Franciscus Georgius Josephus van Lith
Encyclopedia
Oirschot
Oirschot is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. It is situated 12 km from the city of Eindhoven and 20 km from the city of Tilburg in the province Noord-Brabant...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
who pioneered the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
mission in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, especially Central Java
Central Java
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
.
He baptized the first Javanese at Sendangsono, founded a school for teachers in Muntilan, and fought for the education of Javanese people during the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
colonial rule.
He was renowned because of his ability to synchronize Roman Catholic teachings with that of Kejawen so that it could be accepted by the Javanese societies. Today in Eastern and Central java, Catholicism is a religion practised by quite a number of Javanese and people from the Chinese ethnic group.
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, when giving a speech in Yogyakarta in 10 October 1989, said that he stood on that day at the center of the Island of Java to commemorate those who had laid the foundations of the Catholic people, Father van Lith SJ and two of his disciples, Mgr Soegijapranata and mister IJ Kasimo.
Biography
Van Lith arrived in Semarang in 1896 to study the culture and customs of JavaJava
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
. He was placed in Muntilan
Muntilan
Muntilan is a town in Central Java, on the old railway route to Magelang, and on the recent route of tourists on their way to Borobudur.It is the main market town along the western slopes of Mount Merapi volcano in central Java, within the administrative ambit of the regional government in...
in 1897. He stayed in Desa Semampir at the banks of River Lamat.
In 14 December 1904, van Lith baptized 171 villagers from the region of Kalibawang in Sendangsono, Kulon Progo. This event is viewed as the birth of the Church among the Javanese when the 171 people become the first Javanese to embrace Catholicism. The location of the baptism is now the pilgrimage center Sendangsono.
Native education
In the small village of Semampir he built a school and a church. He also begun the building of he CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
school complex in Muntilan, starting with the "Normaalschool" in 1990, a school for teachers or "Kweekschool" in 1904 and then a school for head teachers in 1906. This school for teachers was open for all native Javanese, from all religions. It started with 107 students, 32 of whom are non-Catholics.
In 1911 the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
was officially founded, the first in Indonesia, built in part because some of the school's alumni wanted to become priests. One of them was Mgr A. Soegijapranata SJ (1896-1963), who would become the Archbishop of Semarang, the first Indonesian native bishop.
The small church and school at Semampir would then develop into a complex of buildings, which was named Kolese Franciscus Xaverius in 1911. In 1948, the school complex was burned.
This education beginning in Muntilan would create Indonesian Catholic politicians, such as Kasimo, Frans Seda
Frans Seda
Franciscus Xaverius Seda , popularly known as Frans Seda, was an Indonesian finance minister in the early days of Suharto's presidency...
, amongst others.
In Klaten, van Lith tried to establish HIS
HIS
HIS can refer to:* Hangzhou International School* HIS - Hightech Information System Limited* Hospital Infection Society* Hospital information system* Hotel information system* Hybrid intelligent system* Japanese travel agent H.I.S....
. Initially the effort did not receive the permission of the Assistant Resident, because in Klaten there was already a Protestant HIS. Because of the refusal, Father van Lith proposed directly to the Resident of Surakarta (Solo
Surakarta
Surakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
). His proposal was accepted, and in 1920 HIS Kanisius Klaten was established and education activities started at houses.
Van Lith fought for the education of the native Javanese. He sent students to Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
universities and urged the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
to build colleges.
Politics
He was a member of the Education Council ("Onderwijsraad") in 1918. That year he was also elected as a member of the Commission for Hearing of the Statehood of the Dutch Indies (Commissie tot Herziening van de Grondslagen der Staatsinrichting van Nederlandsch-Indië). The commission was founded for the realization of the Dutch government's attempt to create the state rules of the Dutch Indies, which would involve both Dutch and natives. To the commission van Lith demanded a position for a native delegation in the "VolksraadVolksraad
The Volksraad was the parliament of the former South African Republic , which existed from 1857 to 1902 in part of what is now the South Africa. The body ceased to exist after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Boer War. The Volksraad sat in session in Ou Raadsaal in Church Square, Pretoria...
".
He was also recommended as member of the "Volksraad" (People's Council) by the Sarekat Islam Party, led by van Lith's close friend, K.H. Agus Salim
Agus Salim
Haji Agus Salim was one of Indonesia's founding fathers and prominent diplomats. He played a leading role in the creation of the Indonesian constitution in 1945 and served as Indonesia's Foreign Minister between 1947 and 1949.-Early life:...
. However, he was never elected to the People's Council.
During his time as member of both the Education Council and the Commission for Hearing of the Statehood of the Dutch Indies, Father van Lith fought for the causes of the native Indonesians, something which the Dutch government did not like. In 1920 van Lith returned to the Netherlands to tend for his faltering health. When he tried to return to Indonesia, he faced opposition from the Dutch government.
Return to Indonesia
In 1924 van Lith finally returned and chose to stay in SemarangSemarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
, establishing a HIS
HIS
HIS can refer to:* Hangzhou International School* HIS - Hightech Information System Limited* Hospital Infection Society* Hospital information system* Hotel information system* Hybrid intelligent system* Japanese travel agent H.I.S....
and a "Standaardschool" while teaching Jesuit novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
s. Van Lith died in 9 January 1926 in Semarang
Semarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
and was interred in the Jesuit cemetery in Muntilan
Muntilan
Muntilan is a town in Central Java, on the old railway route to Magelang, and on the recent route of tourists on their way to Borobudur.It is the main market town along the western slopes of Mount Merapi volcano in central Java, within the administrative ambit of the regional government in...
.