ARCHBISHOP OF JAKARTA HOPES MUSLIMS COULD SERVE AS SCHOOL OF HUMANITY

Jakarta, 13 Rabiul-Awwal 1437/24 December 2015 (MINA) – The Archbishop of Jakarta Mgr. Ignatius Hardjoatmodjo said in his Christmas message, he hoped that Muslims could serve as a school of humanity, which promotes many ways to know  and understand human thought, language and culture.

Although the official message of Christmas 2015 uploaded on the YouTube website was addressed to Christians, but the Chairman of the Commission for Social Communications archdiocese, Father Harry Sulistyo said the message was also to all religions.

“The wishes of the Archbishop to Muslims was the same as well. Hopefully, families, whatever their religion, to become a school of humanity,” Father Harry told Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) via a short message, Thursday (24/12) night.

“On the basis of humanitarian principles, we all together can be a family in the presence of Almighty God,” he said.

On the issue of threats posed by the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh) group coming up ahead of  the Christmas and New Year, Harry said, the issue does not affect the celebration every December 25.

“When the archbishop met with President Joko Widodo along with members of the executive board of KWI (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia) and PGI (Church Council in Indonesia) at the State Palace here (Tuesday, 22/12/15), the President assured that Christmas celebrations would be running safely, smoothly and peacefully, ” he said

“So these issues do not affect anything for Christmas,” he added. (L/P001/R07)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)