BANDUNG, Indonesia (UCAN) -- The secretary of the pastoral council of Bandung diocese wants local Catholics to become more actively involved in movements for social change, and even to launch such movements.

A major challenge that Yulianus Ruchiyat, the council secretary, faces is helping local Catholics appreciate that their involvement is so necessary.

Too often, the 56-year-old catechist told UCA News, Catholics regard such movements as the responsibility of the Church hierarchy and institutions.

Ruchiyat's current approach is to promote "simple but concrete actions" that encourage Church institutions and local Catholics to make changes that benefit society. His concerns reflect Bandung diocese's 75th-anniversary celebration, whose theme was Arise and Change So that My Earth Lasts. That commemoration echoed the 2005 grand synod of the Indonesian Catholic Church, whose theme was Arise and Move, Church Builds New Public Civility of the Nation.

Bandung diocese capped its eight-month anniversary celebration on Aug. 11 with what organizers claim was the country's first "zero-waste" event. During 13 hours that day, about 2,000 people visited St. Peter's Cathedral compound in Bandung and were treated to exhibitions, entertainment, contests, Mass and other activities, all highlighting environmental concern.

Bandung, capital of West Java province, 130 kilometers southeast of Jakarta, continues to be threatened by a garbage crisis, so Ruchiyat said he especially applauds the organizers for arranging such a large celebration without producing waste that could not be recycled for some purpose.

A garbage slide at the city's main dumpsite killed more than 100 people on Feb. 21, 2005, so nearby residents refused to allow any more garbage to be brought there. Trash piled up on Bandung's streets until last October, when a temporary dumpsite became operational. However, the contract for the temporary dump expires within a few months, so the garbage crisis will return.

To help parishes anticipate and solve garbage problems, Bandung's pastoral council will soon set up an official diocesan group involving the Environment Action Team that ran the "zero-waste" celebration. The diocese's pastoral guidelines now include activities in the field of environmental preservation.

After the recent celebration, Ruchiyat told UCA News about these concerns and about diocesan activities among West Java province's Muslim majority.

That interview follows:

UCA NEWS: What did your diocese actually celebrate during its 75th anniversary?

YULIANUS RUCHIYAT: Bandung diocese focused on its journey and development, as well as the joys and sorrows of its faithful. So it celebrated not just its history, which is a series of events, but also the work of God.

After the jubilee began, various activities organized to commemorate the 75th anniversary were actually good opportunities to reflect the journey of the life of the faithful. Therefore, the reflection became the top priority.

What can you say about the anniversary's theme, Arise and Change?

It is a local Church invitation. The 2005 Sidang Agung Gereja Katolik Indonesia (grand synod of the Indonesian Catholic Church) actually invited society, not just the Church, to arise and move. It is a good invitation for both society and local Churches, to change and go in new directions.

Such movements are really needed, but who should lead them? Many Catholics often say it is the responsibility of the Church hierarchy and institutions, but they do not realize they also have a responsibility to lead movements.

What was the goal of the anniversary celebration?

As I said, reflection became the top priority. Reflection helps us realize our strengths and weaknesses. If we understand our weaknesses, we can change and these changes can become common causes.

Environmental issues are examples. People are asked to throw trash into trash bins, but nearby bins may be hard to find. People want to organize reforestation movements, but they cannot even make their homes look green.

How do we deal with these problems? I think movements, such as awareness programs, are the answer, but such movements also belong to society, not only to Church institutions, so the goal is to make Church and society understand the importance of the environment and encourage them to change and move by taking at least simple yet concrete actions.

Are the environmental-awareness activities that closed the jubilee celebration in line with pastoral concerns?

Yes. The 2005-2009 Pastoral Guidelines of Bandung diocese include activities for the environment. They aim to promote pastoral services in this area and encourage Catholics to become more active in various environmental movements.

What has the diocese's pastoral council done to implement the guidelines?

We encouraged the anniversary organizing committee to campaign to include environmental issues in syllabuses of formal and non-formal education, and to point out environmental issues in evangelization work.

We urged the faithful to organize activities such as workshops, discussions, recollections, retreats and seminars in which environmental issues were discussed. We suggested that they use water and energy wisely, and use environment-friendly and recycled goods instead of goods that pollute.

The pastoral council also promoted environmental awareness programs with a theological perspective, prepared parishioners to be environmental activists and formed teams that would organize environmental services.

At the end of the 75th-anniversary celebration, the organizers formed the Environment Action Team that conducted the "zero-waste" event.

What do you expect from that event?

I hope this first step will encourage the faithful to be more involved in environmental activities in their own area. As a result, teams that show concern about environmental issues will emerge and finally establish networks. We don't expect people to do big things, such as move mountains. Let's start with simple things: green our own yard.

Do you see any hindrances so far?

The only hindrance is attitude. For instance, some people keep ignoring designated bus stops for public transportation and wait for their ride even in places where stopping has been expressly prohibited. Movements can change such habits, but it is not easy.

How good have local Catholics been in becoming the salt of society?

It is hard to measure, but I see positive signs that may help realize the diocese's vision and mission of being "an open Church." Local Catholics have begun to open themselves, even though if not yet totally so.

Interreligious relations used to be something for religious leaders or institutions of different faiths, but now they are seen as relations among people of different religions. The local Church used to do social services on its own, but now it offers social services in cooperation with local communities from different religious backgrounds.

I must admit that many local Catholics are still reclusive and I do not know why, but it may be due to their ethnic backgrounds. That is why awareness programs for making change are needed, but it will take time.

What about the religious life of local Catholics within a Muslim majority?

In the past, local Catholics were reluctant to mingle with people of other religions, especially Muslims, because they still held a pre-Second Vatican Council view, which says only the Church brings salvation. That view has changed, and local Catholics have begun to open themselves to others.

How are the Catholics from other areas helped to adapt to the local situation?

Many Catholics are of Chinese descent. Many are Javanese, Batak people from Sumatra, Florinese and Timorese. Native Catholics, mostly from Cigugur subdistrict in West Java's Ciamis district, constitute only a small group.

Catholics need not be Sundanese [the province's predominant ethnic group]. All they must do is just learn the local culture. In this way, they will adapt easily to the local situation and get along well with local people.

Your work as secretary of the pastoral council has had ups and downs?

I really love this job and enjoy doing it. I am happy that many young people now want to spend their time doing pastoral work and many priests support me.

Another thing that makes me happy is our success in preparing Catholics to be leaders in their own neighborhoods and parishes. We have trained 700 parishioners who are now active in their respective areas.

END

(Accompanying photos available at here)