The Archdiocese of Semarang convened Catholic healthcare workers across Central Java in April to strengthen collaboration and respond to growing challenges in delivering compassionate, mission-driven care.
A total of 136 participants—including doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, social workers, and representatives of Catholic institutions—gathered at the Sanjaya Pastoral Centre in Muntilan to reflect on the future of Catholic healthcare.
Church leaders called for stronger coordination, improved systems, and a unified response to rising demands, digital transformation, and the needs of the poor and marginalized.
Participants came from hospitals, clinics, academic institutions, and professional associations, including Perdhaki (Persatuan Karya Dharma Kesehatan Indonesia) and KMKI (Komunitas Medik Katolik Indonesia), as well as social service foundations.
Muntilan, often called the “Nazareth of Java,” holds historical significance for the Catholic Church in Indonesia. It was there that Jesuit missionary Fr. Franciscus van Lith, SJ, baptized dozens of Javanese in 1904, laying the foundations of Catholic life in Central Java.
The town later became a center of Catholic education, producing leaders such as Bishop Albertus Soegijapranata, SJ, the first native Indonesian bishop who advocated for international recognition of the country’s independence.
Opening the gathering, Father Yohanes Dwi Harsanto, Episcopal Vicar for the Categorial Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Semarang, underscored the need for unity among Catholic healthcare institutions.
“The spirit is that of one body. We must support one another, listen to one another, and carry each other’s burdens,” he said, referring to the archdiocese’s Strategic Plan (RIKAS) 2026–2030.
Photo credit: Archdiocese of Semarang
The daylong program included discussions with government representatives, healthcare practitioners, academics, and institutional leaders, all pointing to the urgency of stronger collaboration across sectors.
Forum group discussions were organized into five clusters: foundations, hospital boards, healthcare practitioners, academics, and hospital or clinic management.
Participants later moved into smaller focus group discussions, raising concerns about limited facilities, management constraints, and the need to strengthen human resources.
Participants said the encounter provided a rare space for open dialogue across institutional boundaries, often difficult to achieve amid the demands of daily service.
In his address, Archbishop Robertus Rubiyatmoko of Semarang urged participants to remain focused on the mission of compassionate care.
“In this ministry, you continue the work of Christ in healing and upholding human dignity,” he said.
He emphasized that Catholic healthcare must reflect the example of Jesus, who approaches those who suffer without judgment or blame.
Despite ongoing limitations, the archbishop said Catholic healthcare institutions continue to earn public trust not only because of their services but because of their commitment to care for life from its beginning until its natural end.
He called for concrete steps to strengthen the sector, including improving technology, enhancing management systems, and investing in the formation of healthcare professionals.
“We can no longer walk alone. There must be synergy—in the procurement of medicines, in education and training, and in management systems,” he said.
He also urged closer coordination at parish, vicariate, and diocesan levels to expand access to healthcare for the poor.
The gathering concluded with a shared commitment among participants to deepen collaboration and sustain a ministry that upholds human dignity through compassionate care.
