Hundreds of Catholics gathered at the Maria Ratuning Karahayon shrine in Sukoreno on August 1 to begin a nine-day Pilgrimage of Hope, marking the spiritual journey toward the centenary of the Catholic Church’s presence in the village.
The celebration, which included a Eucharistic Mass and novena, was led by Fr. Ignasius Adam Suncoko, vicar general of the Diocese of Malang, and joined by 12 priests.
“A faith event leads us into a continual pilgrimage of hope,” said Fr. Suncoko in his homily. “Tonight, in this blessed place, we are part of a spiritual pilgrimage rooted in the faith history of the Sukoreno community.”
The priest invoked the memory of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, describing him as “a Doctor of the Church, preacher, and shepherd of small yet fervent communities,” and called on the faithful to journey “with St. Mary, Queen of Salvation, as we journey toward the 100th anniversary of the Catholic Church in this land.”
He also pointed to the enduring legacy of the community’s faith, highlighting a teakwood tabernacle preserved inside the nearby Church of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
“It’s not just a relic but a living sign — a testament that the seeds of faith planted long ago have taken root and are now guiding us forward into the future,” he said.
Tracing Church’s beginnings
Tanggul parish priest Fr. Tiburtius Catur Wibawa recounted that the first recorded baptisms in Sukoreno took place on September 25, 1925, administered by Austrian Jesuit missionary Fr. Prennthaler, who was then based at the Mendut Mission Station in Central Java’s Magelang.
“But even earlier, around 1906, several Catholic laborers from Sendangsono had already arrived here to work in Dutch colonial plantations,” Fr. Catur said.
He described the missionary’s journey as one of perseverance and sacrifice: “Imagine — this Jesuit Austrian missionary priest in his black cassock, traveled from Central Java’s Magelang City by steam train to Lumajang, then by sugarcane freight trolley to Kencong, and finally walked on foot to reach Sukoreno. A true journey of sacrifice and faith.”
Faith and culture in harmony
The liturgy integrated Javanese culture and language. Prayers, readings, and psalms were conducted in Javanese, while the homily was delivered in Indonesian to accommodate pilgrims from outside the region.
The Mass was accompanied by the Wahyu Widada Karawitan Ensemble from the Malang Cathedral Parish, which performed traditional gamelan music and liturgical chants.
The evening began with the Angelus and Rosary at 6:00 p.m., followed by a procession of altar servers and priests leading into the Mass. Afterward, the faithful observed a period of silent adoration, with Taizé chants sung throughout the grounds.
Though the liturgy lasted nearly three hours, the congregation remained still and prayerful. Many knelt during the Blessed Sacrament procession, reaching out in silence.
“If I can just touch His garment, I will be healed,” whispered one pilgrim, echoing a line from the Gospel.
Living witness
The shrine is flanked by two sites central to Sukoreno’s Catholic identity: the Church of St. Thérèse, which houses the historic tabernacle, and St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School, blessed on May 24, 1926. The school currently serves around 60 children from Grades 1 to 6.
“In the past, this school had many more students,” said a staff member.
Children from the school performed a traditional gamelan piece in front of the clergy, drawing smiles and spontaneous singing and dancing from the liturgical musicians — a joyful end to a night of devotion, as pilgrims waited to receive their shared evening meal.
