During the latter half of the 1950s, the KWI met several times to discuss the need for a self-determined Indonesian Roman Catholic hierarchy.
At these annual meetings, they touched on administrative and pastoral issues, including the translation of songs into Indonesian languages.
In 1959 Cardinal Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian visited the country to see the Church's preparations.
The KWI formally requested their own hierarchy in a May 1960 letter; this letter received a reply from Pope John XXIII dated 20 March 1961, which divided the archipelago into six ecclesiastical provinces: two in Java, one in Sumatra, one in Flores, one in Sulawesi and Maluku, and one in Borneo.
Semarang became the seat of the province of Semarang, and Soegijapranata its archbishop.
He was elevated on 3 January 1961.

When this happened, Soegijapranata was in Europe to attend the Second Vatican Council as part of the Central Preparatory Commission; he was one of eleven diocesan bishops and archbishops from Asia.
He was able to attend the first session, where he voiced concerns about declining quality of pastoral work and called for the modernisation of the Church.
He then returned to Indonesia, but his health, poor since the late 1950s, quickly declined.

After a stay at Elisabeth Candi Hospital in Semarang in 1963, Soegijapranata was forbidden from undertaking active duties.
Justinus Darmojuwono, a former internee of the Japanese army and vicar general of Semarang since 1 August 1962, served as acting bishop.
On 30 May 1963 Soegijapranata left Indonesia for Europe to attend the election of Pope Paul VI.
Soegijapranata then went to Canisius Hospital in Nijmegen, where he underwent treatment from 29 June until 6 July; this was unsuccessful.
He died on 22 July 1963, at a nunnery in Steyl, the Netherlands, having had a heart attack shortly before his death.

As Sukarno did not want Soegijapranata buried in the Netherlands, his body was flown to Indonesia after last rites were performed by Cardinal Bernardus Johannes Alfrink.
Soegijapranata was declared a National Hero of Indonesia on 26 July 1963, through Presidential Decree No.
152/1963, while his body was still in transit.
Soegijapranata's body arrived at Kemayoran Airport in Jakarta on 28 July and was brought to the Jakarta Cathedral for further rites, including a speech by Sukarno, presided by Bishop of Jakarta Adrianus Djajasepoetra.
The following day Soegijapranata's body was flown to Semarang, accompanied by several Church and government luminaries.
He was buried at Giri Tunggal Heroes' Cemetery in a military funeral on 30 July, after several further rites.
Darmojuwono was appointed as the new archbishop in December 1963; he was consecrated on 6 April 1964 by Archbishop Ottavio De Liva.
During the latter half of the 1950s, the KWI met several times to discuss the need for a self-determined Indonesian Roman Catholic hierarchy. At these annual meetings, they touched on administrative and pastoral issues, including the translation of songs into Indonesian languages. In 1959 Cardinal Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian visited the country to see the Church's preparations. The KWI formally requested their own hierarchy in a May 1960 letter; this letter received a reply from Pope John XXIII dated 20 March 1961, which divided the archipelago into six ecclesiastical provinces: two in Java, one in Sumatra, one in Flores, one in Sulawesi and Maluku, and one in Borneo. Semarang became the seat of the province of Semarang, and Soegijapranata its archbishop. He was elevated on 3 January 1961.
When this happened, Soegijapranata was in Europe to attend the Second Vatican Council as part of the Central Preparatory Commission; he was one of eleven diocesan bishops and archbishops from Asia. He was able to attend the first session, where he voiced concerns about declining quality of pastoral work and called for the modernisation of the Church. He then returned to Indonesia, but his health, poor since the late 1950s, quickly declined.
After a stay at Elisabeth Candi Hospital in Semarang in 1963, Soegijapranata was forbidden from undertaking active duties. Justinus Darmojuwono, a former internee of the Japanese army and vicar general of Semarang since 1 August 1962, served as acting bishop. On 30 May 1963 Soegijapranata left Indonesia for Europe to attend the election of Pope Paul VI. Soegijapranata then went to Canisius Hospital in Nijmegen, where he underwent treatment from 29 June until 6 July; this was unsuccessful. He died on 22 July 1963, at a nunnery in Steyl, the Netherlands, having had a heart attack shortly before his death.
As Sukarno did not want Soegijapranata buried in the Netherlands, his body was flown to Indonesia after last rites were performed by Cardinal Bernardus Johannes Alfrink. Soegijapranata was declared a National Hero of Indonesia on 26 July 1963, through Presidential Decree No. 152/1963, while his body was still in transit. Soegijapranata's body arrived at Kemayoran Airport in Jakarta on 28 July and was brought to the Jakarta Cathedral for further rites, including a speech by Sukarno, presided by Bishop of Jakarta Adrianus Djajasepoetra. The following day Soegijapranata's body was flown to Semarang, accompanied by several Church and government luminaries. He was buried at Giri Tunggal Heroes' Cemetery in a military funeral on 30 July, after several further rites. Darmojuwono was appointed as the new archbishop in December 1963; he was consecrated on 6 April 1964 by Archbishop Ottavio De Liva.
Albertus Soegijapranata