DILI (UCAN): Some 700,000 Catholics are expected to join Pope Francis in Timor-Leste when he celebrates a Mass in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste say top Church officials.
The country is scheduled to host the pope from September 9 to 11 during his trip to Asia and Oceania with the motto: “May your faith become your culture.”
According to a report by Fides on July 31, Father Graciano Santos Barros, the vicar general of the Archdiocese of Dili, said that the motto of the visit is “an exhortation to live faith in harmony with culture”
Apart from the Mass, papal events include meetings with clergy, young people, and children.
Father Santos said some 700,000 people from all over Timor-Leste, Indonesia, and other countries are expected for papal events.
“The preparation is not only material but also spiritual,” said Father Bento Pereira, communications head of the Bishops’ Conference of Timor-Leste. He said that Church officials have prepared a special prayer for the papal visit, which is recited daily in churches, religious communities, and schools throughout the country.
The papal visit highlights “the reflection on the relationship between faith and culture,” said Father Barros.
[The Timorese are] linked to the reflection on the relationship between faith and history. The history of the nation, the history of suffering and liberation of East Timor, is intrinsically marked and accompanied by faith
The Timorese are “linked to the reflection on the relationship between faith and history. The history of the nation, the history of suffering and liberation of East Timor, is intrinsically marked and accompanied by faith,” he explained.
He said the papal visit marks the 25th anniversary of the nation’s freedom from Indonesia. During the visit, “we can look at our history with a reconciled heart, recognising the work of God who has illuminated the minds and hearts of men in many crucial moments,” he added.
Indonesia invaded and occupied Timor-Leste in 1975 after the end of Portuguese colonial rule, sparking a strong independence movement.
Indonesian authorities attempted to suppress the movement with brute military force, triggering a bloody armed conflict that left thousands killed.
The conflict ended with UN interventions, and a UN-sponsored referendum on 30 August 1999, recognised Timor-Leste as a sovereign and independent nation. The country officially regained independence on 20 May 2002.
The Catholic Church and missionaries, who backed Timor-Leste’s independence, and are highly regarded for their role in supporting the victims of the conflict.
“At that time, the nuns, priests, catechists, and religious were our guardian angels. They were always close; they shared our destiny. We prayed a lot; every decision and every event was preceded and accompanied by prayer. That is, it was a spiritual path, and they put our actions in the hands of God,” Father Barros said, adding, “Faith accompanied each of our steps, suffering and hope.”
