By Mathias Hariyadi
JAKARTA — Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo of Jakarta presided over the blessing and inauguration of the new church, which coincided with the parish’s 32nd anniversary.
The inauguration marked the first time the parish community had its own dedicated church building since its establishment in 1994.
For decades, parishioners worshipped in borrowed chapels and temporary spaces, including the Budi Mulia Brothers’ Chapel inside the Desa Putera Orphanage Complex in Jagakarsa.
The new church now stands in the Desa Putera area of South Jakarta, although several parts of the wider pastoral complex remain under construction. Eucharistic celebrations have already begun in the building.
Construction started after a groundbreaking ceremony led by Cardinal Suharyo on June 16, 2023.
Jagakarsa Parish was established on May 5, 1994, through the expansion of Holy Family Church in Pasar Minggu Parish as the Archdiocese of Jakarta sought to serve growing Catholic communities in southern Jakarta. Archbishop Leo Soekoto, SJ, formally established the parish and named Queen of the Rosary as its patroness.
Although the parish had functioned independently for years, it did not have its own church building and relied on facilities owned by the Congregation of the Brothers of Budi Mulia.
Parishioners also held worship services at Bahtera Kasih Chapel and Saint Peter Church inside the Universitas Pancasila complex in Lenteng Agung.
The project at one point faced opposition from some local residents before construction eventually moved forward following negotiations.
Prior to the construction, Cardinal Suharyo designated both the relocation site for the orphanage chapel and the location for the new church building.
The church was formally blessed on May 5 and was already being used for several Eucharistic celebrations two days later, although some pastoral service facilities remain unfinished.
Siprianus Jayanapiyun, head of communications of Jagakarsa Parish, said the completion of the church was a deeply emotional moment for parishioners who had waited decades for a permanent worship space.
“For 32 years we worshipped in the old chapel with very limited facilities. Now the faithful finally have a church that is more comfortable and representative,” he said.
The new Queen of the Rosary Church can accommodate around 1,200 worshippers in its main hall and balcony. A multipurpose hall on the ground floor can host around 700 to 800 people.
One of the church’s defining features is its incorporation of Betawi cultural identity into the worship space.
Interior ornaments and statues depict the Holy Family in traditional Betawi attire, reflecting the parish’s connection to the surrounding Setu Babakan community.
“The Betawi cultural concept was chosen so that this church would have a distinctive identity and feel close to the surrounding community,” Jayanapiyun said.
The church complex also includes an adoration chapel, prayer garden, Marian grotto designed to resemble a natural cave, and an open-air Stations of the Cross pathway.
Three-dimensional Stations of the Cross statues and reliefs depicting scenes from the life of Jesus are installed on the church’s main entrance doors.
Church administrators said the nearly three-year construction process faced several challenges, including funding constraints. Still, thousands of parishioners attended the inauguration ceremony, filling the church grounds and prompting organizers to install additional tents.
“For the people here, this new church is not merely a building, but an answer to prayers that have been awaited for decades,” Jayanapiyun said.
