VANIMO (UCAN): Hundreds of Catholics from Indonesia who would otherwise miss out on an audience with Pope Francis are slated to join him in neighbouring Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste thanks to support from the government.
Authorities in Papua province, which has a Christian majority, will help some 160 Catholics join a papal event in Papua New Guinea when he visits on September 8, officials said in a statement on August 20.
Pope Francis will visit Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, and Vanimo, Sandaun province, in the country’s northwest, from September 6 to 9 visit after his trip to Indonesia [September 3 to 6].
In Vanimo, the pope is scheduled to meet the people from the diocese and attend a private meeting with a group of missionaries at the Holy Trinity Humanities School in Baro.
Yohanes Walilo, the provincial secretary’s assistant for government affairs in Papua, the step was taken because Catholics, especially in the provincial capital Jayapura, were enthusiastic about meeting the pope.
They will join a papal event in Vanimo in northwestern, said adding that the government will fund the transportation, accommodation, food and drinks for the trip.
The Indonesian Bishops’ Conference has asked each diocese to send representatives to Jakarta for the papal Mass on September 5
Vanimo is 97 kilometres from Jayapura or a two-hour drive.
“We have asked the Transportation Agency to prepare vehicles. Because large vehicles cannot pass along narrow roads, small vehicles are needed to enter Vanimo,” he said adding that those travelling from Papua to Papua New Guinea included priests, nuns and laypeople.
“We are coordinating with the Papua New Guinea government,” Walilo said.
Bishop Yanuarius Teofilus Matopai You of Jayapura, confirmed on August 21 that most of the people going are from his diocese but declined to elaborate.
The Indonesian Bishops’ Conference has asked each diocese to send representatives to Jakarta for the papal Mass on September 5. All participants are required to fund their own travels and lodgings, making it difficult for low-income Catholics.
Papua is the farthest region from Jakarta, with the cheapest round-trip air tickets costing about 7.5 million Indonesian rupiah [US$481].
The government East Nusa Tenggara province, which also has a Christian majority, will help 850 Catholics to attend the papal Mass in Timor-Leste’s capital, Dili, on September 10.
On August 20, the Ministry of Religion announced that 350 parishioners from Kupang and 500 from Atambua have registered for the papal Mass in Dili.
The officials from the provincial government said they have been working with two dioceses to help Catholics obtain passports easily.
Suparman, director-general of Catholic Community Guidance at the ministry said that the Minister of Religion, Yaqut Cholil Quomas, met with the government of Timor-Leste regarding the presence of Indonesian citizens. He also said that parishioners who were not on the list could “feel the presence of the pope by watching the Mass live via digital channels … the diocese and parishes can invite people to attend the Mass together in churches through live streaming.”
The 87-year-old pope will visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore from September 2-13, the longest apostolic journey of his 11-year pontificate.
