The Holy See and the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI) signed a memorandum of understanding March 25 to introduce Bahasa Indonesia as the 57th official language of Vatican News, expanding the Vatican’s global communications reach.
The memorandum was signed at the Vatican by Paolo Ruffini and Augustinus Tri Budi Utomo, who chairs KWI’s Commission for Social Communications. The ceremony was attended by Andrea Tornielli and Indonesian Ambassador to the Holy See Michael Trias Kuncahyono, along with Indonesian clergy based in Rome and representatives of the Indonesian Catholic Journalists Association (PWKI).
The move follows years of lobbying by Indonesian Church leaders, diplomats, and Catholic media groups and is expected to widen access to Vatican news for millions of Indonesian Catholics while elevating Indonesia’s presence in global Church communication.
Ambassador Kuncahyono said the initiative took nearly three years to realize.
“When this idea was first proposed to the Holy See, it was enthusiastically welcomed. However, there were many challenges along the way before the KWI finally gave its approval for implementation,” he said.
Bishop Budi Utomo said the collaboration has strong backing from KWI leadership but noted that implementation would require further preparation, particularly in building a professional editorial team.
“There are still a number of practical issues that need to be addressed, particularly within KWI’s Commission for Social Communications, including the recruitment of a professional editorial team. This is crucial, as the collaboration directly involves the official structures of Vatican News and KWI,” he said.
The ambassador said the initiative would help bring Indonesian perspectives to a wider global audience. He also pointed to Indonesia’s diversity and social cohesion, recalling how Pope Francis has often highlighted the country as the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation marked by harmony.
“This is made possible by Pancasila, Indonesia’s philosophical foundation, which safeguards the nation from social fragmentation,” he said.
Bishop Budi Utomo said the agreement also reflects Indonesia’s growing role in the universal Church.
“Indonesia is a source of hope for the global Catholic community. Today, hundreds of Indonesian missionaries have been sent to various countries around the world. In the past, missionaries came to our land, but in recent decades, Indonesian priests, sisters, and brothers have been sent abroad to serve in many nations,” he said.
Father Markus Solo Kewuta, an Indonesian priest working at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, described the development as the result of a long-held aspiration among Indonesian Catholics in Rome.
“As an Indonesian priest working at the Vatican and following developments in communication here, I have long hoped that Indonesia could grow closer through the use of Bahasa Indonesia in news broadcasting,” he said.
He said momentum for the initiative grew following the 2024 visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia, which helped pave the way for recognition of the Indonesian language in Vatican communications.
“Today (25 March), a memorandum of understanding has been signed as a concrete step toward the use of Bahasa Indonesia in the world of communication. This is a very positive development,” he said.
The agreement is expected to expand access to Church information for Indonesian Catholics and deepen ties between Indonesia and the Holy See.
