A tribute to the Holy Father, Pope Francis
The passing of the Holy Father Pope Francis, or Jorge Mario Bergoglio, on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, left very personal and deep memories. We, (Feliks Erasmus Arga and A. Alfian Ferry Setiawan) recall one of the moments of a private audience with the Jesuits on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, during his apostolic visit in Indonesia. His visit left a truly impressive, deep, touching, and moving message. One of them is Pope Francis’ original response to Aksi Kamisan (Thursday Movement) that was voiced during the private audience. Pope Francis said, “We must give voice to those who are voiceless to speak out (victims of gross human rights violations). Remember, this is our duty: to fight for justice, like the mothers on Plaza de Mayo in Argentina who braved the cruelty of the dictatorship for the sake of truth and justice. We must always fight for justice.”
Initiative and Mission
Pope Francis has a private audience with Jesuits during his apostolic visit to Indonesia. As a Jesuit, he always makes time for these familial gatherings with his fellow Jesuits. In connection with this, an initiative to raise awareness about Aksi Kamisan (Thursday Movement) during the private audience comes up. The goal was to inform the Pope about a movement in Indonesia inspired by the mothers from Plaza de Mayo in Argentina, which he knows well from his time as a bishop in Buenos Aires.
This initiative came from Mrs. Maria Katarina Sumarsih and her friends, who wanted to send a letter to Pope Francis regarding Aksi Kamisan. After discussing the idea with Pater Benedictus Hari Juliawan, the Superior of the Indonesian Jesuits, they learned that Bu Sumarsih had contacted him about delivering the letter. Fr. Juliawan supported the idea, and they received a mission from him to present the letter to Pope Francis during the private audience.
Voicing Out Aksi Kamisan
On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at the Nunciature or Vatican Embassy in Jakarta, we were asked to introduce ourselves before handing a letter to Pope Francis. We explained that we wanted to deliver a letter from Mrs. Sumarsih, whose son Bernardinus Realino Norma Irmawan was a victim of injustice of Semanggi I tragedy of 1998. Mrs. Sumarsih is also one of the initiators of Aksi Kamisan, inspired by the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo movement. After hearing our message, Pope Francis responded simply but meaningfully. Below is a quote from Pope Francis, written in the meeting transcript with the Jesuits and published by Father Antonio Spadaro, S.J. on La Civilta Cattolica that is freely translated as follows.
“Did you know that the president of the Plaza de Mayo movement came to see me? I was touched and helped a lot when I talked to her. She encouraged me to give a voice to the voiceless. This is our duty (as Jesuits): to give voice to the voices of the voiceless. Remember: this is our duty. The situation under the Argentine dictatorship is very difficult, and these women, these mothers, are fighting for justice. Always strive to fight for justice!”
After voicing Aksi Kamisan and Mrs. Sumarsih, the Holy Father asked us both to come forward to hand over the letter. To our surprise, Pope Francis straightly opened the letter and read it briefly, “Ahh, Marta Taty Almeida. She came to me before she died.” The Pope said this while pointing to the name Mrs. Sumarsih had given in the letter. Instantly, the Nunciatura erupted in applause from the 200 or so Jesuits who attended the audience. The handover of the letter ended with a handshake with Pope Francis.
Pope Francis, Plaza de Mayo, and Aksi Kamisan
At the end of 2022, Pope Francis wrote a letter to the mothers of Plaza de Mayo to honor Hebe de Bonafini, a founder of Asociación Madres de Plaza de Mayo, who passed away on November 20, 2022. In his letter, the Pope prayed for the mothers as “Mothers of Memory,” who keep the collective memory alive to prevent the legacy of tragedy and impunity. He expressed deep sorrow for de Bonafini’s death, highlighting her struggle and bravery. Pope Francis also supported Aksi Kamisan, urging continued efforts in memory and justice, reminding that the struggle is driven by hope and love despite despair.
Pope Francis and the Advocacy for Justice and Peace
Pope Francis is shaped by life experiences, leading to his strong commitment to justice. This commitment developed through various roles, including his mission as a provincial, rector, archbishop, cardinal, and pope. His support for the mothers of Plaza de Mayo and visits to migrants, refugees, and disabled children illustrate his dedication. He also addressed issues like the Rohingya crisis and the suffering of Uyghur minorities. His papal documents encourage people, even non-Catholics, to embrace justice rooted in love.
In the midst of global turmoil, Pope Francis’s message and commitment to justice look toward a hopeful future, aspiring for world peace. Even in his later years, he reached out to people in Gaza via video call, offering simple greetings and peace. He also called for an end to the ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing justice as the foundation of his papacy and urging us to reflect on his profound legacy.
Finally, This is Our Mission
“Finally, this is our mission!” Pope Francis exclaimed in response to Aksi Kamisan which has been carried out faithfully for more than 18 years and more than 850 actions, has now become even more visible. Not only is it a space for victims of gross human rights violations to make demands, but more and more young people from high schools and university students are participating in Aksi Kamisan. They take part in peaceful actions by staying in front of the palace, followed by reflections, speeches, open lectures or performances of arts and humanities, such as poetry, songs, and theater as a moral appeal to this country. One of the college students once testified, “Kamisan became a space for me to get history lessons that I didn’t get at school. I also meet directly with historical figures of the past who become reflections for the present.”
Pope Francis emphasized that we always have to fight for justice. Jesuits and good people need to continue this legacy by involving more young people in the struggle for justice. Aksi Kamisan is an important civic education space for justice. Pope Francis is a role model for the marginalized and is committed to justice out of love. Thank you, Pope Francis, for your examples, and pray for us to continue to fight for justice.
Contributor: Sch Feliks Erasmus Arga, S.J. dan A A Ferry Setiawan, S.J.
