ASIA/INDONESIA – Archbishop of Kupang firmly believes that the faithful’s visit to East Timor to meet the Pope will create opportunities for reconciliation
by Paolo Affatato
Kupang (Agenzia Fides) – The main entrance of the bishop’s residence in the center of Kupang where Msgr. Hironimus Pacaeenoni has been since taking office as Archbishop of Kupang, Indonesia, in March 2024, is always open, even at night. Priests, missionaries and ordinary faithful who wish to share their joys and suffering can enter in an informal way. Father Raymond Maurus Ngatu, a 31-year-old Indonesian, is a new priest of the congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles. Before going to Pontianak, Indonesian Borneo, to preach, he will preside over the first Mass after his ordination in a parish in his hometown of Kupang. The Archbishop smiles and gives him advice and blessings, above all, when it comes to future missionary work, he says a word or rather a secret: “Always trust in God, not in ourselves. Be instruments in his hands”. Kupang is located on the Indonesian part of Timor Island. It is the largest city in West Timor and the capital of East Nusa Tenggara Province. The other half of Timor Island is the independent Republic of East Timor. Kupang has a population of more than 430,000. It is a typical Asian port city, quite chaotic, a mixture of always busy people. It is the only way for merchants and fishermen engaged in trading activities to and from many other islands in eastern Indonesia. The total population of the area covered by the Kupang Diocese is 1.6 million, and it is one of the few dioceses in Indonesia with a majority of Christians. 60% of the local population is Protestant and about 35% is Catholic; Muslims only account for 3-4% of the population. With 17,000 islands, Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim country.
Archbishop “Roni” – as he likes to be called by priests and faithful – is happy that 14 young people have just been ordained deacons and “God willing will soon be ordained priests, 12 of them in November” he tells Fides. “Four of them – he underlines – already know that they will be ‘domestic missionaries’, as we call the priests sent to serve in other dioceses in Indonesia where priests and brothers are needed, such as Sumatra, Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) or in Indonesian Papua”. The bishop spoke with great joy of “the unity among the dioceses of Indonesia”. There are 35 parishes in Kupang, and soon, another 9 small churches will become parishes. A large number of parishioners become members of the parish and participate in church life and sacraments. Faith is alive, and we see this especially among young people. We see this in the vocations God continues to give us: in the minor Seminary we have more than 100 seminarians and in the major Seminary we have 90 seminarians. The Gospel continues to attract young people.” The bishop said with joy and pride that the local church has opened more than 90 Catholic schools, ranging from primary school to high school, which also benefited from the help of 53 male and female religious groups active in the region.
Archbishop Kupang said that the faithful of the diocese are designing a “shortcut” to welcome Pope Francis who will visit Indonesia from September 3 to 6. “They will not see him so much in Jakarta, the capital, where the Pope will stay for three days – he notes – but in Dili, in East Timor, on the other side of the border. It is expected that about 10,000 Catholics from the diocese will travel to East Timor from the dioceses of Kupang and Atambua (another city close to the border) to participate in the mass in Tesimolu esplanade, in Dili”, confirms Msgr. Pakaenoni to Fides. The journey from Kupang to East Timor takes about eight to ten hours by coach, which is much easier than organizing an expensive trip to Jakarta. In addition, the organizing committee has convened about 100 delegates from each diocese, so that the faithful of West Timor can enjoy this special opportunity: to welcome Pope Francis on their own island. “We are collaborating with the Indonesian government to help Catholics participate in the Pope’s activities during his stay in Dili. We have asked priests, nuns and faithful to register in the parish. The diocese has made arrangements with the Immigration Bureau, to apply for travel documents. “Many faithful do not have passports, and we will issue special passes for them, or officials have launched a special process to issue passports within three days instead of the usual two weeks.” Some devotees will also come from the neighboring islands of Rote, Alor and Sabu. After his stay in Jakarta, Pope Francis will visit Dili, the capital of East Timor, from September 9 to 11. Indonesian believers will also come. “We have reached a complete consensus with the Bishops’ Conference of East Timor to ensure the reception, food and accommodation of Indonesian pilgrims, and the organization has started.”
On September 10, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass at the Tasitolu esplanade, on the outskirts of Dili. In 1987, when the late Pope John Paul II visited East Timor, he also celebrated the Liturgy of the Holy Word here. At that time, East Timor was under Indonesian rule. Past trauma is almost completely healed through the journey of reconciliation, which is as much a healing of psychological trauma as it is a healing of spiritual trauma. There were still bruises and scars bleeding though. In 1999, East Timor held a referendum under the auspices of the United Nations to declare independence. Since then, East Timor has been plunged into tension and chaos, with pro-Indonesian militias committing violence and massacres. Even in the following years, large numbers of displaced civilians fled East Timor due to the unrest and poured into Atambua and Kupang. In the following years, 250,000 refugees gradually returned to East Timor. At this historical juncture, the Catholic community in Kupang has established close ties with the displaced through solidarity actions, food distribution and medical health care.
Archbishop Pacaenoni emphasized that now God has created another opportunity for us – an opportunity for reconciliation to put an end to this painful experience. “The Pope’s visit can support and consolidate the process of peace and reconciliation. His visit is not only a visit to Catholics, but also to all peoples. It must be said that there are no problems between the churches of West Timor and East Timor, we are in full communion. There is still some difficulty and pain among those families who have lost loved ones to violence and still see the executioners on the other side of the border, and I believe that the presence of Pope Francis is providential. It can be a moment of special grace, a moment of reconciliation for families suffering from grief. It can be a moment of prayer and acceptance of forgiveness, of faith in God who heals wounds. This is what I see between people and we, as Catholics, act as mediators and facilitators in this process, we know that it is difficult because it involves emotions and the heart and that is why we ask God for help and trust in Him.” (Agenzia Fides, 24/7/2024)
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