The Archdiocese of Jakarta has urged parishes to reconsider the long-standing practice of separating infants and young children in a separate room during Mass and allow them to experience the full liturgy with their families.
The archdiocese’s Catechetical Commission, known as Komkat KAJ, presented the approach during a seminar at Wisma Samadi in Klender, East Jakarta, on July 18.
“Love for the Eucharist cannot grow if children are kept away from experiencing the liturgy itself,” said Father Carolus “Uut” Putranto Tri Hidayat, chairman of the commission.
For decades, many Catholic parishes in Indonesia have gathered infants and young children in separate rooms during Mass. Volunteers typically engage them in games or simple activities so they do not disturb the liturgical celebration.
The children are usually brought back into the church toward the end of Mass to receive the priest’s blessing.
While the practice has helped maintain a prayerful atmosphere and eased the burden on parents caring for young children, the archdiocese believes it is time to reconsider the arrangement.
Father Uut said children should experience the richness of the liturgy firsthand so they can develop a lifelong love for the Eucharist.
The seminar, titled “My Home Is My Child’s First Church,” drew 443 participants from 70 parishes across the archdiocese.
It was organized by Catholic Class KAJ in collaboration with Komkat KAJ. Participants represented the catechetical, liturgical, family apostolate, youth, and vocations commissions.
The Catechetical Commission also introduced “Prokat Dia-Rekat,” or the Early Childhood, Children and Catholic Youth Catechetical Program, to support the new approach.
The initiative is a renewed model for the Church’s Children’s Faith Formation and Youth Faith Formation programs.
Maria Fifin Finetta, coordinator of the Children’s and Youth Faith Formation Desk, said the program emphasizes children’s direct participation in the Eucharistic celebration with their parents and other family members.
“Children need to experience the Eucharistic celebration itself, rather than being taken to a separate room to play as has often been the practice,” she said.
Frans Widiyanto, chairman of Catholic Class KAJ, stressed that faith is formed not merely through instruction but through lived experience.
“Let children witness the entrance procession of altar servers, extraordinary ministers, priests, and bishops. Let them smell the incense rising from the altar, hear the chanting of the Responsorial Psalm, and experience the entire rhythm of the liturgy. These sensory experiences leave lasting memories that shape their faith,” he said.
Father Uut acknowledged that changing long-established habits would take time and require extensive catechesis and education throughout the archdiocese.
Speakers at the seminar also emphasized the role of the family in preparing children to participate in the Eucharist.
Father Fransiskus Asisi Budiyono, MSF, chairman of the Family Apostolate Commission, described the home as the first place where children encounter God.
“The home is the first church for every child. It is there that they learn to pray with their parents and siblings. From those early experiences, they are prepared to encounter Christ in the Eucharistic celebration,” he said.
Father Cosmas Wahyu Kristian Wijaya, vice chairman of the Vocations Commission, noted the lasting influence of children’s early encounters with members of the Church.
“Children who have meaningful encounters with priests, religious brothers, and sisters from an early age often carry those experiences with them throughout their lives,” he explained.
Father Albertus Monang “Almo” Rianto Sidabutar, chairman of the Liturgical Commission, recalled that he initially attended Mass as a child because his parents promised him a special meal afterward.
“At first, I went to Mass because I was promised delicious food after church. But over time, that habit nurtured a genuine love for the Eucharistic celebration,” he said.
Father Salto Deodatus Simanullang, chairman of the Youth Commission, said young Catholics seek meaningful spiritual experiences but can lose interest when homilies fail to connect with their daily lives.
“Many young people actually find peace in Eucharistic Adoration or in the sacred atmosphere of the Mass, offering them a refuge from the constant distractions of social media notifications,” he said.
Father Salto said the concern is particularly significant because young people account for nearly one-third of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Jakarta.
Father Uut identified three essential dimensions of children’s catechesis: openness to God, a basic understanding of the Christian faith, and the internalization of Gospel values through lived experience.
He argued that children should participate in the full celebration of the Eucharist rather than receive faith instruction in a separate room while Mass is taking place.
The seminar ended with a commitment among the five pastoral commissions to strengthen cooperation in the faith formation of children, adolescents, young people, and families across the archdiocese.
