Indonesia honours two Jesuit missionaries
Indonesia honoured two Jesuit missionary priests on Thursday for their commitment
to the development of the nation. The 2015 Mahaputera award, among the highest awards
of the Indonesian state, has been bestowed on late Dutch Fr. Peter Joseph Zoetmulder,
and German-born Fr. Franz Magnis-Suseno, on the occasion of Indonesia's 70th Independence
Day, August 17. President Joko Widodo stressed Fr. Zoetmulder’s important contribution
to preserving Javanese culture and Fr. Magnis-Suseno’s intellectual input. Indonesia’s
third-highest award is usually given to its citizens for outstanding service rendered
to the development of society and the country, but this year the government honoured
two foreigners.
Fr. Zoetmulder arrived on the island of Java when he was still a novice, just 19 years
old. Here he began to study classical Javanese literature and the ancient tradition
of the Indonesian language. In the aftermath of World War II, after a period of imprisonment
in Japanese detention camps, the missionary began educational work in the country's
first university - the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta - as professor of Javanese
language and literature, a position he retained until retirement. He died in 1995
aged 89.
He used to lecture in Javanese but also often used Indonesian with the many students
from other parts of the archipelago. Among his most famous publications are the essay
"Kalangwan", on the study of art and beauty in Javanese literature and poetry, and
an ancient Javanese-English dictionary. Fr. Zoetmulder led a simple life, living
in the parish of Kumetiran in Yogyakarta. He is buried in the Jesuit cemetery on
Java island.
Fr. Magnis-Suseno came to Java in 1961 to continue Jesuit training and studied philosophy,
theology and Javanese language in Yogyakarta, developing a deep appreciation for
the rich cultural traditions of the island. On becoming an Indonesian citizen in
1977, he added Suseno to his name. After obtaining a doctorate in Marxism in Germany
he returned to Indonesia to teach philosophy and ethics at Driyarkara Jesuit school
in the capital. Thousands of his articles and essays have been published by the national
publishers. His speeches and his thoughts on political and ethical issues have inspired
society, stimulated commitment to the common good, the protection of human rights
and social and ethical policies. His book, "Javanese ethics" and "ethics policy",
are used as textbooks in schools to explain politics and contemporary culture.
Fr. Magnis-Suseno told AsiaNews that he appreciated the Indonesia state for the award
despite his criticism of the nation’s authorities. In 2007 he refused "Bakrie award"
in protest against the Bakrie mining company that brought misery to thousands of
families, flooding the region with mudslides and forcing the population to flee their
homes. (Source: AsiaNews)
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