By Mathias Hariyadi
In late Nov 2025, church workers, medical professionals, and pro-life advocates from across Indonesia gathered in Jakarta and online for the 4th National Workshop of the Forum Komunikasi Penyayang Kehidupan (FKPK), a meeting that marked a turning point in how the Catholic Church in Indonesia seeks to respond to unwanted pregnancies.
Held on Nov 29–30 at the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI) headquarters and via Zoom, the workshop carried the theme, “You Knit Me Together in My Mother’s Womb; Protect and Safeguard Me.” It was designed not as a stand-alone event but as a continuation of commitments made four years earlier.
The gathering followed the 3rd FKPK National Workshop in 2021, which had recommended the creation of pastoral services for Unwanted Pregnancies, locally known as Kehamilan Tak Diinginkan (KTD), as a concrete response to abortion and related social challenges. By 2025, the focus had shifted from recommendation to implementation.
Organizers said the workshop concentrated on forming and strengthening networks of KTD services across dioceses, linking pastoral care with medical, psychological, and social support. The goal was to help dioceses understand existing models and to encourage the development of similar programs at the local level.
Participants came from a wide range of church and social institutions. They included representatives of dioceses throughout Indonesia, particularly diocesan Family Commissions, FKPK members, Catholic hospitals and clinics, shelters and safe houses, Catholic orphanages, and pro-life advocacy groups.
Attendance reflected sustained interest in the issue. On the first day, 49 participants joined onsite and about 130 online. On the second day, 38 attended in person, and roughly 50 participated virtually.
Continue reading in LiCAS.news.
