APOSTOLIC PILGRIMAGE
OF HIS HOLINESS PAUL VI
TO WEST ASIA, OCEANIA AND AUSTRALIA

ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER PAUL VI
TO THE PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS AND LAITY

Djakarta, Indonesia
Thursday, 3 December 1970

We would not have satisfied Our desire of meeting the great peoples of Asia if We had not included this stop at Djakarta, the capital of Indonesia. We were happy to greet the Indonesian people on Our arrival at the airport. We wish, dear sons and daughters, in this cathedral which is your temple for prayer to say a very special word to you. It is in this raising of our souls together for an act of thanksgiving to God that we are gathered here, enlivened by the same faith and the same will to bring men the good news of salvation.

We have come from afar. You know that Our concern it for all the Churches, and that Our affectionate and prayerful thought never ceases to go out from Rome to each of Our brothers in the faith. Today We are given the joy of speaking to you, Our brothers in the episcopate, and to you too, priests and religious, who represent in a privileged way the mission of evangelization entrusted to every disciple of Christ (Cfr. Lumen gentium, 17). We know your love for Jesus Christ and his Church. We appreciate your zeal for the Gospel. We tell of Our hope of seeing the truth of salvation spread wider still in Asia; it is destined no less for this continent, since the Gospel must be preached to all creation (Cfr. Marc. 16: 16). May the Lord sustain your courage. May he unceasingly increase your love.

You who are priests must appreciate the greatness of your priesthood, which makes you like Christ the eternal high priest (Cfr. Hebr. 5: 1-10). Like him, go about doing good, urged on by his love (2 Cor. 5: 14), proclaiming the Word, sanctifying your faithful people and presenting to God the needs and the prayers of all (Cfr. Hebr. 5: 1-10).

You who are religious must live in faith and in the joy of your self-giving for the good of the whole Church. May God assist you in your work, each according to his powers and according to the form of his own vocation, of implanting and strengthening the kingdom of Christ in souls and of extending that kingdom to every land (Cfr. Lumen gentium, 44).

We greet with paternal affection the Christian people. Before the world you are the living witness of the universality of the Gospel message. The Church which has the mission of spreading that message is not bound to any one race or culture; every people finds in it the principles that will raise it up, for the Church in carrying out its mission cooperates with and stimulates the work of civilization (Gaudium et spes, 58).

May God lavish his grace upon you. With all Our heart We give you Our paternal Apostolic Blessing. Semoga Tuhan selalu melindungi Saudara-Saudara sekalian!