Theme: “Healthy, Friendly, and a Blessing: Indonesian Children.”
It was a bright morning at our community, St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish. Parents had already gathered in the church courtyard, arriving with their children who would participate in the Archdiocese of Jakarta Children’s Day (Hari Anak Keuskupan Agung Jakarta or HA KAJ) celebration.
This time, 12 children from our parish, accompanied by 3 animators, had the opportunity to attend this special event. At 7 AM, we set off enthusiastically for the Ciputra Artpreneur Theater in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Upon arriving, the children’s excitement grew even more. They were divided into three categories: Kindergarten, Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3), and Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6).
From our parish, Jeslyn and Lionel represented the Kindergarten category, while Gaby, Mika, Jill, Arsha, and Leticia joined the Lower Elementary category. For the Upper Elementary group, Javier, Arnold, Viany, Ansel, and Ivana represented them. All of them were eager and couldn’t wait to follow the event’s activities.
This event was organized by the Archdiocese of Jakarta (KAJ) in collaboration with the SP Global Movement as part of the celebration of World Children’s Day. With the theme “Healthy, Friendly, and a Blessing: Indonesian Children,” the event invited children to unite, be creative, and become blessings for others. Impressively, around 1000 children from 68 parishes in the Archdiocese of Jakarta attended, accompanied by hundreds of enthusiastic chaperones.
The highlight of the event was the Eucharistic Celebration, led by Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo. In his homily, he expressed his gratitude to the children for bringing joy and spreading the Gospel message in their unique way—through song and service.
“You are the fresh face of the Church. When you unite, you will surely move forward because you are children of God,” said Cardinal Suharyo, filled with pride for the children actively participating.
Besides the Mass, the event also featured various fun and interactive activities. One memorable moment was when the children from the deanery representatives placed handprints on a statue, symbolizing their solidarity and togetherness. Additionally, there was a celebration of gratitude for the installation of Mgr. Suharyo as Cardinal, marked by the cutting of a cake.
The event ran smoothly, thanks to the hard work of over 500 dedicated committee members. The Church’s care for children also received full support from the Vatican. Even the Compassion Cross, blessed by Pope Francis, was present as a symbol of love and attention to children worldwide.
This year’s KAJ Children’s Day truly serves as a reminder that children are the present of the Church and the leaders of the future. “Who knows, from here, we might see future Parish Council members or Youth Ministry leaders,” joked one of the priests at the end of the event.
May the spirit of KAJ children and Gonzaga children continue to be a blessing and a source of hope for us all!
Fr. Willy Ng Pala, CSsR.
