Indonesia Archives

Vatican asks Indonesian bishop to repay funds he allegedly stole
- Catholic News Service, Global Church
- October 17, 2017
Pope Francis approved the resignation of 58-year-old Indonesian Bishop Hubertus Leteng following the investigation into allegations that he secretly borrowed $94,000 from the Indonesian bishops’ conference and $30,000 from the diocese, without providing an accountability report. Now the diocese and the bishops’ conference want him to repay the money.
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Indonesia bishop resigns in finance, mistress scandal
- Associated Press, Global Church
- October 11, 2017
Pope Francis on Wednesday accepted the resignation of Bishop Hubertus Leteng of Indonesia’s Ruteng diocese. The Vatican sent an investigator to look into allegations that Leteng had a mistress and secretly borrowed $94,000 from the Indonesian bishops’ conference and another $30,000 from the diocese without accounting for it.
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Responding to priests, Vatican investigates Indonesian bishop
- Catholic News Service, Global Church
- August 10, 2017
The Vatican is investigating the situation in Ruteng, Indonesia. On June 12, 69 diocesan priests submitted letters of resignation, leaving their positions as episcopal vicars and parish priests and demanding that the bishop change how the diocese is run.
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Pope prays for openness, courage at close of Asian Youth Day

More than two thousand young Catholics from all over Asia took part in the 7th Asian Youth Day in Indonesia, which came a year after the international World Youth Day gathering in Krakow, Poland, last summer, which was attended by Pope Francis.

Indians carry ‘suffering and poor church’ to Asian Youth Day

Bishop Henry D’Souza told participants of the 7th Asian Youth Day in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, “the greatest challenge before the youth in Asia is to kindle hope in millions in the region who look for a ray of hope to brighten their lives and make their struggles meaningful.”

Indonesian priests seek Vatican help in row with bishop over church funds

Priests in Indonesia’s Ruteng Diocese met with the apostolic nuncio in the country asking for the Vatican to intervene in a case of embezzlement of more than $100,000 in church funds by the local bishop. The bishop is accused of misappropriating the funds for a woman he was having an affair with.