JAKARTA (UCAN): The president of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference [KWI], Bishop Antonius Subianto, called on Catholic professionals and entrepreneurs to deepen their spiritual lives and become “beacons of hope and compassion” in the world of business.
Speaking during a Eucharistic celebration at the KWI Building in Jakarta in the second week of June, Bishop Subianto addressed dozens of members of Profesional Usahawan Katolik [PUKAT] Nasional—Indonesia’s national network of Catholic professionals and businesspeople—who had gathered for a two-day national meeting.
Bishop Subianto centred his homily on the gospel story from Luke 5:1–11, in which Jesus encounters Simon Peter and his companions cleaning their nets after a fruitless night of fishing, and calls them to be his disciples
He emphasised how their obedience to Jesus’ instruction to cast their nets on the right side of the boat led to a miraculous catch.
“Casting the net on the right symbolises acting in dependence on divine strength,” the bishop said, reflecting on the spiritual significance of the act. He added that, “without silence and reflection, it is difficult to receive God’s guidance in daily life.”
The real challenge now is: how do we build a community that truly reflects the values of the Kingdom of God?
Father Adrian Adirejo
Bishop Subianto urged the members of PUKAT to practice “nang-ning-nung,” a term he described as “being still, silent, and reflective,” in order to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit amid their busy lives.
As president of KWI, Bishop Subianto also underlined the importance of living out the Catholic faith through concrete actions in professional and entrepreneurial work.
He likened this to tuning a radio to the right frequency, saying, “the next step is to seek life tuning—to centre one’s life and work on Jesus himself, as the compass and guiding reference in our service and mission in the world of business.”
PUKAT’s theological advisor, Dominican Father Adrian Adirejo, echoed these sentiments and encouraged members to become “agents of goodness in the business world.”
Delivering a message based on the gathering’s theme, “A Mission of Goodness Rooted in Pure and Generous Hearts,” Father Adirejo, the first Indonesian Dominican priest, challenged professionals to be “witnesses of the Kingdom of God in their respective environments.”
He emphasised that unity among Catholic professionals should not be seen merely as a strategy, but as a sacred calling in itself.
“This shows that we’re not just structurally active, but spiritually growing,” he said. “The real challenge now is: how do we build a community that truly reflects the values of the Kingdom of God?”
Quoting from Dilexit Nos [he loved us], the 2024 encyclical of the late Pope Francis, Father Adirejo reminded the gathering that “we cannot bring the Kingdom to others if it hasn’t taken root in our own hearts. Service without prayer is hollow. But prayer without action is incomplete. Both must go hand in hand.”
Drawing on contemporary insights from Harvard University’s Professor Arthur C. Brooks, he warned against chasing “money, pleasure, power, and fame,” adding that “none of this guarantees true happiness.”
He concluded by quoting St. Thomas Aquinas: “Non nisi te, Domine”—“Nothing but you, Lord.”
