- ISSN: 2212-4810
- E-ISSN: 2212-6465
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f The Catholic Church and the covid-19 Pandemic
Case Study of Bishop Ordination in Ruteng, Flores, Indonesia
- Amsterdam University Press
- Source: Journal of Law, Religion and State, Volume 8, Issue 2-3, Dec 2020, p. 298 - 308
Abstract
Abstract
This paper explores the connection between the activity of Catholic Church and the covid-19 pandemic through the case of a bishop ordination held in Ruteng, Indonesia. The ordination Mass took place on March 19, 2020, against the background rising numbers of covid-19 cases globally and in Indonesia. The Mass, which was attended by four thousand participants, led to criticisms of the Catholic Church in Ruteng. The Church was accused of jeopardizing the health of the community and failing to adhere to government advisories. It was labeled as selfish and stubborn. This paper discusses the urgency of both the covid-19 situation in Indonesia and of the bishop ordination in Ruteng. Ordination of a new bishop symbolizes a climax in the journey of the Catholic Church in Ruteng. It is a resolution of past conflicts and controversies in the history of the Church in the region. The Church needed ordination as a way of gaining power and legitimacy.
