Romo Mangun's religiosity is beyond all boundaries

By Rita A. Widiadana

JAKARTA (JP): He never dreams of reaching the stars. He never feels he creates masterpieces. He never expects any reward for the things he has done.

What is important to Father Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya, popularly known as Romo Mangun, is that a piece of work must reveal its truth and beauty, and its value to humanity.

But miracles seem to follow him. Like it or not, he has received many awards for his accomplishments.

In the last two decades, Romo Mangun has received a humanitarian award from the Indonesian Legal Institute, two "most distinguished architect" awards from the Indonesian Architect Association, and an award from the Geneva-based Prince Aga Khan Foundation for his kampung improvement project along the Code river in Yogyakarta.

Romo Mangun is also a literary man. In l981, his work, Burung- Burung Manyar received the Southeast Asian Literary Award. He also wrote Puntung-Puntung Roro Mendut, Burung-Burung Rantau and Durga Umayi.

This afternoon, a committee from the Professor Teeuw Foundation is to award Romo Mangun the highest prize for his achievements in the Indonesian literary world.

The prize is aimed at encouraging local literary ambitions. Since its establishment in l992, the foundation has awarded two Indonesian scholars -- Goenawan Mohammad, poet and former editor- in-chief of banned Tempo magazine (l992), and Dr. Harry Peoze, editor of KITLV (l994). Romo Mangun will be the third recipient.

Koenadi Hardjasoemantri, chairman of the committee, said that Romo Mangun deserved this prize for his strong commitment to promoting humanitarian ideas.

Sutan Syahrir

His role model was Sutan Syahrir, Indonesia's first prime minister and a great scholar. To him, Syahrir was a truly free man, a man who had successfully freed himself from bondage, emotional, intellectual and material.

Romo Mangun's clear and original ideas in his speeches, essays, sermons, and novels spiritually enrich the people of Indonesia, Koesnadi said.

Who is Romo Mangun ?

He was born 67 years ago to Javanese nobility in Ambarawa, Central Java as Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya. Like other teenagers in the independence period, young Mangunwijaya joined the Indonesian Student Army and between l945 and l951 served in Semarang, Central Java. During his army period, he was once asked to help prepare food for Major Soeharto (now President Soeharto) on the Mraggen front.

It was his commander, the late Mas Isman, which gave his life another direction. In l951, Mas Isman and his troops entered Yogyakarta after their victory over the Dutch. The people of Yogyakarta cheered the commander. But what did the commander say? "Don't cheer me, cheer these young soldiers, for they will be useful in the future," recalled Romo Mangun.

"That speech haunts me still. I want to be useful," he reminisced. As a devout Catholic, he chose to become a priest. In l959, he joined Sancti Pauli seminary in Yogyakarta.

But that was not enough. He wanted to do more. He was asked to study architecture at Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule in Aachen, Germany. He graduated in l966.

In l978, Romo Mangun went to the United States as a fellow at the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies in Colorado.

His wide range of activities have born sweet fruit. He has many friends from different walks of life.

In a special gathering organized by Kompas to celebrate Romo Mangun's 65th birthday in Yogyakarta two years ago, his closest friends tried to reveal their feelings toward this Catholic priest.

Meeting

Attending the meeting were Moslem leaders, Hindu and Buddha leaders, politicians, scholars, artists, educators, human rights activists.

Cici Asegaf, a devout Moslem girl, said in the meeting that she was impressed by Romo Mangun's genuine attention. She was a volunteer working with the father in the kampung improvement program along Kali Code in Yogyakarta. On a very hot day, she remembered how Romo Mangun sheltered her from the heat of the sun with his own umbrella.

Andi Siswanto, an architect, commented, "As an architect, Romo Mangun has proven that he is not just a designer, but that he has mastered all kinds of architectural ideas and philosophies. His concept is reflected in works like Sendang Sono, a religious site NGGAK NGERTI - GEREJA YA..near Magelang, Central Java and Kali Code kampung improvement program.

One of Romo Mangun's best friends, Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur, chairman of Nadhatul Ulama (NU), praises him for being so consistent in his faith. Romo Mangun has successfully transformed formal religious rules into his way of life. He rarely preaches formal Catholicism to his followers. But he lets them feel it through his daily activities. "His religiosity is beyond all doubt," added Gus Dur.

Romo Mangun, Gus Dur said, opposes Church feudalism.

"All kinds of feudalism are basically discrimination. One group being superior to the others. Romo Mangun introduced a new theology which eliminates all forms of distinction and discrimination. This is Romo's great contribution to the country's religious life," Gus Dur said.

His religiosity is also reflected in his social activities. He chose to leave the church and live with the outcast community -- thieves, prostitutes, the homeless, street children living along Kali Code in Yogyakarta.

"What the poor need is dignity more than material things," Romo Mangun once said.

He succeeded in giving these outcasts a sense of self-esteem. He transformed crime-ridden Kali Code into a comfortable place for the outcasts.

Moch. Sobary, a researcher at the Indonesian Science Institute and a friend of Romo Mangun's, praised him, saying that he had disseminated Christian virtues among the Kali Code people without forcing them to become Christians. They remain faithful Moslems or devout Hindus.

When he received the Aga Khan Award for his Kali Code project, he was quite surprised that an Islamic foundation was giving such a high honor to a Catholic priest.

But one of the committee members explained that he has helped people in a country where 90 percent of the population are Moslems.

To help people help themselves is Romo Mangun's philosophy of life.