VATICAN (SE): Indonesian became the 57th language of Vatican News, it was announced on March 25. It will allow Indonesians to access information about the pope, the Vatican, and Church news from around the world in their own mother tongue, Vatican News reported on 25 March.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on March 25 at the headquarters of Vatican News and Vatican Radio in Rome, witnessed by delegations representing the Holy See’s Dicastery for Communication, the Commission for Social Communications of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia, and the ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Holy See.
Bishop Agustinus Tri Budi Utomo, chairperson of the Commission for Social Communications of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia, attended the event and described it as “a celebration of an enduring friendship, a recognition of our national identity, and a strengthening of the bridge of faith between Indonesia and the heart of the universal Church.”
The bishop added that it represents a modern form of “Good News” for Indonesian Catholics, establishing “a direct pathway to universal Church information for the Indonesian people”. He remarked, “Catholics in Indonesia and Malaysia can now hear the voice of the Holy Father and the message of the universal Church in their own mother tongue.”
Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communication; editorial director, Andrea Tornielli; and Massimiliano Menichetti, deputy editorial director and head of Vatican Radio–Vatican News; noted at the signing that the agreement will help “promote inclusivity, strengthen pastoral communication, and foster a deeper sense of connection between the Vatican and local faithful.”
According to Vatican News, they also observed that the local Church will find it a valuable resource in their efforts, and that it will ensure important universal messages of peace and fraternity are clearly presented and shared within the Indonesian cultural context.
Also present at the signing was the Indonesian ambassador to the Holy See, Michael Trias Kuncahyono, who expressed his delight at the fruition of this accord, noting that the occasion marks “a historic moment for Indonesia” and “especially for Catholics” of the nation.
