Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo on Thursday urged Atma Jaya Catholic University to remain faithful to its identity and mission, calling on its academic community to live as a “creative minority” amid social change and institutional growth.
Speaking during a Thanksgiving Mass marking the inauguration of Hall G following its renovation, the Archbishop of Jakarta said renewal must go beyond buildings and facilities, and instead focus on the continuous renewal of the community itself.
“Renovation,” the Cardinal said in his homily, “is not first and foremost about the physical structure of a building,” but a sign of determination not to remain satisfied with the present state of affairs.
Despite unpredictable weather on Thursday afternoon, Karol Wojtyla Hall was filled beyond capacity as faculty members, students, administrators, and guests gathered for the Mass.
Cardinal Suharyo also serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Atma Jaya Foundation.
He stressed that while buildings may be renewed, what matters more is the renewal of people and institutions, especially their faithfulness to their core identity.
Atma Jaya Catholic University, he said, is called to become “more jaya,” not merely through improved facilities or achievements, but by remaining true to its mission as a Catholic institution of higher education.
It is in this context, the Cardinal explained, that the university’s motto, “For God and Country,” finds its true meaning.
While beautiful, he noted, the motto is not easy to live out. Precisely for that reason, he said, Atma Jaya must continually draw spiritual inspiration so as not to lose direction amid changing times.
Though delivered as a simple reflection, the homily underscored shared responsibility. Everyone in the university, regardless of role, is called to take part in shaping its journey.
To deepen his message, Cardinal Suharyo invited the congregation to reflect on the history of Israel in Sacred Scripture, particularly the stories of Kings Saul and David.
Saul, Israel’s first king, he recalled, failed to master his jealousy upon hearing the people praise David: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” From jealousy came resentment, and from resentment, destruction.
The tragedy of Israel, the Cardinal said, unfolded over time. A people freed from Egypt and led into the Promised Land eventually became a nation in exile in Babylon, not because of one or two mistakes, but due to repeated infidelity, especially among its leaders.
Even Solomon, renowned for his wisdom, was not faithful until the end of his life, he said. After Solomon’s death, the kingdom was divided.
The roots of this collapse, according to the Cardinal, could already be seen during the time of the Prophet Samuel, when the people demanded a king like other nations. Ignoring Samuel’s warnings, they chose conformity over faithfulness. Israel, he said, was called precisely to be different.
That loss of identity marked the beginning of a slow march toward destruction. Yet even after division and ruin, there remained what Scripture calls the “remnant of Israel,” from which Jesus emerged.
Building on this reflection, Cardinal Suharyo cited historian Arnold Toynbee, who observed that civilizations rise and fall, and that what prevents total collapse is a “creative minority” or “contrast community.”
Such a community, he said, is composed of people who remain faithful to their fundamental values and refuse to be swept along by prevailing currents.
Israel was meant to be such a community, the Cardinal said, but lost its way when it sought to be like everyone else.
Addressing the Atma Jaya community, Cardinal Suharyo expressed confidence that the university remains an idealistic institution willing to struggle for its values. He called on it to live as a “creative minority,” resisting pressures to conform without direction and to adapt at the cost of identity.
In this light, the renovation of Hall G and other campus improvements, he said, should be seen as outward signs of a deeper calling: the renewal of hearts, commitments, and vision.
By inheriting and internalizing the spirit of its founders, the Cardinal urged the entire academic community to move forward in renewal, not only by building walls and rooms, but by strengthening the soul, so that Atma Jaya may remain faithful to its calling and, in that way, remain jaya, for God and for the Country.
