Pope to people of Timor-Leste: Let your faith be your culture!

By Christopher Wells

After more than a quarter century of conflict as the country strove for independence, Timor-Leste “has been able to rise again”, Pope Francis said on Monday, “finding a path to peace and the beginning of a new phase of development, of improved living conditions, and of appreciation on all levels of the unspoiled splendour of this land and its natural and human resources”.

A new dawn of peace and freedom

Speaking with political leaders, representatives of civil society, and members of the diplomatic corps shortly after his arrival in Dili, Pope Francis gave thanks to God for the “dawn of peace and freedom” that has finally dawned in Timor-Leste after a period of “dark and difficult days”.

The Pope emphasized that the Timorese people never lost hope during the “dramatic” period of the struggle for independence, and praised their “assiduous efforts to achieve full reconciliation with [their] brothers and sisters in Indonesia”.

At the same time, he prayed that God might grant “that in other conflicts in various parts of the world, the desire for peace and purification might prevail”.

New challenges

While noting the “new horizons” that have opened up for the country, Pope Francis also acknowledged “new challenges to face and new problems to solve”, including emigration; poverty, especially in rural areas; the abuse of alcohol; and the formation of gangs of young people.

“That”, he said, “is why I want to say: May the faith, which has enlightened and sustained you in the past, continue to inspire your present and future”.

And he encouraged them in Portuguese, saying, “Que a vossa fè seja a vossa cultura” (“May your faith be your culture”, adding, “may it inspire principles, projects and choices in conformity with the Gospel”.

The importance of education

Precisely in order to confront the difficulties facing the nation, Pope Francis insisted on the necessity of education, especially through the preparation of those who will be called to lead the country in the future.

He added that the Church’s social doctrine can provide a foundation for such formation, noting that “it constitutes an indispensable and trustworthy pillar” on which to base further advancement, and a means to determine whether different approaches favour or hinder integral development.

Reasons for hope

Finally, Pope Francis highlighted the youthful face of Timor-Leste, where more than 65 percent of the population is under the age of thirty”. At the same time, he invited young people, with their freshness and resourcefulness, to benefit from the experience and wisdom of the elderly. “Together, this enthusiasm and wisdom are a great resource and do not allow for passivity, much less pessimism”.

Praising Timor-Leste for the “patient determination and heroism” with which the country has faced “times of great tribulation”, Pope Francis concluded his address by noting that, in light of what has been accomplished in the recent past, “there is reason to be confident that your nation will likewise be able to face, intelligently and creatively, the difficulties and problems of today”.