THE ROLE OF THE ARCHIPELAGO OF SEMARANG MONSIGNOR ROBERTUS RUBIYATMOKO IN INCREASING THE POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF CATHOLIC YOUTH IN SEMARANG CITY FOR THE PERIOD 2024 – 2025

Abstract

Monsignor Robertus Rubiyatmoko is the leading pastor of the Catholic Church in a region. Monsignor Robertus Rubiyatmoko, commonly known as the Bishop, works in the Archdiocese of Semarang. As the main shepherd for Catholics in the Diocese, the Bishop is a spiritual leader in spiritual life. In addition, the Bishop also plays a role in several aspects of Catholic life, including in the social, political and community fields. The Catholic Church provides a movement forum in the form of community organizations formed with the approval of the Bishop. In the city of Semarang, there are several Catholic Community Organizations (ORMASKAT) that have been established, one of which is the Semarang City Branch of the Catholic Youth. Catholic Youth is present as the estuary of social, political, and community movements for young Catholics (OMK) in several Churches or Parishes in the city of Semarang. The purpose of this study is that researchers want to see the extent of the role of Monsignor Robertus Rubiyatmoko and what challenges are experienced in order to increase the political participation of Catholic Youth in the city of Semarang in the period 2024-2025. In more depth, this study provides what strategies the Bishop has taken in the process of increasing the political participation of young Catholics. And what steps have been explicitly taken by the Bishop to stimulate the political participation of the Catholic Youth of Semarang City. This is interesting because the Priestly Promise received by the Bishop from the Holy See of the Vatican is expected not to play a role in political conditions. Thus, there is a movement maneuver carried out by the Bishop to his People so as not to appear apolitical. Therefore, this study uses role theory, and the theory of the role of religious leaders in politics uses an integralistic paradigm by looking at the extent of the relationship between state and religion. .. This study can then explain that Monsignor Robertus Rubiyatmoko played a role in increasing the political participation of Catholic Youth in Semarang City during the 2024-2025 period with several strategies or approaches, namely through the Pastoral Letter, Basic Direction of the Archdiocese of Semarang, Church Social Teachings in 2025, INSPIRASI Magazine, Catholic Candidate Catalog Program in the 2024 Regional Head Elections (Pilkada), and the Social, Political and National Program. And found several obstacles experienced by the Bishop in the process of increasing the political participation of Catholic Youth, namely Catholic Youth who seem apolitical, and the lack of political participation improvement programs from the Archdiocese of Semarang. Thus, the researcher provides suggestions and recommendations to answer the challenges faced by the Archbishop of Semarang Monsignor Robertus Rubiyatmoko in the form of; programs to increase political literacy of Catholic Youth, optimization of media and communication, strengthening collaboration with ORMASKAT, and evaluation of the Church's participatory strategy. Keywords: Role, Monsignor Robertus Rubiyatmoko, Archbishop of Semarang, Political Participation, Catholic Youth.