from picturesque destination weddings, expressed concerns over the economic impacts of the church’s directive.

The prelate made the statement during a four-day conference held from June 25-28 and hosted by the Indonesian Ministry for Religious Affairs’ Catholic Guidance General Directorate (Bimas Katolik Kemenag RI).



The conference drew over 50 representatives from eight dioceses across Bali and the Nusa Tenggara provinces. Discussions at the conference centered around Bishop San’s 2015 directive, which discouraged matrimonial ceremonies outside of church settings.

 “When our exhortation letter finally reached to whom it may concern, a huge ‘protest’ suddenly emerging as huge financial loss suffered by the tourism industry,” the Bishop said. 

Dr. Aloma Sarumaha, Director of Catholic Affairs at Bimas Katolik, supported the prelate’s call and stressed the need for robust action plans to maintain the church’s teachings on marriage. 

“Lots of action plans must be designed and to be able to implement into force,” Dr. Sarumaha said, underscoring the commitment required to uphold traditional Catholic matrimonial practices.

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The conference also tackled other significant issues affecting the Catholic community, including the sensitive topics of marriage annulment and divorce.

 Dr. Eleine Magdalena, a theologian from Widya Sasana High School of Philosophy Theology in Malang, discussed the spiritual dimensions of enduring marriages, particularly how couples cope with challenges. 

“They shared with me how despite their ongoing suffering, they still want to remain faithful to the Gospel and the Church’s moral teachings,” Dr. Magdalena said.

The gathering highlighted the church’s efforts to educate couples through pre-marital courses, specifically the mandatory three-month “Kursus Persiapan Perkawinan” (Marriage Preparation Course).

This program prepares couples for marriage by deeply ingraining the fundamental principles of Catholic matrimony before their union.

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