Catholicism's roots in Bali

Although Catholicism has existed in parts of Indonesia since the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, the religion only began to make headway on Bali in the l930s.

Pioneering missionaries such as Father J. Kersten, Father Agustinus de Boer and Simon Buis first arrived in Bali on Easter Day l936 and shortly thereafter converted a number of people in Tuka village, around 10 kilometers north of Denpasar. Tuka has since become the first predominantly Catholic village on Bali.

A year later, as many as 72 people from Tuka and another 30 persons from Gumbrih village in Jembrana, West Bali, were baptized at the Tuka Catholic church. In a move to assist the new converts with more earthy concerns, Father Simon Buis, who was at that time head of Tuka Catholic church, made a proposal to the Dutch colonial administration and Bali's Board of Kings to request a plot of land for his Catholic congregation.

Both the Dutch administration and the Board agreed to grant a plot of land in the lush forest of Pangkung Sente in Jembrana, West Bali.

On Sept. 15, l940, Father Buis and his faithful followers made a dangerous journey to conquer the virgin forest, which was surrounded by nutmeg plants, locally called pala. The area where they settled is presently known as Palasari village, and could be a week-long journey at that time. Now, it only takes around three hours to drive from Denpasar to get there.

The words "pala" and "sari" literally mean pala (nutmeg) but it could also mean pahala or merit, while sari means essence.

So the spiritual name of Palasari translates to a Merit from Jesus Christ. The first developed village covered a 200-hectare plot of land for plantations and a 15-hectare plot of land for dwelling areas, which is currently known as Palasari Lama or Old Palasari.

When Japanese troops occupied Bali in l943, Father Simon Buis and several painters Rudolf Bonet and William G. Hofker were exiled to Sulawesi.

In May l946, Father Buis returned to Palasari and found that the number of Catholic families had increased to 100. With the rapid growth of Catholic congregations, Father Buis again asked the Board of Kings to provide him with another 200-hectare plot of land, now called Palasari Baru, New Palasari.

Despite great challenges, the Palasari Catholic community grew substantially. They soon had permanent homes and built semi- permanent worship places.

Initiated by Father Bernadus Blanken and Father Ignatius A.M. de Vriese, the Palasari community began work on a rocky hill to make way for the development of a permanent church.

The construction of the Sacred Heart Church started in l954 and finished on Dec. 13, 1958. The church was inaugurated by Malang Bishop Antonius Evaristus Yohanes Albers O. Carm. The Church was again renovated in 1992 and l994 by Father Yosef Wora and Father Ignatius A.M de Vriese.

The number of families living in Palasari village has grown very rapidly. Between l962 and l980, a large number of residents in the village became part of the government's transmigration program.

Many of them were sent to Lampung province in Sumatra and Umaha in Sulawesi.

At present, there are about 1,400 Catholics in Palasari. --Rita A. Widiadana