Indonesian Jesuits mark 55 years as an independent province

The Society of Jesus in Indonesia marked 55 years as an independent province on September 8. The anniversary commemorates the day in 1971 when then-Jesuit Superior General Pedro Arrupe formally established the Indonesian province.

Before achieving provincial status, the Jesuits in Indonesia operated as a vice province. The transition to an independent province was driven by the increasing number of Indonesian Jesuits and the expansion of their apostolic works.

Jesuit historian Hasto Rosariyanto, SJ, stated that there was no specific event or celebration held to mark the 55th anniversary. Rosariyanto, an emeritus lecturer in Church history at Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta, also noted that a book intended to commemorate the province's 50th anniversary has not yet been released.