Archbishop Robertus Rubiyatmoko of Semarang has called on Catholics to deepen their faith and strengthen their social responsibility as Indonesia marks its 80th Independence Day.
In a pastoral letter dated August 6 and scheduled to be delivered on August 16–17, the archbishop urged the faithful to live out the anniversary’s theme: “Unite Our Steps: Becoming More Catholic and More Apostolic for an Advanced Indonesia.”
“Eighty (80) years of the independence of the Republic of Indonesia is a great gift from God, which we ought to be grateful for together as one Indonesian nation,” Archbishop Rubiyatmoko wrote.
The prelate reinded the faithful that independence is “not something that came about by itself,” but rather “a blessing from God and the fruit of the long struggle of our national heroes.”
The archbishop echoed the government’s call to preserve the spirit of the nation’s founders in pursuit of the goal: “United and Sovereign, Prosperous People, Advanced Indonesia.”
Achieving this, he said, requires maintaining unity and upholding sovereignty “for equitable prosperity for all citizens.”
He outlined four areas of national sovereignty: political, economic, cultural, and digital. Political sovereignty, he noted, should be pursued through “elections conducted honestly and fairly.”
Economic sovereignty means strengthening domestic production, supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises, and reducing import dependence.
Cultural sovereignty requires preserving local culture and languages while resisting harmful foreign influences, while digital sovereignty involves protecting data and identity through infrastructure and policy.
As both citizens and members of the Church, the faithful are called to embody the pastoral letter’s twin invitations.
“‘Becoming more Catholic’ means we are invited to deepen our relationship with God… While ‘becoming more Apostolic’ means we nurture our sense of social responsibility, both within the Church and in the context of national and civic life,” he said.
Citing Scripture, Archbishop Rubiyatmoko drew from the Book of Sirach’s call for responsible citizenship and the First Letter of Peter: “Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the king!” (1 Peter 2:17).
He also reminded Catholics of their “dual obligation” — to respect laws, contribute to development, and pay taxes as citizens, while loving God “with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Mark 12:30).
“Our obedience to the government must never come at the expense of our faith. On the contrary, our faith should inspire us to be better citizens,” he stressed.
Archbishop Rubiyatmoko called for unity in realizing the vision of a “Golden Indonesia,” urging the faithful to make Catholic faith “the foundation for action” and apostolic spirit “the strength to serve.”
“Let us pray that Mary, Mother of All Nations, will always accompany and intercede for our country. May we all be blessed to be instruments of peace and justice, for the glory of God and the advancement of our beloved Indonesia,” he said.
