After years of struggle, St. Bernadette parish finally celebrated the blessing of their new place of worship, led by Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo, Archbishop of Jakarta.
Newsroom(14/06/2023 20:30, Gaudium Press) The church, located in the Pinang subdistrict, Banten province, represents the challenges faced by Indonesia’s slow bureaucracy and the threat it poses to the right to worship.
Since 1992, a weekly Mass had been held in the function hall of Sang Timur Catholic School in Ciledug subdistrict. However, it took over 26 years to obtain a building permit from the local administration in Tangerang to construct a church in Pinang due to opposition from local radical Muslim groups.
The struggle reached its lowest point when the entrance to the school was blocked, preventing the religious Sisters from accessing the premises. Even after securing a site in Pinang in 2013, protests by radical Muslim groups delayed the construction. Unknown individuals padlocked the front gate, and a group of hardliners filed a lawsuit to revoke the building permit, effectively halting the project.
Despite the resistance, around 12,000 people showed courage by participating in weekly services under the protection of security officials until a new permit was issued. Construction was completed in February, and Cardinal Suharyo expressed hope and gratitude during the Mass consecrating the church.
He hoped that the existence of St. Bernadette Parish Church would symbolize God’s grace for the entire Catholic congregation, strengthening their faith and benefiting the people. The cardinal expressed gratitude to all parties and donors involved in the project, as well as the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM) for providing priests to the parish.
For the project chief, Mr Sahat Manalu, the long struggle of St. Bernadette Parish Church was inspired by the fundamental spirits of trust, respect, and integrity. The completion of the church represents the endurance and dedication of the parish community.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Asianews.it
