Pope Francis on Monday urged East Timorese leaders to prevent “all forms of abuse” against children and adolescents. during a visit to this predominantly Catholic Asian country that suffered a notorious paedophilia scandal within the Church.
Zero tolerance
In his first speech before the country’s leaders, the Argentine Jesuit called on “act responsibly to prevent all forms of abuse and ensure the peaceful growth of our young people,” without mentioning any specific case or the responsibility of the Vatican. Among the most high-profile cases of child abuse in the country is that of Bishop Carlos Belo, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his work for independence, whom the Vatican secretly punished in 2020 over accusations that he sexually abused children for two decades.
The Pope, who promised “zero tolerance” for paedophiliadid not apologize nor did he recognize the structural role of the Church in these abusesHis official agenda does not currently include any meetings with victims.
East Timor, the youngest country in Southeast Asia
The visit of Francis has aroused great fervor in this country, where Nearly 98% of its 1.3 million inhabitants are Catholic.The Pope was greeted by flowers and a traditional scarf upon his arrival at Dili airport, which has been closed to civilian flights for three days, where he was welcomed by an honour guard and President José Ramos-Horta.
Francis was later cheered for miles by a crowd of faithful who lined the streets waving flags in the Vatican’s white and yellow colours. “I got goosebumps seeing his face… I firmly believe that his presence brings peace and hope,” Magdalena Tagnipis, who travelled from Australia to see the pope, told AFP.
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ACI Press
“The Timorese people have given everything to welcome the Pope (…) and I think the Pope has felt it,” added the 49-year-old Filipino, who declares herself “100% Catholic.”
The small coastal town underwent a expensive remodeling before the papal visit and the authorities They evicted street vendors and homeless people of the areas through which Francis was to pass, which has sparked criticism. The history of the youngest country in Southeast Asiaa nascent democracy of 1.3 million inhabitants, was marked by centuries of Portuguese colonization, almost 25 years of Indonesian occupation (December 1975-October 1999) and a UN-backed independence referendum. East Timor formally became independent in 2002emerging from multiple internal wars that left more than 200,000 dead.
“Let us thank the Lord that, when they had to go through such a dramatic period in their history, they did not lose hope, and also that, after dark and difficult days, a dawn of peace and freedom has finally dawned,” the Pope said in his speech.
Mass Mass
This papal visit It is the first since its independence in 2002and the main course will be a Giant open-air mass on Tuesday, with 700,000 faithful expectedhalf of the population. East Timor is one of the poorest countries in the worldhighly dependent on the oil and gas revenueswhich experts say could run out in a few years. Many residents struggle to make ends meet, like Silverio Tilman, a 58-year-old teacher who set up a street stall selling items bearing the image of the Pope and raised $600 in two days, more than double the average monthly salary.
Francis could address economic issues or social problems that the country is facing, starting with the human rights violations. East Timor is also suffering from a endemic corruption, serious gender violence and child labour remains current.
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Courtesy of Reuters
This Asia-Pacific tour is the longest and farthest since the election of Francis in 2013 and represents A physical challenge for the Popewho has had recurring health problems in recent years.
Source: Ambito
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