ASIA/EAST TIMOR - Cardinal do Carmo Da Silva: “The wounds have been healed through forgiveness”

by Paolo Affatato

Dili (Agenzia Fides) - "Pope Francis comes to confirm our identity as Catholics, as disciples of Jesus Christ in this corner of the world", said Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, 56-year-old Salesian and Archbishop of Dili since 2019, to Fides, reflecting on the expectation and joy of the local Church on the eve of the arrival of Pope Francis today, September 9, in East Timor for the third stage of his apostolic journey. The first Cardinal of East Timor, the Archbishop lives the charism of Don Bosco, who was particularly concerned with the growth and human and spiritual development of young people: a work that is urgently needed in a country where 70% of the population is under 30 years old.

What does the Pope's visit to East Timor mean for the ecclesial community?

It is a great gift. It is a historic moment that we see in continuity with the visit of Pope John Paul II, who came here 35 years ago. At that time, he called on us to be "salt of the earth and light of the world" in the fight for freedom and to remain steadfast in our faith. Ten years after Pope John Paul II's visit, in 1999, we had the referendum on independence.
Now Pope Francis is coming to confirm our faith, which is an essential part of our culture and identity.

How did the Catholic faith come to East Timor and take root there?

In East Timor, the Catholic Church celebrated the 500th anniversary of evangelization in 2015. Portuguese missionaries brought us the Gospel. The first Dominican missionaries landed in 1515 in Oekussi, an East Timorese territory that is now an enclave in West Timor (which is part of Indonesia, ed.). The history of the mission is also marked by bloody moments: many missionaries were executed by our own people. I believe that thanks to this martyrdom, the seeds of the Gospel have sprouted in this country. A second reason is that faith has been a consolation in the difficult times we have experienced recently during the struggle for independence. A third reason is the commitment to education that we must continue today to permeate our culture, as the motto of the Pope's visit says: "May your faith become your culture". In Timor, among the indigenous beliefs, there was and still is the cult of ancestors, as well as the animistic cult of mountain worship. The Gospel was, so to speak, grafted onto these traditional beliefs and brought new light. The missionaries helped people to see that the God who watches over the ancestors is the God of Jesus Christ. When the Bible says that the Lord is the rock of our salvation, it was easy for the locals to associate him with the mountain. In this way, faith came together with traditions and popular customs.

What has happened more recently since 1975?

In the history of the Church in East Timor, the 25 years from 1975 to 1999, during which the struggle for independence from the occupying power of Indonesia was held, are of particular importance. During this period, the number of Catholics increased significantly (from 20 percent to 90 percent today, editor's note), and many people were baptized because they felt the closeness and support of the priests, nuns, religious and catechists who remained by the side of the population during this long period. Many remember that at that time the Indonesians forced people to declare a religion on their identity papers and that confession of Catholicism became almost a kind of "flag". Many Timorese experienced and viewed this period as a time guided by Providence and felt God's intervention in their lives and history. The Church stood by the people and denounced the violence perpetrated by the Indonesian army during the military occupation. And so the preamble to the constitution of the new republic states that the State recognizes the contribution of the Church in the struggle for independence. Subsequently, the Church worked for reconciliation and today there is no hatred or resentment towards the Indonesian people. We are now a democracy with a Catholic majority. The Church has always made a great contribution to the nation by engaging in education and social work and, for example, running many orphanages.

What role did faith play in the period of resistance?

Our church leaders were far-sighted and trusted in faith in God. In our history, we remember a fundamental event that we call the "Meeting of Los Palos." There, the leader of the resistance fighters Xanana Gusmao (now Prime Minister of State, editor's note) met with Don Martinho Da Costa Lopes (1918-1991), then Apostolic Vicar of Dili, who told him: If you want to succeed in the fight for independence, you must abandon communist ideology. Gusmao took this advice to heart. This historic turning point made us what we are today. Gusmao, a believer and former seminarian, also supported the reconciliation process at the time thanks to his religious background.

What are relations with Indonesia like today?

After the violence suffered by the population, there is no longer any resentment or hatred. A path of reconciliation has been taken. After the independence referendum, the government set up a "Truth and Reconciliation Commission", in which the Church was also represented. After times of oppression, we had the courage to believe in reconciliation with the enemy. Today, we cannot say that everything is over. There are families who have suffered loss or people who have committed murders and massacres. It is a path that only God can guide. But on this path we can see the spiritual maturity of our people: we do not blame all of Indonesia or the Indonesian citizens for these dark times. Today, Timorese travel freely and peacefully to Indonesia and go about their business, study and work in the neighboring country. The wounds have been healed by forgiveness. We continue to build bridges to facilitate communication. For example, there is very good cooperation between the churches of Timor and the Indonesian dioceses, which will also be demonstrated on the occasion of the Pope's visit: many Indonesians from West Timor will attend the Mass with the Pope in Dili. We have mediated with the government so that this can happen without obstacles. Faith unites us.

Can you outline the reality of the Church in East Timor today?

According to church statistics, the population is 1.3 million people and 97.5 percent are Catholics, spread across three dioceses: Dili, Baucau and Maliana. There are 75 parishes throughout the country, about 150 diocesan priests and more than 200 religious. There are about 90 religious congregations, including men and women, 600 religious sisters with perpetual vows and 300 with temporary vows. We have many candidates for the priesthood studying in the interdiocesan seminary and the congregations have many vocations in their formation houses. There are many vocations, with God's blessing. There is a witness of life, of committed Christians who are committed to their fellow man, that attracts young people and leads them to Jesus. We still have missionaries from abroad in Timor who carry out an apostolic service among us.

East Timor is a country with a lot of young people: what can you say about East Timor's youth?

In East Timor, young people under 30 make up 70% of the population according to official statistics. Today, young people are faced with the problem of studying and unemployment: there is a flow of young people emigrating (to South Korea, Australia, Europe...). Young people dream of a better life. In East Timor, we are not yet able to provide work and development. Those who emigrate send their remittances to improve the economic conditions of their families and support the country's economy. When I think of young people, they were the heroes of our independence, ready to die, ready to sacrifice themselves for their country. Now, after independence, they are heroes for their families because they allow them to live a dignified life. And many of them are also missionaries, so to speak: even in de-Christianized contexts, young graduates or professionals maintain and live their faith. This is very encouraging.

How is the work of the ecclesial community in the field of education?

Education is a key area for future generations. We have many ecclesiastical schools and institutes of all levels and we have also founded a Catholic University named after Pope John Paul II, the first university in East Timor. The education of young people is our priority.

What is the relationship between the Church and civil institutions?

It is a very good relationship, which is enshrined in our history. And also in the Constitution. And when we celebrated the 500th anniversary of the mission in 2015, we also signed a concordat approved by the Holy See, which defines and regulates the relationship between Church and State. One of the articles of the concordat, for example, states that the government gives the Church a grant every year - which the government can use depending on budgetary possibilities - to support public engagement in schools and social institutions. Another sign of good relations is the granting of free visas to Catholic missionaries and to priests and religious who come to the country to carry out pastoral service. In addition, dioceses, parishes, congregations and religious orders have their own legal personality: this is an important public recognition for the Church, which makes it easier, for example, to establish a clinic, school or other institution.

How do you see the future of the Church and the country?

Our work consists primarily in accompanying people so that they grow in faith. We want to be an open Church that lives in unity and where there are no hostile groups against each other. The whole community wants to continue to contribute to the prosperity and stability of the country. My dream is that one day young Timorese will not be forced to emigrate, but that they will stay because they can live their lives to the full here and love Christ, the Church and their homeland. (Agenzia Fides, 9/9/2024)

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