Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin marked 500 years of the Catholic Church in East Timor on Saturday, exhorting East Timorese to proclaim with faith and action the Good news they received with joy 500 years ago. The cardinal who represented Pope Francis at the celebration, marked the event with a solemn Mass on the liturgical feast of the Assumption in the capital Dili.
Dominican missionaries established the Catholic in 1515 in Timor island that was a Portuguese colony. Following the departure of the Portuguese in 1974, East Timor declared independence amidst political turmoil, but Indonesia invaded the territory the following year and occupied it under a brutal rule until 2002 when the territory East Timor regained sovereignty. The new nation thus became only the second predominantly Catholic country in Asia after the Philippines.
Commenting on the day’s Gospel on John the Baptist leaping with joy in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary comes to visit her cousin, Cardinal Parolin said in many ways this joy was expressed by East Timorese when the Gospel arrived there five hundred years ago. The prelate said it is now their turn continue this work of evangelization through faith and action. First of all, they must be convinced of their faith through a sustained and personal relationship with Christ, whom they received at Baptism. They must make him the centre of their lives, as He has the words of eternal life and in their union with the Church founded by Christ can they find that lasting joy. Secondly, Jesus does require of them a moral behaviour that rejects all selfishness and misuse of other people, a commitment to act in such a way that others will recognize us as his disciples. Then as disciples they must be a community that goes forth to bring the mercy of God to all people. Citing Pope Francis, he said, as Church we must “go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast” … we must “get involved by word and deed in people’s daily lives” … we must be “supportive, standing by people at every step of the way, no matter how difficult this may prove to be” … and always we must be “filled with joy, knowing how to rejoice always.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Following the Angelus on Saturday, Pope Francis turned his attention to the victims of Wednesday’s tragic explosions in the Chinese city of Tianjin. “My thoughts go out, in this moment, to the people of the city of Tianjin, in northern China, where several explosions in an industrial area have caused numerous deaths and injuries, and extensive damage.” The Holy Father assured them of his prayers for all those who had lost their lives or who were suffering on account of the disaster. “May the Lord give them comfort and support to all those engaged in relieving their suffering.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) On Saturday, Pope Francis became the first Pope in more than 60 years to lead the Angelus for the Solemnity of the Assumption in Saint Peter’s Square.
In recent years, the Popes have generally celebrated the Assumption in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo; last year, Pope Francis was making an Apostolic Voyage to Korea during the holiday. The last Pope to celebrate the feast in St Peter’s Square was Ven. Pius XII.
In his reflections on the day’s Gospel, Pope Francis said the truest reason for Mary’s greatness and blessedness is her faith. Faith is always at the heart of each moment in Mary’s life. Although she recognizes the violence of the powerful, the pride of the rich, the hubris of the proud, Mary “believes and proclaims” that God will never abandon His people, the poor and the humble, but “will aid them with merciful care,” while “casting down the powerful from their thrones, scattering the proud in the conceits of their hearts.”
Mary’s hymn of praise, the Magnificat, also allows us to see that, if God’s mercy is at driving force in Mary’s story, He could not allow Mary, who gave birth to the “Lord of Life,” to “see the corruption of the tomb.”
But Mary’s Assumption, the Pope said, does not concern Mary alone. Each of us is profoundly touched by this mystery, which reminds us of the end that awaits us. Our life is not a senseless wandering, but a pilgrimage that leads to the house of the Father, who waits for us with love. As we pass through this life, God shows us “a sign of consolation and sure hope,” the Blessed Virgin Mary, full of grace, who is blessed because she believed the word of the Lord. As members of the Church, the Pope said, we are destined to share the glory of our Mother because, thanks to God, we too believe in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and, through Baptism, we are inserted into this mystery of salvation.”
Following the Angelus, Pope Francis greeted the many pilgrims from Rome and around the world, and spontaneously invited them to pay a visit to the icon of Our Lady Salus populi Romani (Protectress of the Roman people) in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal Pietro Parolin and East Timor’s Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo on Friday (14th Aug.) siged a mutual collaboration accord dealing with the juridical relationship between the Holy See and East Timor. Speaking in an address after the signing of the accord, Cardinal Parolin said the document was a significant sign of the fruitful interaction between Church and State in the nation. He is currently on a 3-day visit to East Timor which this year is celebrating its 5th century of Christian evangelization.
Please find below the full text of Cardinal Parolin’s address to the East Timorese authorities after the signing of the accord:
Ceremony for the Signing of the Accord
Between the Holy See and Timor-Leste
Dili, 14th August 2015
Your Excellency Mr. Taur Matan Ruak, President of the Republic of Timor-Leste; Your Excellency Dr. Rui Maria de Araujo, Prime Minister;
Your Excellency Mr Vicente Guterres, President of the National Parliament;
Your Excellency the President of the Court of Appeal Mr Guilhermino da Silva; Your Excellency Mr Hernani Coelho, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
Distinguished Members of Parliament and of the Government of Timor-Leste, Distinguished members of the Diplomatic Corps and International Organizations; Dear Bishops,
Honourable guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. A few moments ago, the Prime Minister and I had the privilege of signing the Accord between the Holy See and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. I use the word “privilege” because the Accord, while being the highest juridical instrument that deals with the relationship between the Catholic Church and the State of Timor-Leste, is ultimately about people, in this case, the beloved people of Timor-Leste. The entire document focuses on one fundamental objective, that is, how best to assist the people, to advance in their development, their total development, materially and spiritually.
Both Church and State exist precisely to serve the people, and now with this Accord, both commit themselves, as Article 1 affirms, “to mutual collaboration for the integral development of the people in justice, peace and the common good.”
Experience has always shown that the human being is best served when there is collaboration and dialogue among all the components of society and when a culture of encounter is firmly established among those who lead.
In the case of the collaboration and cooperation between the Catholic Church and the State of Timor-Leste, the Accord affirms each other’s responsibilities and relative competencies. While the separation of Church and State is clearly understood and respected throughout the document, the Accord rests also on two fundamental principles, namely “the values and principles of international law in the matter of religious freedom” (Preamble) and “the guarantee of the freedom to profess and practice the Catholic faith publically” (Article 1).
Based on those two basic concepts, the Agreement offers space and opportunities for the Catholic Church to act in society, in accord with its mission of service to the people and in line with Constitutional norms and local legislation. It defines specific areas where the Church can serve the people freely and openly, for example providing spiritual assistance in prisons, hospitals, clinics and orphanages (Article 8), to perform works of charity (Article 4), to establish schools at every level (Article 9) and to assist Catholic parents in the education of their children in their own faith (Article 9) and so on.
2. At the same time, the significance of this particular Accord arises also from the history of Timor-Leste, the very fiber of this society, for
-from the very beginning, for five hundred years, “in its cultural and human dimension, the Catholic Church in Timor-Leste has always known how to assume with dignity the sufferings of its people, placing itself on their side in the defense of their most elementary rights” (Preamble);
-from the very beginning, the Catholic Church has undertaken a role “in the life of the Nation serving the development of the human person, spiritually, socially, culturally and in the area of education, consolidating moral principles in society” (Preamble);
-from the very beginning the Catholic Church has been radically rooted in the history of the Timorese people who embraced the Catholic Church, not by the force of the sword, but by the openness of their heart.
Today’s act of signing this Accord can be defined as a noteworthy manifestation of the beneficial contact of society with religion. It is a significant sign of the fruitful interaction between Church and State. It is an important step on the journey that the Catholic Church and the people of Timor-Leste have undertaken together for five hundred years. This unique relationship, which is highly valued by the Holy See, is enshrined and clearly affirmed also in the Constitution of Timor-Leste.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The official logo of Pope Francis’s apostolic voyage to Cuba has been released. The Holy Father will visit the nation from September 19-22, 2015. The organizing committee also has a website for the visit, a Facebook Page , and a Twitter account .
On September 21, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass in Havana’s Revolution Square, and visit the city’s Cathedral. On September 22, the Pope will travel to eastern Cuba, and celebrate Mass in the city of Holguin. On September 23, he will be in Santiago de Cuba, and celebrate Mass at the Shrine of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre.
Pope Francis is the third pope to visit Cuba. Pope St. John Paul II visited in 1998, and Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2012.
(from Vatican Radio)…