A significant portion of East Timor’s population, known for its strong Catholic faith, gathered for a Mass led by Pope Francis during his visit to Asia. This event marked a critical moment for the country, as it is one of the most Catholic nations in the world, second only to Vatican City.
According to the Vatican, local authorities reported that around 600,000 individuals gathered at the Tasitolu seaside park near Dili’s capital.
Most of the population in Southeast Asian countries, consisting of 1.3 million people, identifies as Catholic. The church is widely recognized for its significant contribution to the country’s struggle for independence from Indonesia. In a surprising revelation, the Vatican has acknowledged its role in covering up instances of sexual abuse committed by clergy members in East Timor, some of whom were influential figures in the country’s independence movement.
In a historic visit, Pope Francis, at 87, made his way to East Timor, marking the first time a pope has set foot in the country since its independence in 2002. This country is the only one on the ambitious 12-day Asia trip with a Catholic majority. The trip also includes visits to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore.
The park was filled with many yellow and white umbrellas, mirroring the colors of the Holy See. The crowd eagerly anticipated Francis’s arrival, enduring the intense heat of the afternoon sun. Firefighters sprayed water on the crowd to provide relief from the heat. Some people had been waiting since the early hours of the morning.
Francis entered just after 4 p.m. local time (3 a.m. ET), greeted by enthusiastic cheers of “Viva Papa Francisco!”
A historic liturgy was celebrated at the same site where St. John Paul II, the last pope to visit East Timor, held the Mass in 1989. In the park is a prominent statue of John Paul, commemorating his visit to the area. This park, with a dark history of being a site where Indonesian troops disposed of bodies during their violent 24-year occupation, now serves as a reminder of the past.
On Tuesday, Francis visited children with disabilities and met with bishops, priests, deacons, and others at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Dili. During his time there, he delivered a speech.
Upon arriving on Monday, he was greeted with great enthusiasm as crowds lined the streets, filling his motorcade route from the airport into town.
Catholicism as a ‘nationalist act’
In 1975, when Indonesia invaded East Timor shortly after its unilateral declaration of independence from Portuguese colonial rule, only about a quarter of the population identified as Catholic.
Indonesia dismissed the animist beliefs of the Timorese and mandated that individuals select a monotheistic religion. According to Michael Leach, a professor of politics and international relations at the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, converting to Catholicism in Indonesia can be seen as a form of nationalism.
In an email, he expressed how the church offered a sanctuary to the Timorese during a challenging time in their history.
According to Leach, John Paul’s visit in 1989 was a significant event in the Timorese fight for self-determination. It symbolically acknowledged East Timor as an independent nation, separate from Indonesia.
According to him, the protests that erupted right after John Paul’s Mass were impossible to conceal from the global community.
After a decade, an overwhelming 78.5% of the population voted in favor of independence in a referendum supported by the United Nations. Following the incident, pro-Indonesia militias initiated a three-week campaign that led to widespread violence and extensive damage to infrastructure.
An estimated 200,000 people lost their lives during Indonesia’s rule.
A legacy of abuse
Multiple clergy abuse scandals have tarnished the Vatican’s reputation in East Timor.
In 2022, it was revealed by the Vatican that Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo of Dili had been subjected to a secret sanction two years prior due to allegations of sexual abuse involving young boys. After being honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his role in peacefully resolving the East Timor conflict alongside current President Jose Ramos-Horta, Belo now resides in Portugal. However, he is forbidden from maintaining contact with his former home due to church restrictions.
In 2021, Richard Daschbach, a former American missionary who gained recognition for his role in saving lives during East Timor’s independence fight, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a court in East Timor. The charges against him involved the molestation of young girls under his care.
“The handling of child sex abuse cases in East Timor has been widely criticized and has left a sense of dissatisfaction among many,” commented Damien Kingsbury, an emeritus professor at Deakin University in Australia, who possesses significant expertise in East Timor.
“There has been a consistent pattern of inaction and attempts to conceal the truth, with only a small number of cases resulting in prosecution, often long after public outcry,” he stated in an email.
In his Monday speech, Francis alluded to the abuse cases without explicitly naming Belo or any others involved, nor did he acknowledge any responsibility on behalf of the church.
“We must not overlook the countless children and teenagers whose dignity has been violated,” he stated.
“It is our collective responsibility to take every measure necessary to prevent all forms of abuse and ensure a safe and nurturing childhood for every child.”
Francis is set to depart from East Timor on Wednesday and proceed to Singapore, the final destination of his journey. It is worth noting that Singapore has a significant ethnic Chinese population, accounting for three-quarters of its total population. At this upcoming event, he will have the opportunity to subtly communicate with Catholics in China as the Vatican continues its efforts to enhance relations with Beijing.
