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View all search resultsJakarta archbishop urges ecological repentance in Christmas reflection
Jakarta Archbishop Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo urges reflection on human responsibility in the devastating flood and landslides that hit three Sumatra provinces.
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Jakarta Archbishop Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo delivers a message on Dec. 25, 2025, during a Pontifical Christmas Mass at the Jakarta Cathedral in Central Jakarta. The Jakarta Cathedral held the 2025 Pontifical Christmas Mass under the theme “God Is Present to Save the Family,” encouraging the faithful to reflect on the role of families in addressing various social issues in society. (Antara/Bayu Pratama S)
J
akarta Archbishop Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo has called for deeper reflection on environmental damage and human responsibility for the recent devastating floods and landslides in northern Sumatra, highlighting the need for what he described as “ecological repentance”.
Speaking after the Christmas Mass at the Jakarta Cathedral on Thursday, Cardinal Suharyo called for greater human responsibility toward the environment, saying recent disasters in Sumatra cannot be attributed solely to natural factors.
“The disasters we experienced were not only caused by natural factors, but also by human actions that damage the environment,” Suharyo said, as quoted by Kompas.com.
He described environmental degradation as a complex global problem, citing excessive energy consumption and the issuance of permits for natural resource exploitation without proper environmental impact assessments.
Citing Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, Suharyo referred to the Earth as a “common home” and warned that environmental destruction caused by powerful and wealthy groups is often borne by the poor and vulnerable.
Flash floods and landslides in three northern Sumatra provinces, triggered by Tropical Cyclone Senyar that made landfall in the country’s westernmost island on Nov. 25, have claimed at least 1,129 lives and displaced more than 500,000 people, according to official figures as of Thursday.
Environmentalists and experts have noted that years of widespread deforestation and illegal logging around flood-hit areas in Sumatra, driven largely by the approval of hundreds of permits to extract resources, have exacerbated the ecological disaster, leading to a higher death toll.
President Prabowo Subianto called this year’s Christmas a moment to strengthen national unity and solidarity, urging everyone to extend compassion and support for those still struggling to recover from the devastating disaster.
“May our fellow citizens in affected areas be protected by Almighty God, and may their suffering be eased. Let us also continue to work hard to overcome the challenges faced by our brothers and sisters,” the President said in a statement on Thursday.
The Cardinal also called for a “national repentance” during Thursday’s sermon, urging public officials to reflect on their duties to the public following a surge in arrests by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over the past year.
