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Mgr. Albertus Soegijapranata SJ
Soegijapranata, in 1947
Archdiocese	Semarang
Province	Semarang
Metropolis	Semarang
Appointed	1 August 1940
Term ended	22 July 1963
Predecessor	None
Successor	Justinus Darmojuwono
Orders
Ordination	15 August 1931
Consecration	6 October 1940 by Petrus Willekens
Personal details
Born	Soegija (1896-11-25)25 November 1896 Surakarta, Dutch East Indies
Died	22 July 1963(1963-07-22) (aged 66) Steyl, Netherlands
Buried	Giritunggal Heroes' Cemetery
Nationality	Indonesian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	Karijosoedarmo (father) Soepiah (mother)
Motto	100% Catholic, 100% Indonesian

This is an Indonesian name; it does not have a family name. The name Albertus is a baptismal name, and the subject should be referred to his birth name Soegija or his adult name Soegijapranata, as appropriate

Mgr. Albertus Soegijapranata, SJ (Perfected Spelling: Albertus Sugiyapranata, also known by the Javanese spelling Albertus Sugiyopranoto; 25 November 1896 – 22 July 1963), better known by his birth name Soegija, was the Apostolic Vicar of Semarang, and later its archbishop. He was also the first native Indonesian bishop and known for his pro-nationalistic stance, often expressed as "100% Catholic, 100% Indonesian".

Soegija was born in Surakarta, Dutch East Indies, to a courtier and his wife. The Muslim family moved to nearby Yogyakarta when Soegija was still young, and in the city he began his education. Known as a bright child, around 1909 he was asked by Father Frans van Lith to join Xaverius College, a Jesuit school in Muntilan. At Xaverius Soegija slowly became interested in Catholicism, and he was baptised on 24 December 1910; the decision was eventually accepted by his nuclear family, who later supported Soegija's choice to be a priest. After graduating from Xaverius in 1915 and spending a year as a teacher there, Soegija spent two years at the on-site seminary before going to the Netherlands in 1919. He began his two-year novitiate with the Society of Jesus in September 1920 in Grave, later finishing his juniorate there in 1923. After three years studying philosophy at Berchmann College in Oudenbosch, he was sent back to Muntilan as a teacher for a further two years. In 1928 he returned to the Netherlands to study theology at Maastricht, where he was ordained by Bishop of Roermond Laurentius Schrijnen on 15 August 1931; Soegija then added the word "pranata" to the back of his name. In 1933 he was sent back to the Indies to preach.

Soegijapranata began as a parochial vicar for Father van Driessche at the parish in Kidul Loji, central Yogyakarta, but was later given his own parish after St Yoseph Church in Bintaran was opened in April 1934. The following year his duties were extended to include the parish at Ganjuran, in Bantul. During this period he focused on creating a sense of Catholicism within the native community, emphasising the need for strong bonds between Catholic families. In 1940 Soegijapranata was consecrated by Apostolic Vicar of Batavia Petrus Willekens as the vicar apostolic of the newly-established Apostolic Vicariate of Semarang. Although the number of native Catholics expanded greatly in the years following his consecration, Soegijapranata was soon faced with numerous trials. The Empire of Japan invaded the Indies beginning in early 1942, and during the ensuing occupation numerous churches were seized and clergymen, both European and native, were arrested or killed. Soegijapranata was able to resist several of these seizures, and spent the rest of the occupation serving the Catholics in his vicariate.

After President Sukarno proclaimed the country's independence, Semarang was overcome with unrest. Soegijapranata helped broker a ceasefire after a five-day battle between Japanese and Indonesian troops and called for the central government to send someone to deal with the unrest in the city; although the government sent a new mayor to the city, unrest and food shortages continued to grow and in 1947 Soegijapranata moved his seat to Yogyakarta. For the remainder of the national revolution Soegijapranata worked to promote international recognition of Indonesia's independence and convince Catholics to fight for the country. Soon after the Dutch recognised Indonesia's independence, Soegijapranata returned to Semarang. During the post-revolution years he wrote extensively against communism and expanded the church; he also served as a mediator between several political factions. He was elevated to archbishop 3 January 1961, when the Holy See established six ecclesiastical provinces in the Indonesian archipelago. Soegijapranata was a member of the Central Preparatory Commission and participated in the first session of the Second Vatican Council. He died in 1963, in Steyl, the Netherlands, not long after the election of Pope Paul VI. After his death Soegijapranata's body was flown back to Indonesia, where he was made a national hero and interred at Giritunggal Heroes' Cemetery in Semarang.

Soegijapranata continues to be viewed with respect by both Catholic and non-Catholic Indonesians, with his ascension to bishophood described as "monumental" by Indonesian historian Anton Haryono. Several biographies of him have been written by both Catholic and non-Catholic authors, and in 2012 a fictionalised biopic by Garin Nugroho, entitled Soegija, was released to popular acclaim. Soegijapranata Catholic University, a large university in Semarang, is named after him.

Early life

Soegija was born on 25 November 1896 in Surakarta to Karijosoedarmo, an abdi dalem (courtier) at the Sunanate of Surakarta, and his wife Soepiah. The family was abangan Muslim, and Soegija's grandfather Soepa was a kyai; Soegija followed their religion. Soegija – whose name was derived from the the Javanese word soegih, meaning rich – was the fifth of nine children. The family later moved to Ngabean, Yogyakarta. There, Karijosoedarmo began to serve as a courtier at the Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat to Sultan Hamengkubuwono VII, while his wife sold fish; despite this, the family was poor and sometimes had little food. Soegija was a daring child, quick to fight, good at football, and noted for his intellect from a young age. While still young, his father made him fast in accordance with Islamic law.

Soegija started his formal schooling at a school in the Kraton complex, known locally as a a Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (Number Two School), where he learned to read and write. He later transferred to a school in Wirogunan, Yogyakarta, near Pakualaman. Beginning in his third year he attended a Dutch-run school for native Indonesian (Hollands Inlands School) in Lempuyangan. Outside of school he studied gamelan and singing with his parents. Around 1909 he was asked by Father Frans van Lith to join the Jesuit school in Muntilan, 30 kilometres (19 mi) north-west of Yogyakarta. Although his parents were initially worried that Soegija would become too Europeanised, they agreed.

Xaverius College

In 1909 Soegija started at the Xaverius College in Muntilan, a school for aspiring teachers, and stayed in the dormitory. He was one of 54 students in his year. The boys followed a strict schedule, attending classes in the morning and engaging in other activities, such as gardening, discussions, and chess, in the afternoon. The Catholic students also had regular prayers. Although the college did not require students to be Catholic, Soegija was pressured from his Catholic classmates, leading to several fights. When he complained to his teacher, Father L. van Rijckevorsel, that the Dutch priests were like the Dutch merchants in that they only thought of money, the priest replied that they were unpaid and only hoped for the students' good. This led Soegija to better respect the priests, and when van Rijckevorsel told the other students that Soegija did not want to be Catholic, they stopped pressuring him.

The following year Soegija asked to join the Catholic-education classes, citing a desire to fully use the facilities at Xaverius. His teacher, Father Mertens, told Soegija that he required permission from his parents first; although his parents refused, Soegija was nevertheless allowed to study Catholicism. He found himself intrigued by the Trinity, and asked several of the priests for clarification. Van Lith cited the works of Thomas Aquinas, while Mertens discussed the Trinity as explained by Augustine of Hippo; the latter told him that mankind was not meant to understand God with mankind's limited knowledge. Soegija, who found himself wanting to learn more, asked to be baptised, quoting the Finding in the Temple to show why he should not need his parents permission. The priests agreed, and Soegija was baptised on 24 December 1910, taking the baptismal name Albertus, for Albertus Magnus. During Christmas holidays, he told his family that he had converted. Although his nuclear family accepted this, and may have eventually supported him, Soegija's extended family refused to speak with him afterwards.

Soegija and the students continued their studies at Xaverius, receiving further instruction. According to Father G. Budi Subanar, a lecturer on theology at Sanata Dharma University, during this period one of the teachers taught the Fourth Commandment as relating not only to one's birth father and mother, but all who had come before; this left the students with nationalistic tendencies. On another occasion, a visit by a Capuchin missionary – who was physically quite different than the Jesuit teachers – led Soegija to consider becoming a priest, an idea which his parents accepted. In 1915 Soegija finished his education at Xaverius, but stayed on as a teacher. The following year he joined the on-site seminary, one of three native Indonesians who entered the seminary that year. He graduated in 1919, having studied French, Latin, Greek, and literature.

Path to priesthood

Soegija and his classmates sailed to Uden, in the Netherlands, to further their studies in 1919, departing from Tanjung Priok in Batavia. In Uden Soegija spent a year further studying Latin and Greek, necessary for his preaching back in the Indies. He and his classmates also adapted to Dutch culture. On 27 September 1920 Soegija began his novitiate to join the Jesuits, the first of his classmates. While on his two-year novitiate at Mariëndaal in Grave, Soegija was separated from much of the world and spent his time in introspection. He completed his novitiate on 22 September 1922 and was initiated into the Jesuits, taking their oath of poverty, chastity and obedience.

After joining the Jesuits Soegija spent another year in Mariëndaal in juniorate. Beginning in 1923 he studied philosophy at Berchmann College in Oudenbosch. During this time he examined the teachings of Thomas Aquinas. Soegija began writing on Christianity. In a letter dated 11 August 1923 he wrote that the Javanese were so far unable to discern between Catholics and Protestants, and that the best way to convert the Javanese was by deeds, not words. He also translated some of the results of the 27th International Eucharistic Congress held in Amsterdam in 1924 for the Javanese-language magazine Swaratama, and further writings were published in St. Claverbond, Berichten uit Java. He graduated from Berchmann in 1926, then began preparations to return to the Indies.

Soegija arrived in Muntilan in September 1926, where he began service as a teacher of algebra, religion, and Javanese at Xaverius. Little is known about his period teaching at Xaverius, although records indicate that he based his teaching style on that of van Lith, who had died in early 1926, explaining religious concepts in terms based on Javanese tradition. He also supervised the school's gamelan program and gardening. While at Xaverius, Soegija became the chief editor of Swaratama, which circulated mainly among Xaverius alumni. He wrote editorials that covered a variety of topics, including condemnations of communism and discussions of various aspects of poverty.

After two years at Xaverius, in August 1928, Soegija returned to the Netherlands, where he studied theology at Maastricht. He also travelled during his studies. On 3 December 1929 he and four other Asian Jesuits joined Jesuit General Wlodzimierz Ledóchowski in a meeting with Pope Pius XI in Vatican City; the pope told the Asian men that they were to be the "backbones" of Catholicism in their respective nations. Soegija was made a deacon in May 1931; he was then ordained by Bishop of Roermond Laurentius Schrijnen on 15 August 1931, while still studying theology. After his ordination, Soegija appended the word pranata, meaning "prayer" or "hope", as a suffix to his birth name; such a name change was common in Javanese culture after its bearer reached an important milestone. He finished his theology studies in 1932, and in 1933 spent his tertianship in Drongen, Belgium. That year he also wrote an autobiography, entitled La Conversione di un Giavanese (The Conversion of a Javanese); the work was released in Italian, Dutch, and Spanish.

Preaching

On 8 August 1933 Soegijapranata and two fellow priests departed for the Indies; Soegija was assigned to preach at Kidul Loji in Yogyakarta, near Kraton. He served as parochial vicar for Father van Driessche, one of his teachers from Xaverius. From the older priest Soegijapranata learned how to better address the needs of his parish, while van Driessche likely used Soegijapranata to preach to the city's growing native Catholic population.

After the St Yoseph Church in Bintaran, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from Kidul Loji, opened in April 1934, Soegijapranata was transferred there to become its priest; the church was meant to serve mainly the Javanese Catholic community. Bintaran was one of four centres of Catholic presence in Yogyakarta at the time, along with Kidul Loji, Kotabaru, and Pugeran; each major church served a wide area, and the priests from the major churches gave sermons in the furthest reaches of their parishes. After van Driessche's death in June 1934, Soegijapranata's duties were extended to include the village of Ganjuran, Bantul, 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of the city, which was home to more than a thousand native Catholics. He was also a spiritual adviser to several local groups and established a credit union for the Catholic community.

The Catholic church at the time faced difficulty retaining converts: Javanese who had converted while still students would sometimes become Muslim again after reentering society and facing social ostracism from non-Catholics. In a 1935 meeting with other Jesuits, Soegijapranata blamed the problem on the lack of a sense of united Catholic identity, or sensus Catholicus, as well as few intermarriages between native Catholics. Soegijapranata opposed marriage between Catholics and non-Catholics, and began counselling young Catholic couples before marriage; he believed that these unions helped unite the Catholic families in the city. He also continued to write for Swaratama, once again becoming the magazine's editor in chief. In 1938 Soegijapranata was chosen to advise the Society of Jesus, coordinating Jesuit work in the Indies.

Vicar apostolic

The increasing number of Catholics in the Indies led Mgr. Petrus Willekens, then Vicar Apostolic of Batavia, to suggest that a new apostolic vicariate be established in Central Java, headquartered in Semarang, as the area was culturally very different than Batavia and geographically quite distant. The Apolistic Vicariate of Batavia was split in two on 25 June 1940; the western half became the Apostolic Vicariate of Semarang. On 1 August 1940 Willekens received a telegram from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini ordering that Soegijapranata be put in charge of the newly-established apostolic vicariate. This was forwarded to Soegijapranata in Yogyakarta, who agreed to the appointment, despite being surprised and nervous. His assistant Hardjosoewarno later recalled that Soegijapranata cried after reading the telegram – an uncharacteristic response – and, when eating a bowl of soto, asked if Hardjosoewarno had ever seen a bishop eating the dish.

Soegijapranata left for Semarang on 30 September 1940 and was consecrated by Willekens on 6 October at the Cathedral of the Holy Rosary in Randusari, which later became his seat. The ceremony was attended by numerous political figures and sultans, from Batavia, Semarang, Yogyakarta, and Surakarta, as well as clergy from Malang and Lampung; this consecration made Soegijapranata the first native Indonesian bishop. His first act as vicar was to issue a pastoral letter with Willekens outlining the historical background which led to his appointment, including Pope Benedict XV's apolistic letter Maximum Illud, which called for more local clergy, and Pope Pius XI and Pope Pius XII's efforts to appoint more pastors and bishops from native ethnic groups worldwide. Soegijapranata began working on the Church hierarchy in the region, such as the establishment of new parishes.

In Soegijapranata's apostolic vicariate were 84 pastors (73 European, 11 native), 137 brothers (103 European, 34 native), and 330 nuns (251 European, 79 native). The vicariate included Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Kudus, Magelang, Salatiga, Pati, and Ambarawa, and geographic conditions ranged from the fertile lowlands of the Kedu Plain to the arid Gunung Sewu mountainous area. The vast majority of its population was ethnic Javanese, consisting of more than 15,000 native Catholics, as well as a similar number of European Catholics; the number of native Catholics quickly outpaced the number of European ones, and by 1942 had doubled. There were also several Catholic groups, mostly working in education.

Japanese occupation

After the Japanese occupied the Indies in early 1942, against which the colonial military could do little to resist, on 9 March 1942 Governor-General Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer and head of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army General Hein ter Poorten capitulated. This brought numerous changes in the governance of the archipelago and reduced the quality of life for non-Japanese in the Indies. In his diary, Soegijapranata wrote of the invasion that "fires were everywhere ... no soldiers, no police, no workers. The streets are full of burnt out vehicles. ... Luckily least there are still some lawmakers and Catholics out there. They work as representatives of their groups to ensure the city was in order."

The occupation government captured numerous (mostly Dutch) men and women, both clergy and laymen, and instituted policies that changed how services were held. They forbade the use of Dutch in services and in writing, and seized of several church properties. Soegijapranata attempted to resist these seizures, at times filling the locations with people to make them unmanageable or indicating that other buildings, such as cinemas, would serve Japanese needs better. When the Japanese attempted to seize Randusari Cathedral to use as an office, Soegijapranata replied that they could take it only after decapitating him; the Japanese later found another location for their office. He also prevented the Japanese from taking Gedangan Rectory, where he was living. He also assigned guardians for schools and other facilities, to prevent seizure. However, these efforts were not always successful, and several Church-run institutions were seized, as were church funds.

Soegijapranata was unable to prevent Japanese torture of prisoners of war, including the clergy, but was himself well-treated by the Japanese forces; he was often invited to Japanese ceremonies, but never attended, sending bouquets in his stead. He used this position of respect to ensure fair treatment of those interred. He successfully petitioned the Japanese overlords to allow nuns to work at hospitals and to not participate in the paramilitary draft. He and the Catholic populace also compiled food and other supplies for interred clergy, and Soegijapranata kept in contact with the prisoners, supplying them with news and other information.

As the number of clergy was severely limited, Soegijapranata roamed from church to church to attend to parishioners, actively preaching; this was in part to counteract rumours that he had been captured by the Japanese. He traveled by foot, bicycle, and carriage, as his car had been seized. He was also able to send pastors to other apostolic prefectures in Bandung, Surabaya, and Malang to deal with the lack of clergy there. Soegija worked to ensure that the seminary would continue to produce new pastors by appointing Father Hardjawasita, who was ordained in 1942, as its rector, and granted native priests the authority to perform marriages. To calm the Catholic populace, he visited their homes and convinced them that the streets were safe.

Indonesian National Revolution

After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the proclamation of Indonesian independence in August 1945, the Japanese began withdrawing from the newly-proclaimed Indonesia. In support of the new Republic, Soegijapranata had an Indonesian flag flown in front of the Gedangan Rectory. He and his clergy also treated injured Dutch missionaries, who had recently been released from internment, at the rectory. The Dutch clergy were terribly malnourished, and several required treatment at a hospital. Some were later taken to Indonesian-run internment camps, but the Catholics were still allowed to look after them. Meanwhile, inter-religious strife led to the burning of several mission buildings and the murder of some clergymen. The government also took several buildings, and some seized by the Japanese were not returned.

Allied forces sent to disarm the Japanese and repatriate prisoners of war arrived in Indonesia in September 1945. In Semarang, this led to a conflict between Japanese forces and Indonesian rebels, beginning on 15 October; the Indonesians aimed to confiscate the Japanese weapons. Allied forces began landing in the city on 20 October 1945; a small group was sent to Gedangan to speak with Soegijapranata. Concerned with civilian suffering, the vicar apostolic told the Allies that they must stop the battle, a wish which the Allies could not fulfill as they did not know the Japanese commander. Soegijapranata then contacted the Japanese and, that afternoon, brokered a cease-fire agreement in his office at Gedangan, despite Indonesian forces' firing at the Gurkha soldiers posted out front.

Military conflicts throughout the area and an ongoing Allied presence led to food shortages throughout the city, as well as constant blackouts and the establishment of a curfew. Civilian-run groups attempted to deal with the food shortages, but were unable to cope. In attempt to deal with these issues, Soegijapranata sent a local man, Dwidjosewojo, to the capital at Jakarta – renamed from Batavia during the Japanese occupation – to speak with the central government. Dwidjosewojo met with Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir, who sent Wongsonegoro to help establish a civilian government, installing Moch. Ikhsan as mayor. The city's government was, however, still unable to cope, and the major figures in this government were later captured by the Dutch-run Netherlands-Indies Civil Administration ( Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), or NICA) and imprisoned; Soegijapranata, although he at times harboured Indonesian revolutionaries, was spared.

In January the Indonesian government moved from Jakarta – by then under Dutch control – to Yogyakarta. This was followed by a widespread exodus of civilians fleeing the advancing NICA soldiers. Soerijapranata at first stayed in Semarang, working to establish patrols and watches. However, on 18 January 1947 he moved to Yogyakarta, allowing easy communication with the political leadership. He established his seat at St Yoseph in Bintaran and counselled young Catholics to fight for their country, saying that they should only return "once they were dead". Soegijapranata was also present during several battles that arose where he was preaching.

After the failure of the Linggadjati Agreement, meant to solve conflicts between Indonesia and the Netherlands, and the Dutch attack on republicans on 21 July 1947, Soegijapranata declared that Indonesia's Catholics would work with the Indonesian freedom fighters, in a speech on Radio Republik Indonesia. Soegijapranata wrote extensively to the Holy See. In response, the Church leadership sent Georges de Jonghe d’Ardoye to Indonesia as its delegate, initiating formal relations between the Vatican and Indonesia. D'Ardoye arrived in December 1947, and met with President Sukarno; Soegijapranata would later become friends with the president.

After the Dutch captured the capital during Operation Kraai on 19 December 1948, Soegijapranata ordered that the Christmas festivities were to be kept simple, representative of the suffering of the Indonesian people; the Dutch bombardment had damaged several buildings in Bintaran. During the Dutch occupation Soegijapranata was able to smuggle several of his writings out of the country; the works, later published in Commonwealth Magazine, described the daily lives of Indonesians under Dutch rule and called for international condemnation of the Dutch; Soegijapranata further opined that the Dutch blockade on Indonesia, aside from strangling the new country's economy, was increasing the influence of its communist groups. When the Dutch began retreating after the General Attack of 1 March 1949, Soegijapranata began working to ensure Catholic representation in the government. Together with I. J. Kasimo, he organised the All-Indonesia Catholic Congress (Kongres Umat Katolik Seluruh Indonesia). Held between 7 and 12 December, the congress resulted in the union of seven Catholic political parties into the Catholic Party. Soegijapranata would continue to work at consolidating the Party after the revolution.

Post-revolution

After the Dutch recognised Indonesia's independence on 27 December 1949, following a several month-long conference in the Hague, Soegijapranata returned to Semarang. The post-revolution period was marked by a drastic increase in enrolment at the nation's seminary; the 100th native Indonesian clergyman was ordained in 1956. However, the government enacted several laws which limited the Church's ability to expand. In 1953 the Ministry for Religion decreed that no foreign missionaries would be allowed into the country, while a later law forbid those already in the country from teaching. To deal with this, Soegijapranata encouraged eligible clergy to apply for Indonesian citizenship, circumventing the new laws.

Aside from overseeing the new clergy, Soegijapranata continued to work to ensure that Catholic children received an education and that the families were financially stable. He emphasised that students must not only be good Catholics, but also good Indonesians, and that they should learn everywhere, not only at school. The Church also began further developing its own schools, ranging from elementary schools to universities. Soegijapranata also began reforming the Church in his apostolic vicariate, making it more Indonesian. He advocated the use of local languages and Indonesian during mass, allowing it throughout his diocese beginning in 1956. He also pressed for the use of gamelan music to accompany services, and agreed to the use of wayang shows to teach the Bible to the young.

As the Cold War heated up, tensions developed between the Church in Indonesia and the Indonesian Communist Party (Partai Komunis Indonesia, or PKI). Soegijapranata believed that the PKI was making inroads with the poor through its offers for better workers' rights through a communist-led union. To combat this, he worked with other Catholics to establish labour groups, open to both Catholics and non-Catholics. Through workers' empowerment, he hoped that the PKI would have less influence. One such group was Buruh Pancasila, which was formed on 19 June 1954; the organisation was one the ways Soegijapranata promoted the state philosophy of Pancasila. The following year the Church Representatives Conference of Indonesia (Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia, or KWI), recognising Soegijapranata's devotion to the poor, put him in charge of establishing social support programmes throughout the archipelago. On 2 November 1955 he and several other bishops issued a joint decree denouncing communism, Marxism, and materialism, and asking the government to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all citizens.

There was also friction within the Church. Relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands continued to be poor, and tensions were high over the control of West Papua, historically under control of the Dutch but claimed by Indonesia. Soegijapranata firmly supported the Indonesian position and, in a letter published by the National Catholic Welfare Council, wrote that the Indonesian people continued to suffer and that the Catholic National Party in the Netherlands was responsible for souring relations between the two countries. West Papua was later annexed in 1963. Further friction occurred over Sukarno's 1957 decree that he was president for life and establishment of a guided democracy policy. A faction, led by Soegijapranata, supported this decree, while I. J. Kasimo's faction was heavily against it. Sukarno, who had a good working relationship with Soegijapranata, then asked the vicar to join the National Council, a request that Soegijapranata refused; the vicar did, however, task two delegates to join the Council, ensuring Catholic representation. This, along with Soegijapranata's support of Sukarno's decree on 5 July 1949 calling for a return to the 1945 constitution, resulted in Bishop of Jakarta Adrianus Djajasepoetra denouncing Soegijapranata as a sycophant; however, Soegijapranata was strongly against Sukarno's idea of Nasakom, which based part of the nation's government on communism.

Archbishop of Semarang and death

During the latter half of the 1950s, the KWI met several times regarding the need for a self-determined Indonesian Roman Catholic hierarchy. These discussions, held annually, touched on both administrative and pastoral issues, including the translation of songs into local languages. In 1959 Cardinal Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian visited the country to see the Church's preparations. The KWI formally requested their own hierarchy in May 1960; this letter received a reply from Pope John XXIII dated 20 March 1961, which divided the archipelago into six ecclesiastical provinces: two in Java, one in Sumatra, one in Flores, one in Sulawesi and Maluku, and one in Borneo. Semarang became the seat of the province of Semarang, and Soegijapranata its archbishop. He was elevated on 3 January 1961.

When this happened, Soegijapranata was in Europe to attend the Second Vatican Council, beginning with its plenary sessions, as part of the Central Preparatory Commission; he was one of eleven residential bishops and archbishops from Asia. He was able to attend the the first session, where he voiced concern for declining quality of pastoral work and called for the modernisation of the Church. He then returned to Indonesia, but his health quickly declined; his strength had been weakening since the late 1950s.

After a stay at Elisabeth Candi Hospital in 1963, Soegijapranata was forbidden from undertaking active duties. Justinus Darmojuwono, a former internee of the Japanese army and vicar general of Semarang since 1 August 1962, served as acting bishop. On 30 May 1930 Soegijapranata left Indonesia to return to Europe, where he attended the election of Pope Paul VI. He then went for treatment at Canisius Hospital in Nijmegen, where he underwent treatment from 29 June until 6 July; this treatment was unsuccessful. Soegijapranata died on 22 July 1963 at a nunnery in Steyl, the Netherlands, having had a heart attack shortly before his death.

As Sukarno did not want Soegijapranata buried in the Netherlands, his body was flown to Indonesia after last rites performed by Cardinal Bernardus Johannes Alfrink. Soegijapranata was declared a National Hero of Indonesia on 26 July 1963 through Presidential Decree No. 152/1963, while his body was still in transit. Soegijapranata's body arrived at Kemayoran Airport in Jakarta on 28 July, then was brought to the Jakarta Cathedral for further rites, including a speech by Sukarno, presided by Bishop of Jakarta Adrianus Djajasepoetra. The following day Soegijapranata's body was flown to Semarang, accompanied by several Church and government luminaries. He was buried at Giri Tunggal Heroes' Cemetery in a military funeral on 30 July, after several further rites. Darmojuwono was appointed in December 1963 as the new archbishop; he was consecrated on 6 April 1964 by Archbishop Ottavio De Liva.

Legacy

Soegijapranata is remembered with pride by Javanese Catholics, who praise his strength of will during the occupation and national revolution. The writer Anhar Gonggong described Soegija as not just a bishop, but an Indonesian leader who "was tested as a good leader and deserved the hero status". The Indonesian historian Anton Haryono described Soegija's ascension to bishophood as "monumental", considering Soegija had only been ordained nine years previously yet was chosen ahead of non-Indonesian priests several years his senior. Henricia Moeryantini, a nun in the Order of Carolus Borromeus, writes that, under Soegijapranata, the Catholic church became a national player, and that the archbishop cared too much for the people to take an outsider's approach.

Soegijapranata Catholic University in Semarang is named after Soegijapranata. Streets in several Indonesian cities are named after him, including in Semarang, Malang, and Medan. Soegijapranata's grave in Giritunggal is often the site of pilgrimage for Indonesian Catholics, who hold mass at graveside.

In June 2012 director Garin Nugroho released a biopic on Sogija entitled Soegija. Starring Nirwan Dewanto in the titular role, the film followed Soegijapranata's activities during the 1940s, amidst a backdrop of the Japanese occupation and later war for Indonesian independence. The film, which had a Rp 12 billion (US$1.3 million) budget, sold over 100,000 tickets on its first day. The film's launch was accompanied by a semi-fictional novelisation of Soegija's life, written by Catholic author Ayu Utami in two weeks. Several non-fiction biographies of Soegija, by both Catholic and non-Catholic writers, were also released during this time.

In Indonesian popular culture, Soegijapranata is known for his motto "100% Catholic, 100% Indonesian" ("100% Katolik, 100% Indonesia"). The motto, which has been used in the advertising of several biographies and the film Soegija, is derived from Soegijapranata's opening speech at the 1954 All-Indonesia Catholic Congress in Semarang, as follows:

If we consider ourselves good Christians, than we should also become good patriots. As such, we should feel 100% patriotic because we are 100% Catholic. According to the Fourth Commandment, as written in the Catechism, we must love the Catholic Church and, it follows, that we must love our country with all our hearts.

— Soegijapranata, quoted in Subanar (2005, p. 82)

Notes

1. Soegija's younger sister reportedly attended a Catholic-run girls' school in Muntilan until her death, which Subanar suggests shows the family supported Soegija's choice (Subanar 2003, p. 41).
2. Soemarno and Hardjasoewondo began their novitiates in 1921, along with four other Javanese. Later novitiates would be held in Yogyakarta (Subanar 2003, pp. 65–67).
3. The first Javanese pastor had been ordained in 1927 (Gonggong 2012, p. 17). Another Javanese Jesuit, Reksatmadja, was ordained in the same ceremony (Subanar 2003, p. 90).
4. In 1933 the Javanese Catholic population of Yogyakarta was 7,092, up from a total of six thirty years earlier (Subanar 2003, p. 102).
5. The second, a Timorese man named Gabriel Manek, was consecrated in 1951 as the Vicar Apolistic of Larantuka (Aritonang & Steenbrink 2008, p. 269).
6. Based on Subanar's translation from the original Javanese:
   "Di mana-mana ada kebakaran ... Tidak ada tentara, tidak ada police, tidak ada pegawai. Di jalanan pun terdapat berbagaibangkai kendaraan yang terbakar ... Untung masih ada beberapa pegawai kejaksaan dan beberapa tokoh Katolik yang tidak pergi. Mereka bekerja dengan mengatasnamakan diri dari instansiyang berwenang untuk mengatur kota agar tercipta suasana rust en order, tertibdan damai."
7. Subanar (2003, pp. 155–163) lists 109 Jesuits, 61 members of the Fratrum Immaculatae Conceptionis, and 21 nuns in the Order of Carolus Borromeus imprisoned during the occupation. Twelve pastors were ordained in the Indies in this period.
8. Between 1942 and 1945 a total of 74 pastors, 47 brothers, and 160 nuns were killed by the Japanese forces. For example, the Bishop of Maluku and West Papua Giovanni Aerts, along with eleven brothers and clergymen, was summarily executed (Gonggong 2012, p. 50). Some clergy, including Willekens, made use of the Vatican's diplomatic relations with Japan to claim diplomatic status, thus protecting themselves (Subanar 2005, p. 57).
9. Original: "... baru boleh pulang kalau mati."
10. The Catholic Party, in response to Sukarno's decree, had not sent any representatives (Gonggong 2012, pp. 117–118).
11. Original: "Jika kita merasa sebagai orang Kristen yang baik, kita semestinya juga menjadi seorang patriot yang baik. Karenanya, kita merasa bahwa kita 100% patriotik sebab kita juga merasa 100% Katolik. Malahan, menurut perintah keempat dari Sepuluh Perintah Allah, sebagaimana tertulis dalam Katekismus, kita harus mengasihi Gereja Katolik, dan dengan demikian juga mengasihi negara, dengan segenap hati."

References

Footnotes

1. ^ Gonggong 2012, p. 138.
2. ^ Subanar 2003, pp. 19–21.
3. Gonggong 2012, p. 10.
4. ^ Flinn 2010, pp. 576–577.
5. ^ Gonggong 2012, p. 11.
6. Moeryantini 1975, p. 13.
7. ^ Gonggong 2012, p. 19.
8. Subanar 2003, p. 27.
9. Subanar 2003, pp. 28–29.
10. ^ Subanar 2003, pp. 34–35.
11. Gonggong 2012, p. 14.
12. Subanar 2003, pp. 36–37.
13. ^ Subanar 2003, pp. 38–40.
14. ^ Subanar 2003, p. 91.
15. Subanar 2003, p. 41.
16. Subanar 2003, p. 44.
17. Subanar 2003, pp. 46–48.
18. Subanar 2003, pp. 52–53.
19. Subanar 2003, pp. 61–64.
20. Subanar 2003, pp. 65–67.
21. ^ Subanar 2003, p. 69.
22. Subanar 2003, pp. 70–71.
23. Subanar 2003, p. 75.
24. Subanar 2003, p. 77.
25. Subanar 2003, p. 79.
26. Subanar 2003, p. 81.
27. ^ Moeryantini 1975, p. 17.
28. Subanar 2003, pp. 82–86.
29. Subanar 2003, pp. 87–88.
30. Subanar 2003, p. 89.
31. Gonggong 2012, p. 22.
32. Subanar 2003, p. 96.
33. Subanar 2003, p. 99.
34. Subanar 2003, p. 97-98.
35. Subanar 2003, p. 103.
36. Subanar 2003, p. 105.
37. Subanar 2003, p. 106.
38. Subanar 2003, pp. 107–113.
39. Moeryantini 1975, p. 18.
40. ^ Gonggong 2012, p. 23.
41. Aritonang & Steenbrink 2008, p. 709.
42. Subanar 2003, pp. 116–118.
43. Subanar 2003, pp. 121–122.
44. ^ Subanar 2003, p. 123.
45. Subanar 2003, pp. 127.
46. ^ Moeryantini 1975, p. 7.
47. ^ Subanar 2003, pp. 129–130.
48. Moeryantini 1975, p. 21.
49. Moeryantini 1975, p. 22.
50. Gonggong 2012, p. 3.
51. Subanar 2003, pp. 131–132.
52. Subanar 2005, p. 41.
53. Subanar 2005, p. 42.
54. Gonggong 2012, p. 36.
55. Subanar 2005, pp. 44–45.
56. Subanar 2005, p. 49.
57. Subanar 2005, p. 61.
58. ^ Moeryantini 1975, p. 11.
59. Adi 2011, pp. 18–24.
60. ^ Subanar 2003, pp. 133–134.
61. Subanar 2003, p. 135.
62. Gonggong 2012, p. 49.
63. Subanar 2003, p. 139.
64. Subanar 2005, p. 59.
65. Subanar 2005, p. 67.
66. Subanar 2003, p. 136.
67. Gonggong 2012, p. 48.
68. Subanar 2005, pp. 64–66.
69. Subanar 2003, p. 140.
70. Gonggong 2012, p. 52.
71. Subanar 2003, p. 142.
72. Subanar 2003, pp. 143–144.
73. Aritonang & Steenbrink 2008, p. 705.
74. Subanar 2005, p. 63.
75. Adi 2011, p. 32.
76. Subanar 2003, p. 146.
77. ^ Subanar 2003, p. 147.
78. Subanar 2005, p. 72.
79. Subanar 2005, p. 74.
80. Adi 2011, p. 36.
81. Gonggong 2012, pp. 64–66.
82. Gonggong 2012, pp. 68–69.
83. Gonggong 2012, p. 71.
84. Adi 2011, p. 53.
85. Gonggong 2012, pp. 74–77.
86. ^ Subanar 2005, p. 79.
87. ^ Gonggong 2012, pp. 88–89.
88. ^ Gonggong 2012, pp. 90–92.
89. ^ Subanar 2005, p. 78.
90. Gonggong 2012, p. 82.
91. ^ Prior 2011, p. 69.
92. Aritonang & Steenbrink 2008, p. 193.
93. Gonggong 2012, pp. 106–108.
94. Gonggong 2012, p. 96.
95. ^ Gonggong 2012, pp. 97–98.
96. Gonggong 2012, pp. 110–111.
97. Gonggong 2012, p. 101.
98. Gonggong 2012, p. 102.
99. Gonggong 2012, pp. 104–105.
100. ^ Gonggong 2012, pp. 99–100.
101. Gonggong 2012, p. 112.
102. Gonggong 2012, pp. 114–116.
103. Gonggong 2012, pp. 117–118.
104. ^ Subanar 2005, pp. 113–114.
105. Cahill 1999, p. 51.
106. Cahill 1999, p. 195.
107. ^ Moeryantini 1975, pp. 29–31.
108. Gonggong 2012, p. 124.
109. ^ Loka 2012, Soegijapranata : A biopic.
110. Gonggong 2012, pp. 124–125.
111. Subanar 2005, p. 146.
112. Gonggong 2012, p. 127.
113. Moeryantini 1975, p. 125.
114. ^ Setiawati 2012, 'Soegija' sends a message.
115. Suara Merdeka 2003, Mengajar Umat.
116. "Semarang" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
117. "Malang" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
118. "Medan" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
119. Fiska 2007, Menghormati Pahlawan.
120. Suara Merdeka 2009, Semarang Metro.
121. Kurniawan and Aziz 2012, Hari Pertama Tayang.
122. Raditya 2012, Ayu Utami.
123. ^ Gonggong 2012, p. 140.
124. Subanar 2005, p. 134.

Bibliography

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• Cahill, Brendan J (1999). The Renewal of Revelation Theology (1960–1962): The Development and Responses to the Fourth Chapter of the Preparatory Schema De Deposito Fidei. Gregorian Theses. Vol. 51. Rome: Pontifical Gregorian University. ISBN 978-88-7652-832-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Fiska, Modesta (30 June 2007). "Menghormati Pahlawan di Bawah Guyuran Hujan". Suara Merdeka (in Indonesian). Semarang. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Flinn, Frank K (2010). "Soegijapranata, Albert (Albertus Soegijapranata)". Encyclopedia of Catholicism. Encyclopedia of world religions; Facts on File library of religion and mythology. New York: Facts On File. pp. 576–577. ISBN 978-0-8160-7565-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Gonggong, Anhar (2012). Mgr. Albertus Soegijapranata SJ: Antara Gereja dan Negara (in Indonesian) (Revised ed.). Jakarta: Grasindo. ISBN 978-979-081-803-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
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• "Mengajar Umat agar Membela Kaum Miskin". Suara Merdeka (in Indonesian). Semarang. 5 August 2003. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Moeryantini, Henricia (1975). Mgr. Albertus Soegijapranata S.J. (in Indonesian). Ende: Nusa Indah. OCLC 7245258. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Prior, John (2011). "Indonesia". In Phan, Peter (ed.). Christianities in Asia. Blackwell guides to global Christianity. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 61–77. ISBN 978-1-4443-9260-9. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Raditya, Garna (8 June 2012). "Ayu Utami Luncurkan Buku "Soegija"". Suara Merdeka (in Indonesian). Semarang. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• "Semarang Metro". Suara Merdeka (in Indonesian). Semarang. 4 August 2009. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
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• Subanar, G. Budi (2005). Menuju Gereja Mandiri: Sejarah Keuskupan Agung Semarang di Bawah Dua Uskup (1940–1981) (in Indonesian). Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University Press. ISBN 978-978-979-210-8. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Subanar, G. Budi (2003). Soegija, Si Anak Bethleham van Java (in Indonesian). Yogyakarta: Kanisius. ISBN 978-979-21-0727-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

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• 1896 births
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