Speaking at a 2025 Christmas press conference at Jakarta Cathedral on Thursday, he said the Indonesian Catholic community has shown unprecedented solidarity in responding to disaster emergencies.
"Never in my life have I seen all churches collectively raising funds like this," Suharyo said.
He said the Indonesian Catholic Bishops' Conference (KWI) has asked all bishops to encourage parishes to hold a second collection on Saturdays and Sundays to support ongoing disaster response in Sumatra.
The archbishop added that funds collected are managed by KWI and distributed through Caritas Indonesia, which has deployed teams to provide humanitarian assistance in affected regions.
Although funds are primarily centralized, some dioceses have opted to channel donations directly to ensure immediate aid, given Caritas Indonesia’s limited outreach in some areas.
Suharyo said the Diocese of Padang handles aid in West Sumatra, the Diocese of Sibolga in North Sumatra, and the Archdiocese of Medan in Aceh.
He added that a KWI team conducted on-site reviews to assess conditions and identify needs for both short-term relief and long-term rehabilitation.
The archbishop emphasized the importance of targeted aid, noting that full rehabilitation of affected communities could take 20 to 25 years.
"Our disaster relief efforts reflect our awareness of the need to support affected communities as a form of solidarity," he said.
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Translator: M. Riezko, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Anton Santoso
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