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During his visit to Indonesia, the pope may have subtly hinted how sin can enter 'through the pocket'

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ABC News - September 6, 2024

Erwin Renaldi – Pope Francis has just left Indonesia as part of his historic, ambitious tour of South-East Asia and the Pacific.

A predominantly-Muslim nation was interestingly the first stop on his journey, the first papal visit in 35 years.

And his visit to Indonesia left a lasting impression on the population – only about 3 per cent of who are Catholic.

His main message was to promote tolerance by celebrating diversity and interfaith dialogue.

But it was perhaps his humble arrival at Jakarta Airport that resonated most, considering Indonesia's current socio-political climate.

Within hours of his arrival, Indonesian media outlets were flooded with headlines like "How humble the pope is", "The pope is wearing a cheap watch" and "Pope chooses Vatican embassy over luxurious hotel".

The pontiff's lack of ostentation also went viral on Indonesian social media platforms.

After disembarking from an ITA Airways plane, the 87-year-old was driven in a Toyota Innova, a car commonly associated with Indonesia's middle class.

Indonesia's presidential security force has confirmed that the vehicle wasn't even bulletproof, perhaps underscoring the pope's preference for simplicity.

Sitting next to the driver with the window fully open, he waved to pedestrians who responded enthusiastically.

It was this reported modesty that captivated the attention of the Indonesian people and also earned official praise from the Indonesian religious affairs minister.

"I truly admire his modesty. The pope is showing the best example of how to act as a leader," said Mr Yaqut Cholil.

The 'inappropriate' flexing of wealth

In recent years, the wealth of Indonesian officials, politicians, and celebrities has come under increased public scrutiny, considering the stark gap between rich and poor in the country.

Four officials went viral after flaunting their wealth on Instagram, leading to investigations by the Indonesian tax authorities and anti-corruption bodies, with some being stripped of their titles.

"Don't show off power, don't show off wealth, let alone displaying it on Instagram... for bureaucratic officials it's very inappropriate," said President Joko Widodo.

Religious leaders have also not been immune to the scrutiny.

Last year, a prominent ustad, or cleric, went viral after doing a tour of his 5,000 square-metre house, or mansion, on YouTube. He was accused of flexing his wealth.

'Filthy rich official' scandal in Indonesia

Ironically, public focus came upon Widodo's own family, when his youngest son and daughter-in-law documented lavish travels to the US on social media.

It became the talk of the country and last week Indonesia's anti-corruption body said they sought an explanation.

One audience member summed up the popular view, commenting on an article published by ABC Indonesia on the pope's visit.

"We need a leader with dignity, who is far from corruption, collusion, and nepotism, so that people are willing to listen to leaders who are ethical, trustworthy, and modest."

There's no doubt the Catholic Church itself is under moral and financial scrutiny, with billions of euros squirrelled away in real estate and priceless art collections.

The country's asset management body reported a 45.9 million euro profit in its annual report last year.

But the Vatican seemingly does not shy away from criticism, admitting that sex scandals "significantly weaken the church's moral credibility".

It's also criticised the "conspicuously lavish lifestyle" of some Catholics, and suspended the derisively-termed "bishop of bling".

While it is arguable if modesty is a defining feature of Pope Francis, he is often credited with "pulling the papacy out of the palace and into the streets".

"It's been a trademark, really, of his pontificate that Pope Francis has emphasised simplicity, modesty, humility, particularly in solidarity with the poor," according to Joel Hodge, national head of the school of theology at the Australian Catholic University.

Pope Francis is "different" in the way he makes a concerted effort to demonstrate simplicity and "de-emphasise the kind of royal grandiose character" of the office that was reinforced by his medieval predecessors, the associate professor added.

During a meeting at the Jakarta Cathedral, also known as the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, Pope Francis remarked that although Indonesia was a country rich in natural resources, this wealth could lead to arrogance in its people if they viewed life through a materialistic lens.

Being rich and wealthy was not sinful, but Dr Hodge noted that sin can come "through the pocket".

But he said the bigger question was, how do we gain our wealth? And how do we use it?

"Having too much money and power can be a temptation to lord it over other people," he said.

Many Indonesians would like the country's leaders to take this message to heart.

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-06/indonesia-praised-the-modesty-demonstrated-by-pope-francis/10431482

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