The Catholic community of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a thanksgiving Mass to commemorate the two-year journey of St. Athanasius Church at the UGM Spiritual Facilities (Fasilitas Kerohanian/FasRoh) Complex. The Mass, led by Father Agustinus Daryanto, on Saturday (Feb. 21) was attended by 300 congregants, including lecturers, students, and residents of the Sekip area.
Toward the end of the celebration, Father Agustinus Daryanto symbolically cut a tumpeng and presented it to GP Daliyo Hardjosaputro, a retired lecturer from the Computer Science Study Program at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM).
As the priest overseeing student pastoral services in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), Father Daryanto expressed gratitude for the two-year journey of St. Athanasius Church at the UGM FasRoh Complex. In addition to supporting students’ academic pursuits at UGM, the presence of St. Athanasius Church serves as a shared home to nurture spiritual values.
Located within the UGM FasRoh unit, the church has proven highly beneficial, offering students a place to grow in faith. Likewise, lecturers and educational staff, as facilitators, can also make meaningful use of the facility.
“Today, we give thanks for the two-year journey of St. Athanasius Church at UGM. Throughout this journey, we have experienced God’s unfailing love and strength. We have become a faithful community that supports and cares for one another,” he said.
A lecturer at FKG UGM and a church administrator, Professor Regina Titi Christinawati Tandelilin, stated that the founders who initiated the church’s establishment, along with its administrators, have experienced how, amid both limitations and strengths, God continually guides and empowers them to become a faithful and resilient community. Through faith and love, St. Athanasius Church continues to grow and move forward.
“We would like to express our gratitude to the UGM leadership, congregants, donors, and liturgical supporters of the UGM Church services who have supported us throughout this journey,” she said.
As a church administrator, Professor Tandelilin noted that all administrators have worked diligently to ensure that St. Athanasius Church at UGM remains a warm and welcoming place for everyone, particularly for UGM students who are seeking meaning and purpose in life.
As a simple expression of empathy during its second anniversary, the church facilitated the UGM Catholic Student Activity Unit (KMK Misa Kampus) in conducting outreach programs for the surrounding community.
Students involved in KMK Misa Kampus UGM, UGM’s catholic students community, organized social services, including a blood donation drive in collaboration with Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI/Indonesian Red Cross) and dental and oral health check-ups in cooperation with the UGM Dental and Oral Hospital (RSGM UGM).
With strong support and collaboration, Professor Tandelilin acknowledged that St. Athanasius Church has become increasingly impactful in fostering togetherness and supporting the broader function of the UGM Catholic Church, as well as contributing to the student learning process in line with UGM’s purpose in establishing this spiritual facility.
“We can become salt and light within the UGM community,” she explained.
Professor Tandelilin also expressed gratitude as the Church entered the Lenten season by holding an Ash Wednesday Mass attended by 350 congregants within the UGM community.
Through Lent, congregants are invited to enter a spiritual retreat through prayer, fasting, repentance, acts of charity, simple living, and self-denial.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Jasmine Ferdian