ICC Note:

Two-hundred Christians gathered to celebrate Mass in commemoration of the deceased, when two Muslims interrupted the celebration. The people present were threatened and insulted by these two men. At the sight of this, the police were able to remove them. Unfortunately, the men came back with another group of people and continued to disturb the celebration. Eventually the priest, Fr. Adrianus Sulistiyono, was forced to flee along with his assistant. This is not the first time Christians are threatened, insulted, or harmed for gathering in the predominant Muslim country. 

09/07/2016 Indonesia (Asia News) – Islamic extremists have forced the parish priest of St. Peter Purwosari, near Surakarta (Central Java), to suspend the Mass and to flee for his safety. Yesterday evening about 200 Christians had gathered to celebrate Mass in commemoration of the deceased. At one point, two Muslims, hidden in the crowd, interrupted the celebration threatening those present.

Celebrating Mass 1000 days after the death of a loved one is a tradition of Java Catholics, during which they commemorate their loved ones with a religious event that non-Catholics are also invited to attend. Usually the Mass is celebrated in the house of the family, but this time, given the great number of guests, the head of the village was asked for permission to use a public facility. The village chief, not a Catholic, had given approval and also sat among the faithful.

After the first reading of the Bible the two hecklers began to insult the priest and present. The police were able to remove them, but they came back with another group of people and continued to disturb the celebration.

One Catholic says: “Just after Communion they began to intimidate those present, including children, demanding that the Mass be interrupted. Eventually the priest, Fr. Adrianus Sulistiyono, was forced to flee along with his assistant”.

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