Pope Francis celebrates Mass with 100,000 worshippers in Indonesia

Vatican City, Sep 5, 2024 / 11:20 am

More than 100,000 worshippers participated in Pope Francis’ celebration of Mass at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday. The Holy Father encouraged the country’s Catholics to always listen to the word of God — especially in times of weariness, disappointment, and failure.  

Upon entering the stadium in a wheelchair, Pope Francis was immediately greeted by loud cheers and cries of “Viva Papa!” from a 60,000-strong crowd gathered for the Mass celebrated in Latin and Bahasa Indonesian.

Eager to see the pope who travelled over 7,000 miles to be with them in their home country, another 40,000 Indonesian pilgrims, unable to get seats inside the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, found places inside the stadium next door and surrounding areas within the main sports complex. 

Reflecting on the fifth chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel, which describes the first encounter between Peter and Jesus on the Lake of Gennesaret, the pope said it is necessary for a disciple of Jesus to first listen to and welcome the word of God.

“Let us not forget that the first task of the disciple — and we are all disciples — is not to clothe ourselves with an outwardly perfect religiosity, to do extraordinary things or engage in grandiose undertakings. No! The first step is to know how to listen to the only word that saves — the word of Jesus,” he said on the third day of his 45th apostolic journey to Southeast Asia and Oceania.

During the homily, Pope Francis said people are hungry and thirsty for the word of God and that the “human heart is always searching for truth that can feed and satisfy its desire for happiness” even during periods of darkness, confusion, or spiritual dryness.    

“Peter has come to the shore after a difficult night and not catching anything. He’s tired, he’s angry, he’s disappointed,” the Holy Father said. “And yet instead of remaining paralyzed by that emptiness, or impeded by his own failure, he says, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have have caught nothing, but on your word I will let down the nets.’”    

Drawing upon the witness and example of St. Teresa of Calcutta, whose feast day is Sept. 5, the Holy Father said the weariness and emptiness that followers of Jesus may feel in times of failure — just like the first pope St. Peter — are never reasons to despair or lose hope.

“St. Teresa of Calcutta, whose memory we celebrate today and who tirelessly cared for the poorest of the poor and became a promoter of peace and dialogue, used to say, ‘When we have nothing to give, let us give that nothing,’” he told those gathered for Mass.   

As the sun set over the stadium toward the conclusion of the liturgy, the principal celebrant, Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, archbishop of Jakarta, thanked the Holy Father for making a pilgrimage to Indonesia to bless both the country’s Catholics as well as those belonging to other faiths.  

“Your pilgrimage is surely tiring, but nonetheless you have come to visit us, bless us and our country. Not only Catholics but also our sisters and brothers of other faiths rejoice at your visit,” the cardinal said to Pope Francis.

Referring to the chosen theme of the papal trip to Indonesia, “Faith, Fraternity, and Compassion,” Surharyo said the local Church wants to fulfill the pope’s desire to live as brothers and sisters, particularly toward those who are weak, poor, marginalized, disabled, or suffering. 

“With the support of your blessing and prayers [may we] become ever more faithful and persevere in following Jesus, who went around doing good for the glory of the Lord, for the good of our nation and all of humanity,” he said before being presented with a chalice from the Holy Father in commemoration of the papal visit to Indonesia.

On Thursday morning, Pope Francis also met with beneficiaries of charitable organizations at the headquarters of the Indonesia Bishops’ Conference in the country’s capital. He reminded those gathered that each of them “are the most precious members of this Church” who have a specific contribution to give to the universal Church, the world, and their families.