ASIA (Agencies): On the afternoon of September 9, Pope Francis landed in Dili, Timor-Leste, marking the midpoint of his 12-day trip to Asia, the longest of his pontificate. Prior to this, he had spent three days each in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and he will conclude his journey with a visit to Singapore from September 11 to 13.
Thousands of people lined the streets from the airport into Dili to catch a glimpse of the pope as he travelled in an open popemobile, reflecting the warm reception he had received in Jakarta, Port Moresby, and Vanimo.
During a meeting with leaders from Timor-Leste and members of the diplomatic corps, Pope Francis expressed gratitude to God for the “dawn of peace and freedom” in the country after a difficult period. According to Vatican News, he also recognised that there are new challenges to address, such as emigration, poverty, alcohol abuse, and the formation of youth gangs.
“Take care of your people … Invest in education in the family and education in the school. An education that puts the children and young people at the centre and promotes their dignity,” the pope told the gathering, which included the president, José Ramos-Horta, and the prime minister, Xanana Gusmao.
Visiting with the disabled children and the staff at Irmãs Alma school on the morning of September 10, the pope remarked, “They are our teachers.”
He emphasized, “We cannot understand the love of Jesus if we do not enter to practice love, share life with people who are most in need,” UCAN reported.
He also thanked the children saying, “They are our teachers,” adding that they “teach us how we should let ourselves be cared for by God.”
On September 10 an estimated 600,00 people—nearly half the population, attended the Mass he celebrated at Taci Tolu.
In Papua New Guinea, on the morning of September 9, the pope told an estimated 10,000 young people gathered at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, “I hope that all of you speak the most profound language, the language of love.” He warned, “Indifference is something that is very difficult, very ugly.”
A day earlier, Pope Francis celebrated Mass with 35,000 people—some dressed in traditional Papua attire—and the prime minister, James Marape, in attendance.
“Through his Son, God wishes to show us first of all that he is here and compassionate, that he cares for us and overcomes any distance,” adding that Jesus going out to the “territories of the peripheries” was an indication of God’s nearness to those who have isolated themselves from him and their fellow human beings.
Guided by the word of the Lord, I encourage you to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness… and be builders of unity and peace,
Travelling to the remote northwestern city of Vanimo, Pope Francis remarked that the local Catholic community is “doing something beautiful” and that they are not “left alone” during a speech to thousands including clergy, religious and laypeople at Holy Cross Cathedral.
Accompanied by Bishop Francis Meli, the pope observed that Catholicism arrived in Papua New Guinea through the Marists and the missionaries of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. “The mission here has never ceased,” he noted.
On September 7, referencing the country’s vast natural resources, the pope admonished politicians, diplomats, and business leaders that the country’s goods are “destined by God for the entire community.” He added, “It is only right that the needs of local people are given due consideration when distributing the proceeds and employing workers to improve their living conditions.”
Speaking to over 100,000 faithful gathered on the afternoon of September 5, who joined him at Mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, Pope Francis urged them: “Be builders of hope,” as his three-day visit to their nation came to an end, Vatican News reported.
“Guided by the word of the Lord, I encourage you to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness… and be builders of unity and peace,” the pope said.
Earlier that day, The Guardian reported that Pope Francis visited the Istiqlal Mosque where he met with Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar and representatives from Indonesia’s six officially recognised religions—Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.
The mosque sits across from the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, also called Jakarta Cathedral. The two are linked by a 38.3 metre Tunnel of Friendship which the pope called an “eloquent sign” symbolising religious fraternity.
“We all have a role to play in helping everyone pass through the tunnels of life with our eyes turned toward the light,” he said.
Grand Imam Umar emphasised the importance of peaceful coexistence in the face of global diversity and challenges such as conflict and environmental crisis.
Pope Francis noted that the mosque was designed by a Christian, Freidrich Silaban, and emphasised that places of worship are spaces of dialogue, mutual respect, and coexistence between religions and spiritual sensibilities.
“We take on the responsibility to address the serious… crises that threaten the future of humanity such as wars and conflicts… and the environmental crisis, which is an obstacle to the growth and coexistence of peoples,” he said.
Pope Francis and Grand Imam Umar also signed a joint declaration in which they called for religious harmony for the sake of humanity and Creation
Proclaiming the gospel does not mean imposing our faith or placing it in opposition to that of others, but giving and sharing the joy of encountering Christ, always with great respect and fraternal affection for everyone
At the mosque, the pope underlined that “by looking deeply… we discover that we are all brothers, all pilgrims, all on our way to God, beyond what differentiates us.”
Religious harmony has been the central theme of the pope’s trip. The day before on September 4, the first full day of his visit, Pope Francis met with bishops, priests, religious and catechists at Jakarta Cathedral where he was welcomed by Bishop Antonius Subianto Bunyamin of Bandung, president of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, according to a CNS report.
Bishop Subianto told the pope that the bishops hoped his visit would prompt Catholics to “increasingly seek an encounter with God that manifests the joy of the gospel, creates a culture of encounter in which we see others as a brother or sister, and restores the integrity of creation by listening to the cry of the poor and of the earth, our common home.”
The pope said, “Proclaiming the gospel does not mean imposing our faith or placing it in opposition to that of others, but giving and sharing the joy of encountering Christ, always with great respect and fraternal affection for everyone.”
He asked those gathered to be “prophets of communion in a world where the tendency to divide, impose and provoke each other seems to be constantly increasing.”
Pope Francis emphasised the theme of “Faith, Fraternity, Compassion” during his visit to Indonesia, highlighting the relationship between these values and the country’s founding philosophy, Pancasila. He stressed the importance of recognising one another as brothers and sisters, and the need to show compassion by supporting the marginalised and advocating for justice.
Pope Francis stressed the importance of harmony, equity, respect for human rights, and solidarity in political life. He also commented on Indonesia’s rich-poor divide, encouraging the country to continue supporting families and new births as an example for all nations
“What keeps the world going is not the calculations of self-interest, which generally end up destroying creation and dividing communities,” the pope said, “but offering charity to others. Compassion does not cloud the true vision of life. On the contrary, it makes us see things better, in the light of love.”
Earlier, the pope emphasised the importantant role of politicians in preserving national unity and promoting cooperation when “the exasperation of contrasts” threatens to divide a country, CNS reported.
Pope Francis stressed the importance of harmony, equity, respect for human rights, and solidarity in political life. He also commented on Indonesia’s rich-poor divide, encouraging the country to continue supporting families and new births as an example for all nations.
The pope elicited smiles and laughter when he observed that in some countries, “families prefer to have a dog or a cat.”
Pope Francis told Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, and the other leaders that the Catholic Church also is committed to promoting interreligious dialogue.
“In this way, prejudices can be eliminated, and a climate of mutual respect and trust can grow,” the pope said, he added, “This is indispensable for meeting common challenges, including that of countering extremism and intolerance, which through the distortion of religion attempt to impose their views by using deception and violence.”
The pope said, “The Catholic Church is at the service of the common good and wishes to strengthen cooperation with public institutions and other actors in civil society, but never engaging in proselytism, never,” he said. “It respects the faith of every person.”
