Indonesia Allocates $1.7 Million to Restore Flood-Damaged Religious Facilities

Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has allocated IDR 28.9 billion (about US$1.7 million) to restore religious facilities severely damaged by massive flash floods that struck parts of North Sumatra and Aceh in November 2025, including several Catholic facilities in the Diocese of Sibolga.

Part of the government funding will support reconstruction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Pagaran Honas, Hamente, one of the Catholic churches damaged by the floods on November 25, 2025.

The government assistance to the Diocese of Sibolga was confirmed to Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) by Fr. Purwosuranto OSC, vicar general of the diocese, during a visit to Jakarta in mid-September.

Fr. Purwosuranto and diocesan staff traveled to Jakarta to meet officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and sign an agreement concerning government funding for the rehabilitation of religious facilities damaged or destroyed in the disaster.

“My visit to Jakarta is only to assign the document as part of our mutual pact of integrity,” Fr. Purwosuranto told RVA.

The assistance followed an initiative launched in February 2026, when Suparman, then director general of Catholic Community Guidance at the ministry, encouraged the Diocese of Sibolga to submit a proposal for financial support to rehabilitate damaged Catholic facilities.

After several months of administrative processing, the government approved the proposal and incorporated the assistance into its wider disaster-recovery program for religious facilities in North Sumatra and Aceh.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction program was held September 16, led by AM Adiyarto Sumardjono, acting director general of Catholic Community Guidance, accompanied by Salman Habeahan, director of Catholic Religious Affairs.

The ceremony was attended by Bishop Fransiskus Tuaman of Sibolga, Bishop Antonius Bunyamin OSC of Bandung, chairman of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, and Bishop Sudarso, emeritus bishop of Palembang and chairman of the Board of the Karina KWI Foundation.

Government assistance will cover more than parish churches and chapels. St. Peter’s Minor Seminary in Aek Tolang, Pandan District, Central Tapanuli Regency, was also severely affected by the floods and subsequent environmental conditions.

“Not only worship buildings such as chapels and churches, but also St. Peter’s Minor Seminary in Aek Tolang,” Fr. Purwosuranto told RVA.

Officials from the ministry and the diocese visited the seminary to assess the damage. Government support there includes renovation of classrooms and improvements to drainage channels and waterways to reduce the risk of future flooding around the seminary complex.

The ministry’s officials also inspected several other Catholic churches affected by the disaster. Some facilities suffered extensive damage and may require relocation before reconstruction.

The recovery program seeks not only to rebuild damaged structures but also to make them safer and more resilient against future disasters.

For the Catholic communities affected by the floods, the restoration of churches and other facilities will help them resume Eucharistic celebrations, prayer, pastoral activities and community life after the disaster.

The Diocese of Sibolga serves Catholics in North Sumatra, an Indonesian province on the island of Sumatra, while Aceh lies at the island’s northern tip.