Pope Francis met with Indonesian bishops, priests, and members of the Catholic community on Wednesday at Jakarta’s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, urging them always to share “the joy of encountering Christ” with respect for the country’s great ethnic and cultural diversity.

“Proclaiming the Gospel does not mean imposing our faith or placing it in opposition to that of others … but giving and sharing the joy of encountering Christ always with great respect and fraternal affection for everyone,” the pope said on Sept. 4.

“I invite you always to keep yourselves open and friendly to all … ‘hand-in-hand’ as … prophets of communion, in a world where the tendency to divide, impose, and provoke each other seems to be constantly increasing.”

Pope Francis expressed hope that more of the teachings of the Catholic Church will be translated into Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of Indonesia, to “make them accessible to as many people as possible.”

Hundreds of religious sisters packed inside the cathedral joyfully cheered as Pope Francis arrived inside. Sister Aurelia, who entered religious life five years ago in Indonesia with the Sisters of Notre Dame congregation, told CNA that she could die happy if she got the chance to meet the pope.

“I’m very excited. … I want to cry actually,” the sister said. “If I meet him … Jesus, you can call me now.”

In the cathedral, a priest, a nun, and two catechists shared testimonies with the Pope, reflecting on the joys and difficulties of serving in a diverse country where Catholics represent only a small minority.

Sister Rina Rosalina spoke to the Pope about the challenge of ministering in a country where more than 700 languages are spoken. 

“Unfortunately, due to distance and language barriers, sometimes we have difficulties studying the documents issued from Rome. Despite the efforts of our bishops, translations can take a long time and even when they are completed, approval for those translations take their time in Rome,” the sister said.

“We bring this to your attention, Holy Father, so that we in this distant country can be more perfectly united and in harmony with the universal Church.”

The 87-year-old pope appeared full of energy as he joyfully joked and responded to each of the testimonies on his first day of public appearances in his 11-day tour of four countries across Southeast Asia and Oceania.

“The long journey must have been tiring, but we are joyful that you are here with us,” Bishop Antonius Franciskus Subianto Bunyamin, president of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, told the pope.

“Your presence brings hope not only for the Indonesian Catholic community … but also for the diverse Indonesian nation consisting of approximately 1,300 ethnic groups and peoples.”

In his speech, Pope Francis praised the local Church’s charitable efforts and spoke about the importance of having compassion for one’s neighbors.

“Compassion does not cloud the true vision of life. On the contrary, it makes us see things better, in the light of love,” he said.

The Sisters of Notre Dame congregation, which runs schools, hospitals, and orphanages across Indonesia’s many islands, brought more than 100 members to Jakarta to see the pope.

As eager Catholics stood outside the cathedral waiting for hours to greet the pope, the sound of the Muslim call to prayer could be heard issuing from the Istiqlal Mosque located across the street, where Pope Francis will take part in an interfaith meeting with the Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar on Thursday in the country that is home to 242 million Muslims.

Baso Darmawan, a Catholic from Bogor, Indonesia, told CNA that living alongside his Muslim neighbors can also be an everyday reminder of faith.

“With the Muslims praying five times a day, sometimes I use their prayer call as a reminder for me to pray the Angelus or the Office of the Hours because the time is similar to our times to pray,” Darmawan said.

The Catholic Church in Indonesia, while a minority representing about 3% of the population, still has 8.3 million members. According to the latest Vatican statistics, the Church is supported by 5,903 priests, 50 bishops, 9,658 religious sisters, and 14,724 lay missionaries. Additionally, the Church is nurturing its future leaders, with 4,024 major seminarians and 3,945 minor seminarians currently in training.

Father Thomas Ulun Ismoyo, deputy secretary for the Archdiocese of Jakarta, described the Catholic Church in Indonesia as vibrant.

“If you come and visit Indonesia’s Catholic churches on Sunday, the Church is packed. People are coming to the Church not only on Sunday,” he said, but also are very involved in religious activities in their parishes.

Pope Francis’ meeting at the cathedral concluded with a prayer of the Hail Mary followed by the pope imparting his blessing on the congregation. Before leaving, Pope Francis briefly visited the square adjacent to the cathedral, where he offered a blessing to the faithful gathered there.

As his day in Jakarta comes to a close, the 87-year-old pope will also take time to meet with young people involved in Scholas Occurrentes before returning to the Apostolic Nunciature to rest.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I would like to conclude these reflections by repeating what St. John Paul II said when addressing bishops, clergy, and religious during his visit here several decades ago,” Pope Francis told the local Catholics.

Francis noted how John Paul II had quoted Psalm 96, “Let the many islands rejoice,” during his 1989 visit and invited Indonesian Catholics to put it into practice by “‘bearing witness to the joy of the Resurrection and in giving your life so that even the most distant islands may ‘rejoice’ at hearing the Gospel, of which you are authentic preachers, teachers, and witnesses.’”