Indonesian bishops issue pastoral letter on corruption

The Catholic Church of Indonesia has issued a pastoral letter reiterating its commitment to fight rampant corruption in the country.  The 45-page pastoral letter of the Bishops' Conference of Indonesia (KWI) was released by Bishop Dominikus Saku of Atambua, chairman of the Bishops' Commission for Justice, Peace and Pastoral for Migrant People on May 31, in Jakarta.  "The fight against corruption must continue, be done systematically, strategically, tactically and on great scale," Bishop Saku told UCANEWS. 

According to Transparency International, the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption, Indonesia is ranked a lowly 90th out of 176 countries in the corruption perception index.  

Father Siprianus Hormat, executive secretary of the Bishops' Conference of Indonesia, said the letter describes the actions every Catholic should take to combat corruption through personal and collective commitments. 

Yudas Sabbagalet, Mentawai district head in North Sumatra, said "The Catholic Church's stern attitude reminds us we must withstand every temptation of corruption and inspires us to develop good governance practices."   Meanwhile, Arman Suparman, a researcher at Regional Autonomy Watch, said the pastoral letter is important since corruption is rife, especially in government institutions.  Suparman cautioned that the Church must also set a good example by fighting corruption within its hierarchy and every diocese or parish should prioritize transparency in financial management.  "It is not enough to simply issue this pastoral letter. The good shepherd must make this their way of life in order to combat corruption," he said.  (Source: UCANEWS)