Indonesian Catholics celebrate the first native cardinal of Flores

Among the 21 new cardinals announced by Pope Francis is Bogor Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur. The three predecessors were all linked in various ways to the archdiocese of Semarang. A Franciscan friar, an authoritative personality with a low profile and a smiling face.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - In the appointment of 21 new cardinals announced by Pope Francis on October 6, there is also an absolute novelty for Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, and one that has caused great ‘surprise’ among the faithful and within the local Church: after the three cardinals originally from the province of Central Java and all linked to the diocese of Semarang, in fact, the pontiff has chosen the bishop of the diocese of Bogor (in the province of West Java) Mgr. Paskalis Bruno Syukur (Ofm), a Franciscan from Flores Island, historically the heart of the Catholic presence in Indonesia.

In the aftermath of the appointment, mixed reactions emerged among Indonesian Catholics: surprise and joy for the archipelago's new cardinal, but also a certain ‘concern’ because there is a strong fear in Bogor that he might be transferred to another post after the purple.

‘I am personally ‘shocked’ to learn the news that our bishop will become a new cardinal next December, as there had not been any ‘hint’ previously,’ an elderly priest from Bogor points out to AsiaNews. ‘I hope that my bishop will not be transferred to another diocese that is still vacant,’ adds a former seminarian from the area.

Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur, the current bishop of Bogor, was born on 17 May 1962 in Ranggu, in the diocese of Ruteng, Flores Island. After primary school, he attended the Pius X Minor Seminary in Kisol.

He completed his philosophical studies at the Driyakara Faculty of Philosophy in the capital Jakarta, then continued his theological studies at the Faculty of Theology in Yogyakarta. The future cardinal made his solemn profession with the Friars Minor on 22 January 1989 and was ordained a priest on 2 February 1991.

Over time he held the following positions: 1991-1993, ministry in the parish of Moanemani, diocese of Jayapura (West Papua); 1993-1996, studies for a Licentiate in Spirituality at the Antonianum, in Rome; 1996-2001, Novice Master in Depok; 1998-2001, Guardian of the Franciscan community in Depok and Member of the Provincial Council; 2001-2009, Provincial Minister in Indonesia; since 2009, General Definitor Ofm for Asia and Oceania in Rome. On 21 November 2013, Pope Francis called him to lead the diocese of Bogor.

The writer has known him personally since 1984, when we both attended philosophy high school in Jakarta, and since then he was distinguished by his low profile, smiling face and friendly manner with anyone he met on the way.

Upon his appointment as bishop, he adopted ‘Magnificat anima mea Dominum’ (Luke 1:46) as his pastoral motto and, since last year, has been serving as secretary general within the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (Kwi).

The appointment took even Indonesian Ambassador to the Holy See Trias Kuncahyono, who had no ‘inkling’ of a possible new cardinal, by surprise. Interviewed by AsiaNews, the diplomat stressed that the pontiff's decision to ‘choose Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur as the country's new cardinal reflects the true character of the Catholic Church with its “universality”’.

To date, Indonesia has had four cardinals, three of them from the Central Java province and of Javanese ethnicity, with deep ties to Semarang: they are the late First Cardinal Justinus Darmojuwono, a priest of the Semarang archdiocese; Card. Julius Darmaatmadja, a Jesuit and head of the order's Indonesian province before being chosen as bishop of Semarang in 1993 and later transferred to Jakarta; a similar story for Card. Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, archbishop of Semarang, later called to lead the archdiocese of Jakarta. Unlike his predecessors, as mentioned above, the new cardinal is originally from the island of Flores and from the local ethnic group.