The governor of West Kalimantan has asked 110 diocesan priests gathered in the province for their 10th triennial assembly to work with local authorities to help improve a tribal people’s living standards. During a dinner yesterday at his office in Pontianak, Governor Cornelis told the priests from Unio Indonesia, an association of diocesan priests, that most local Catholics and Protestants are members of the Dayak tribe. “They love this region and its environment but live simple lives and in poverty, he said.” This poverty is also the Church’s challenge. Thus, both local authorities and the Church should work together to improve their economic situation, the Catholic governor added. The Church can help improve this as well as to improve Dayak people’s education and health by “using homilies to raise awareness,” he suggested. Cornelis acknowledged that the Church’ cooperation with the local government has been good. “But we need an economic revolution quickly. We must free Dayak people from poverty immediately,” he said. Through homilies, he said, priests can change the way Dayak people think. “Dayak’s must see and look to their future by sending their children to school for a better education and only thinking about the present.” Father Stanislaus Ferry Sutrisna Wijaya, Unio Indonesia’s chairman, said serving people has united diocesan priests and government officials. “Unio Indonesia now has 1,864 priests serving in 37 dioceses across Indonesia. They are like civil servants. They serve people,” he said. The association, including two priests from Malaysia, started their assembly today in Sintang district. It ends on Aug. 6. Related Report: Diocesan Priests Prepare To Celebrate 25th Anniversary Of Unio Indonesia