As part of his 45th international journey to Southeast Asia and Oceania, East Timor welcomed Pope Francis to its country from 9th-11th September 2024. The euphoria of Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to East Timor, known as the land of the Holy Cross and Holy Mary, is over. Everything seemed surreal. The resonance of his visit and his message to the country and its people is still being felt today. We highlight in particular the Pope’s meeting with leaders and pastoral agents (Bishops, priests, consecrated persons, seminarians and catechists), where the Pope stressed the importance of preserving and propagating the essence of the Gospel of Jesus. He referred to the biblical passage of John 12:1-3, which narrates a moment of tenderness and closeness between his friends of Bethany. Preserving this essence means recognizing the need to return to the origin of the gift received, to the essence of our being Christians, priests, consecrated persons or catechists. We receive life from God through his Son Jesus, who died for us and gave us the Holy Spirit. We have been anointed with the Oil of joy and, as the apostle Paul writes, “we are the good odour of Christ for God”. Propagating this essence means being aware of the gift received, remembering that it is not for us, but to anoint the feet of Christ, to proclaim the Gospel and serve the poor; it means being vigilant over ourselves, because mediocrity and spiritual lukewarmness are always lurking. On this occasion, our Sister Rosa Sarmento, FdCC, was asked to represent consecrated persons and share her life testimony.
On 10th September, Mass was celebrated with the Holy Father; it was held on the Tacitolu esplanade (the same place of the Mass with Pope St. John Paul II on 12th October 1989, during the Indonesian rule). About 600,000 people enthusiastically participated in the event under the scorching sun. In his homily, the Pope emphasized the beauty and youth of the nation, the importance of caring for children and the elderly, and the need for a society that protects the most vulnerable. It was an immense joy to be part of this crowd of faithful who welcomed their pastor with great enthusiasm, attentive to his message and willing to put his exhortations into practice. On 11th September, after the meeting with the young people, Pope Francis continued his pilgrimage to Singapore, bringing with him the warmth and loving memories of his flock in East Timor, who live on the peripheries of existence, in this country of whales, as St. Magdalene of Canossa used to say.
