Dili (EastTimor). From 9 to 11 September 2024, after visiting Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, Pope Francis continued his 45th apostolic journey reaching East Timor. To welcome him at the airport was Nicolau Lobato, in addition to the President of the Republic José Ramos-Horta, and the authorities, there were thousands of Timorese along the streets, excited to see the Holy Father, 35 years after the visit of John Paul II in 1989.
Among them – with a flag that says, “Welcome, Holy Father, we love you very much. Your presence is a gift to us!” were the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of St. Mary D. Mazzarello Province (TIN), with the Provincial, Sister Evangelina Da Costa Xavier. “There has never been seen such a large crowd before these days. There are children, young people, adults, the elderly, and people of all kinds who await the arrival of the Holy Father with great enthusiasm and joy. The Country is in celebration!”, commented Sister Angelita Gomes, Councilor.
On the day of his arrival, the Sisters had completed the althar decorations and preparations for the Holy Mass at the Taci Tol Esplanade, happy to collaborate with the Government, the Dioceses, the other Congregations, and the faithful of the different Parishes. Among other things, the FMA were responsible for the sacristy of the papal entourage and worked in a synodal atmosphere with about 250 people.
Also, from 7 to 11 September, at the request of Cardinal Virgilio Do Carmo da Silva, Salesian of Don Bosco, together with the Salesians of the school and the parish, they made available the classrooms, the courtyard of their house, and the gym to host members of the choir and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist.
The event was so great for all the people, of whom over 90% are Catholic, that on the days of the visit, the State of East Timor declared 6 days of national holiday and provided pilgrims with the necessary items to ensure a good participation for all: T-shirts, water canteens, umbrellas and hats to shelter from the scorching sun.
On 10 September, after visiting the children with disabilities of “Irmãs Alma” school, Pope Francis reached the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Dili for the encounter with the Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Consecrated men and women, Seminarians, and Catechists.
Walking along the nave, the Pope stopped to exchange a joke with Sister Maria Letizia, FMA, an Italian missionary from Naples. It was “A great joy; I did not expect to be so lucky, a great grace that the Lord has granted me.”
In his discourse, he exhorted saying, “East Timor is a country ‘at the edge of the world’… and precisely because it is at the edge of the world, it is at the center of the Gospel!” He then paused on the metaphor of perfume. “Cherish this perfume, this gift of the Gospel which the Lord has given to this land of East Timor, and spread the perfume. (…) Dear sisters, dear brothers, you are the perfume of Christ! And this symbol is not foreign to you. Here in Timor, Sandalwood grows in abundance, with its fragrance that is very appreciated and sought after also by other peoples and nations.”
With great concreteness, referring to the history of the Country, he added, “Your Country, rooted in a long Christian history, today needs a renewed impetus in evangelization, so that the perfume of the Gospel may reach everyone. It is a fragrance of reconciliation and peace after the years of suffering caused by war; a fragrance of compassion, that helps the poor to rise again, and awakens the commitment to revitalize the economic and social destiny of the Country. It is a perfume of justice against corruption.”
In the afternoon, a stretch of white and yellow umbrellas to shelter from the strong sun, covered the esplanade of Taci Tolu where since the morning there began to gather about 600,000 people, arriving from Dili after a long pilgrimage, to see and hear the Holy Father, who presided presieduto Eucharistic Celebration:
“East Timor is beautiful because there are so many children. You are a young Country where every corner can be heard pulsating, exploding with life. And this is a gift, a great gift: the presence of so many young people and children, in fact, constantly renews our energy and our life. But even more, it is a sign, because making room for children, welcoming them, taking care of them, and also making ourselves small before God and one another, are precisely the attitudes that open us to the action of the Lord.”
At the end of the Celebration, he also said that the best thing about East Timor, “is its people. How many children you have! And a people who teaches children to smile is a people who has a future.” And he also warned, “But be careful! Because I was told that crocodiles come on some beaches. The crocodiles come swimming and have a stronger bite than we can keep at bay. Be careful of those crocodiles who want to change your culture, who want to change your history. Stay faithful. And don’t go near those crocodiles because they bite, and they bite a lot.”
He finally wished “Peace. I wish that you may continue having many children; may the smile of this people be its children! Take care of your children; but also take care of your elderly, who are the memory of this land.”
On 11 September, it was a day of grace for more than 3,000 young people, who left from different parts of the city to reach the Congress Center in Dili. Among them were also FMA and SDB with the young people of the Salesian works.
Pope Francis listened to the testimonies and questions, followed the dances with the hand movements, and finally dialogued with them. “Do you know what young people always do? Young people make noise; young people create confusion. Do you agree?”
He then encouraged them to smile. “I will never forget your smiles. Don’t stop smiling! And you young people are the majority of the population of this land, and your presence fills this earth with life, fills it with hope, and fills it with future.” And above all, do not lose memory, “The memory of those who preceded you and with so much sacrifice built this Nation.”
There are many other suggestions and teachings that, as a father, he left them, also by using some words in the local language tetum: to cultivate dreams, to take care of the common home, and to cultivate the unity of the family, to learn the value of fraternity, respect for the elderly, and care for the children…
“Thank you for your joy; thank you for your smile! (…) I leave this land that is a smile with your faces and with your hopes,” he told them before saying goodbye and leaving for the last stop in Singapore. (Discourse)
Sister Julia Fernandes, Provincial Secretary, who closely lived the preparation and coordination of the event, expresses gratitude for the experience of grace lived by the whole Country. “As an FMA member of the Committee that prepared the encounter of young people with the Holy Father, I felt the joy of working in synodality. We FMA have contributed in various areas. Learning from others helps to grow more in the sense of belonging to the Institute and the local Church. Moreover, our Salesian presence speaks much more than words.
This visit of the Holy Father is a great blessing for our Country and for all of us. Now all wish to share what the Holy Spirit suggested to them through the word and presence of the Pope. Together we have received the invitation to purify our culture in the light of Christ’s Gospel and, with a heart full of joy, we wish to express our gratitude for having met God in the presence of the Holy Father, a simple father for all. For me, the meeting with Pope Francis is a meeting of grace and conversion and I felt I was meeting Christ Himself. We ask him to continue praying for us, so that we can live the faith incarnated in our culture, be faithful to our vocation, and take care of our people.”
