Fides News - English

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY - Pope in East Timor: excerpts from the address to young people

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 13:15:33 +0200

Dili - The Timorese leg of his apostolic journey to Asia and Oceania is coming to an end. But before flying to Singapore, the Pope, as expected, had fun with the local youth. Dances, songs and applause greeted the Pontiff who, surprised by so much enthusiasm , decided to leave aside the speech prepared for the occasion. He addressed the young people in Spanish, asking them questions and giving them advice on how to approach life. Here are the main passages:

What do young people do? "Love one another" [a young person replied]. To love, young people have a great capacity to love. But there is one thing that young people of different nationalities and religions always do. Do you know what young people always do? Young people make noise.

Do not stop smiling. And you, young people, you are the majority of the population of this land, and your presence fills this land with life, hope and future. Do not lose the enthusiasm of faith.

But do you know what makes a young person fall? Vices. Be careful, because those who are called sellers of happiness come to sell you drugs, they sell you many things that give you happiness for half an hour, nothing more.

A young man must dream. And how does a father dream? Does he drink alcohol? No, if we do that, we will have nightmares. I invite you to dream big. A young man who does not dream is a pensioner of life.

Young people are halfway on the path of life. Between the young child and the adult. And you, do you know what is one of the most beautiful riches of a society? They are the elderly, the grandparents. You, the young, are one wealth and the other is the elderly. The two treasures of a people are children and the elderly.

In this smiling country, you have a wonderful history: that of heroism, faith, martyrdom and above all forgiveness and reconciliation. This theme leads me to recommend three things to you: freedom, commitment, fraternity.

In the Tetum language, there is a saying: "ukun rasik-an", that is to say, having the ability to govern oneself. A young person who does not govern himself is a slave, he is not free. And what can a young person be a slave to? Sin, the mobile phone, believing oneself to be all-powerful, arrogance.

A young person must understand that being free is not doing what one wants, he has responsibilities. One of the responsibilities he has is to learn how to take care of the common house.

Is it good for young people to have different ideas? To argue with others? Or to respect each other? If I am of this religion and you are of that religion, we argue. That is not the way it is, it must be respected. Is hatred a good attitude? Love and service are the right attitudes. There is one thing that I do not know if it happens in this country, but in other countries it happens, and that is bullying. Is there bullying here? Bullying is an attitude whereby the weak are taken advantage of. Is there bullying in East Timor? Please, no more bullying from now on.

Dear young people, be heirs to the beautiful history that preceded you. Carry it forward. Have courage. And if you quarrel, reconcile. We must love each other beyond all ethnic or religious differences.

Thank you for your joy and your smile. I gave you two pieces of advice. What was the first? Create confusion. The second? Respect your elders. OK? All together: first, create confusion; second, respect your elders. God bless you.

AFRICA/BENIN - “Diversity is a great wealth”: a missionary leaving for a new experience of faith

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:43:57 +0200

Calavi - “It is time to leave, it is mission time. I take you with me on this experience in Egypt, where I will continue my formation and pastoral service in the mission in Cairo”, writes Anselmo Fabiano, on his departure from the mission in Calavi , where he spent a year participating in an international vocational promotion program, to now face what he calls “a new missionary reality”.

“Leaving for Benin was an experience of faith and life that changed and enriched me greatly, just as the soil in which the seed was sown grows and bears fruit”, says Anselmo. “Like the sower who returns full of joy with his sheaves, so I too return from Calavi with the fruits of this year, full of gratitude to God who has always guided and accompanied my steps.”

“Africa has taught me so much through the brothers and sisters I met there,” he continues, “the value of welcome and hospitality, simple but always made with the heart, the great wisdom of African proverbs, an inexhaustible source of wealth, the value of time and relationships.” “Malaria was also a great lesson for my life, which made me confront my weakness,” he stresses, “it changed me, made me less fearful, more cautious and grateful for the great gift of health.” “The fraternity in diversity that I experienced in Calavi with 40 other seminarians,” Anselmo continues, “made me feel that it is really possible to overcome all barriers and discover that we are all brothers. The diversity is a great richness and extraordinarily beautiful, just like the many cheerful colors of the typical fabric of sub-Saharan Africa." "The most beautiful fruit of these months in Benin was my 'yes' to becoming a missionary and joining the great family of African missionaries ", he concludes.

"Now my 'first mission' has arrived in Egypt, in Cairo, where we have to start serving and confront a completely new reality of missionary life - adds Anselmo with emotion. There will also be an opportunity to become part of a small, minority church, open to interreligious, missionary dialogue."

The first members of the Society of African Missionaries to land in Benin in 1861 were the Italian Francesco Borghero and the Spaniard Francisco Fernandez. In the years that followed, numerous religious followed in the footsteps of the two pioneers. "I would like to remember Father Francis Aupiais, who made the culture, art and, more generally, the values of sub-Saharan Africa, which was largely unknown at the time, known in Europe," says Father Giovanni Benetti, who has been in Benin for two years as a formator at the Brésillac Spirituality Centre in Calavi, and reports that, thanks to Father Aupiais's intuition, the capital, Porto Novo, has celebrated the Epiphany every year since 1922 as a sign of the inculturation of the Gospel and as an opportunity for encounter and dialogue between believers of all religions.
"I cannot, however, hide the fact that the proclamation of the Gospel on the coasts of the Gulf of Guinea has resulted in great loss of life. From Dahomey, the Gospel reached the other countries of West Africa, but at a high cost: it is estimated that the Society of African Missionaries and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles lost about 400 members over several decades in these areas decimated by malaria and yellow fever."

ASIA/EAST TIMOR - Universities, training institutes, seminaries: the Church is committed to the education of young people, the future of the nation

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:32:42 +0200

by Paolo Affatato

Dili - At the entrance to the Catholic University of St. John Paul II in Dili, a monument stands in honor of Pope Wojtyla. The university is the first in the small, developing nation of Southeast Asia since its independence in 2002. Inaugurated in 2021, during the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the institute reaffirms its deep bond with Pope John Paul II, who visited East Timor in 1989, when it was still under Indonesian rule and the country was fighting for its freedom and independence. On that visit, the Pontiff brought a message of peace, hope and love, expressing his closeness to the suffering of the Timorese people.
"This message continues to resonate in our hearts with great joy today, especially with the arrival of Pope Francis, who invites us to make our faith an integral part of our culture," said Father Joel Casimiro Pinto, OFM, Friar Minor and Rector of the Universidade Católica Timorense S. João Paulo II. In addition to being Rector, Brother Pinto is an outstanding musician, and during Pope Francis' Mass on the esplanade of Tasi tolu, he was the one who directed the choir and the orchestra of more than a thousand members who, from all over the country, gathered to liven up the liturgy, the various moments and the meetings with Pope Francis.
"The university represents the contribution of the Catholic Church to the comprehensive formation of young people, so that they grow as people of faith and culture, animated by values such as peace, tolerance, justice, democracy, inclusiveness; ready to put themselves at the service of others, especially the poor and the most vulnerable, in the logic of the Gospel. This is the type of education inspired by Christian values that we cultivate here," explains the rector. The objective is "to provide quality education in all areas of human activity and to prepare future generations for the labor market of today's society, to form a leading class of the nation, as the Pope has stressed," he continues. The University, like other social works run by the Church, receives funding from the government, which recognizes its role and its public utility. The university has four faculties: education, arts and culture; health sciences; humanities; and agricultural engineering. "We currently have 1,700 students. There are many young people applying to be admitted: every year we have more than 1,500 applications and we can only accept 500." Among young East Timorese there is a great desire to grow and contribute to the future of the nation."
According to official statistics, young people under 30 in East Timor are about 70% of the population. Due to unemployment, many emigrate to South Korea, Australia, Europe and, once settled in these societies, they send their remittances to their families of origin to improve their economic conditions. The East Timorese government has put in place measures to encourage the development and entrepreneurship of young people, for example by promoting new technologies for agriculture and promoting projects throughout the country to create small businesses and try to curb the phenomenon of emigration.
As Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao told Fides, the government intends to create a special Development Bank to grant microcredits to young people.
The Catholic University has moved in this direction, favouring faculties that can be decisive for the growth and development of the nation. "We see that the young people of East Timor have vision, ambition and hope. In their lives, at home or abroad," says Fr Pinto, "whether they graduate or are already engaged in the world of work, they maintain and live their faith," he concludes. Father Graciano Santos, Vicar General of Dili, describing the reality of the interdiocesan major seminary in the Fatumeta area of Dili, where nearly 300 young people are currently being trained, comments: "The young people believe in Christ and place their trust in Him. This is reflected in the flourishing of vocations to the priesthood. In addition, there are a similar number of students in the minor seminary in Dili, while another 130 young people are in the preparatory year," stressing that this reality is a source of great hope for the local Church. "I have asked the Pope to pray for our seminary," says Tito, a 27-year-old major seminarian. Tarcisio, 30 years old and also a seminarian, adds: "I also hope that the Holy Father prays for us and that he always carries the people of Timor in his heart." To accompany the cultural growth of young people, the Church of East Timor has also created in Dili the Institute of Philosophy and Theology, which "expresses the mission of the Church in the field of human and spiritual formation," explains Father Justin Tanec, Rector, to Fides. The center welcomes about 350 students from the three dioceses of East Timor, including seminarians, consecrated persons and lay people. "Our mission combines 'fides et ratio', that is, deepening the faith and the study of science to understand and explore this relationship. This is what we have tried to do on the occasion of the visit of Pope Francis, which has been a balm for our young people and our Church," he concludes.

ASIA/EAST TIMOR - Stories of faith and martyrdom in the Church of East Timor

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:25:57 +0200

Dili - There is "a wonderful story of heroism, of faith, of martyrdom and above all of faith and reconciliation" in East Timor, said Pope Francis, addressing young Timorese people in his last meeting before leaving the small Catholic nation in Southeast Asia for Singapore. This story was written above all in the bloodiest phase of the conflict with Indonesia, at the time of the independence referendum in 1999, when pro-Indonesian armed gangs perpetrated massacres and acts of indiscriminate violence before the occupying army left Timorese territory. Representatives of the Church also suffered: the bishop of Baucau was wounded, others were forced to flee, priests, consecrated catechists, seminarians lost their lives. According to the Fides annals, Tarcisius Dewanto, a Jesuit, Hilario Madeira and Francisco Soares, three priests from East Timor, who were carrying out pastoral work in the Catholic Church of Suai, are listed among the "pastoral workers killed in a violent manner". They were killed on 6 September 1999 and the baptized community of East Timor celebrates the Day of the Missionary Martyrs every year in their memory. The priests used their bodies as a shield to try to prevent the massacre of 100 civilians. Five days after the Suai massacre, Karl Albrecht, a 70-year-old German Jesuit who had arrived in Indonesia in 1959, was also shot dead in his home. In Dare, Father Francisco Barreto, then director of the local Caritas, was later killed. A little further east, between Dili and Baucau, on 25 September, two Canossian nuns were killed along with some seminarians and lay people while on their way to help the displaced. They were Sister Erminia Cazzaniga, an Italian, and Sister Celeste de Carvalho Pinto. Today, the Missionary Group of Sirtori, Sister Erminia's birthplace in the province of Lecco , is collecting material to promote the cause of the proclamation of her martyrdom. Following the vote for independence, loyalist militias, supported by the Indonesian army, launched a punitive campaign, killing some 1,400 Timorese citizens and forcing more than 300,000 people to flee. Priests, nuns, religious men and women, catechists could have easily left the island, but, inspired by faith and charity, they chose to remain at the side of the population and give their lives for the defenseless people, until the end.

AFRICA/SUDAN - More than 500 days after its start, the war in Sudan shows no signs of ending; warring factions continue to arm themselves

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:14:45 +0200

Khartoum - After more than 500 days of conflict, there does not seem to be any glimmer of peace for Sudan. The war, which began on April 15, 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces , led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces , commanded by Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo, continues to escalate, while both sides continue to receive weapons and ammunition. According to a Human Rights Watch report published on September 9, photographic and video evidence has been obtained confirming that both the SAF and the RSF have received weapons that they did not possess at the start of the conflict. The newly added equipment includes armed drones, truck-mounted multi-barrel rocket launchers, systems to jam enemy drone guidance systems and anti-tank missiles. The weapons come from Belarus, China, Iran, Russia, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates , according to HRW. It is not ruled out that other manufacturers are involved that have not yet been identified by the humanitarian organization's investigations. The conflict in Sudan involves not only local actors, but also regional and international powers, such as Russia and Ukraine. However, those who suffer the most from the consequences of this war are Sudanese citizens. Since April 2023, more than 7 million people have fled the fighting, many of them repeatedly, joining the 3 million internally displaced people who were already living in Sudan before the outbreak of the conflict. More than 2 million Sudanese refugees are in neighboring countries, housed in camps in Egypt, the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Chad. The UN has described the Sudanese refugee crisis as the worst in the world. Today, September 11, the UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the possible renewal and extension of the arms embargo currently in place on the Darfur region , to extend it to the whole of Sudan.

ASIA/SINGAPORE - Cardinal Goh: Singapore's influential and rich people also need Christ's mercy

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:14:14 +0200

by Gianni Valente

Singapore - In Singapore, a nation that for years has led the rankings of the most prosperous countries in the world, the announcement of salvation, entrusted to the Church, is not transmitted through ‘discourses of human wisdom’ but through the testimony of humble hearts in love with Christ. Experiencing the mercy of Christ is an unexpected event that can manifest itself in surprising ways, even in this City-State, immersed in the search for technological perfection and harmonious coexistence. This is what Cardinal William Goh Seng Chye, Archbishop of Singapore, said in an extensive interview - given in English - to Fides Agency and published on the day of Pope Francis' arrival in the island nation, as part as the fourth and final stage of his ‘tour to the South East’: the long Apostolic Journey of the Bishop of Rome who has already touched Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor.

How can faith in Christ be communicated today in Singapore? Are there perhaps special methods to communicate faith in your society?

The first thing I always remind our people is that we are building a vibrant, evangelizing and missionary Church; not a "maintenance" Church. We want Catholics and church workers to be alive in their faith, expressed in their evangelizing and missionary zeal. But without a personal faith in Christ, without having fallen in love with Him, there is no mission. And how can we bring this mission to fruition?

The most important dimension of communicating faith in Singapore is to bring people to a personal encounter and conversion in Christ. This is brought about by giving them a personal experience His divine love and mercy; and be renewed in the life of the Holy Spirit. We bring about this personal encounter through retreats, vibrant and anointed worship services and faith-filled Eucharistic celebrations, personal testimony of God at work in their lives, sharing of the Word of God and bringing more people into full-time ministry in the Church, especially the younger generation. At the same time, we need to increase the pool of volunteers, but not mere volunteers but people who have encountered the Lord deeply.
Then there is an important group of people whom I call “the St Matthew’s ministry” that we need to work on...

Who are you referring to?

This is a targeted group of people that can be instrumental in helping the Church to advance her mission because these are the professionals, the influential, the rich and those with resources. But we need to convert these “tax-collectors” by helping them to fall in love with Christ. Once they encounter Christ, their lives will change radically and they will freely offer their expertise and resources to help the mission of the Church. Most of all, after encountering the Lord, they will bring other “tax-collectors” to Him as well, and we will have an increasing pool of professionals and influential friends to help us connect with the world and bring the gospel to them. The truth is that Christ came not for the healthy but the sick. The latter includes those who are successful in the world but find emptiness in their lives without God. They too need to be saved.
Equally important is the need to form small faith-filled communities, so that they could come together not just to do things for the Church, but to share their faith with each other, especially praying together and sharing the Word of God. We need to ensure that every member of the Catholic community belongs to a small faith community. In this way, by belonging to a community of faith, people will not walk alone but always with the support of their fellow Catholics.
This is even more important when it comes to helping our young people to grow in faith and be engaged with the Church. Many young people leave the Church after the sacrament of confirmation because they do not belong to any faith community in the Church. This is why we must also make the church a welcoming place to all and not put obstacles from those who wish to come to Church. We must not put up barriers and rules that make it difficult for people to come to church to worship or pray.

Singapore is one of the richest countries in the world. But there are also those who live below the poverty line…

Along with the explicit evangelization of the good news, our Church has two large umbrella organizations with more than 45 affiliates that serve the poor and marginalized in Singapore and abroad.
We see the work of charity and outreach as an important and essential component in the work of evangelization. The Church breathes with two lungs - the spiritual dimension of the faith and the work of charity. Unless people experience the mercy of God concretely in their lives, our proclamation of the good news in words only cannot change lives. But it is equally important that our charitable organizations not be reduced to mere humanitarian organizations or NGOs. They must be ready to announce the Good News and make themselves known as disciples of Christ whilst doing works of charity. This does not mean we engage in hostile proselytisation but we must find opportunities to share the Good News about Jesus, and not just provide them with material and temporal aids for they, too, need the gospel to find salvation for their souls and not just their bodies.

In your hyper-technological City, the work of the Church also makes extensive use of new technologies…

Whilst the best means of evangelization is a personal testimony of Christ to others by our words and life, we must also harness the social media tools to help us spread the Word of God and to share our faith with others. In the Archdiocese, the Church Digital Media helps us to communicate with every Catholic who downloads our Catholic.sg app. We have the Archdiocesan Communication Office to communicate the gospel to all on print, broadcast and digital platforms. This is particularly important among the younger generation. But tools remain tools. Unless we have faith-filled people, the best tools will not bring real conversion or touch the hearts of people. We need witnesses who are passionate and convicted of Christ as our Lord and saviour. We need to rely on prayers and His grace above all in the work of evangelization; not just techniques and strategies, or even hard work.

What missionary experiences have been most important for the budding of the Church in Singapore?

The Church is what it is today because of our forefathers and the missionaries who brought the faith to Singapore. We are forever indebted to the Sisters of the Infant Jesus, the Brothers of De La Salle, the Gabrielite Brothers, the Canossian Sisters and the Franciscan Missionary of Mary for providing education and social services to the poor. We are also grateful to the Franciscan Divine Motherhood of Mary which started the first hospital in Singapore. Most of all, the Church is what it is today because of the MEP Fathers who started the Church in Singapore in 1833 with the establishment of the first Catholic chapel, eventually known as the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. Indeed, without their contributions, sacrifices and generosity, and most of all, faith, the Church would not be what it is today. We are all beneficiaries of the work of missionaries before us, not just Catholics alone but the entire Country. It was by their good works, their love for Christ and the salvation of souls, that more people were inspired to come to know Christ and be baptized. This is why we must now continue to do the same both within Singapore and for those called to also bring Christ beyond the shores of Singapore in gratitude to our foreign missionaries.
Interreligious harmony is vigorously guaranteed and protected by political authorities.

How do you, Your Eminence, view this role and direct intervention of political authorities in relations between different faith communities?

I am not comfortable with the statement that “Interreligious harmony is vigorously guaranteed and protected by political authorities.” It is true that the government plays an important part in the promotion of inter-religious harmony but to imply that we are controlled or manipulated by the government is far from the truth. What the government does is to ensure that no religion denigrates people of other faiths. There is freedom of worship and religion in Singapore and they respect the beliefs of each religion, so long as they do not cause public disorder. The government sees religions as partners in promoting the common good of our Country. We are not a threat to them and they are not a threat to religions. In fact, the government makes it clear that Singapore is a multi-racial and multi-religious country with a secular government. Singapore is not a secular state! The government appreciates the role of religions and we are grateful to the government for their trust in us. We work in tandem with the government for the good of our people.
The promotion of inter-religious harmony is primarily the work of the Inter-Religious Organization, a private body that recognizes the importance of being in dialogue. It is not even a Statutory Board. The religious leaders in Singapore are moderate and conscious of the need to respect and promote harmony and mutual understanding of each other’s religion. We attend each other's religious celebrations. We hold forums to share common values and appreciation of each other’s religions. The religious leaders have become friends with each other; supporting and encouraging each other, and sometimes even engaging in humanitarian works together. We do not take racial and religious harmony for granted because it is always a work in progress.

Stereotypes in the media global system continue to regard Christianity as the religion of the West. How do you perceive these definitions and clichés in Singapore?

Singaporeans are very much influenced by the West because most of us are educated in English and overseas in English-speaking countries. The older generation, which is passing, might have perceived Christianity as a religion of the West. But I am not sure that would be the general perception today. The fact that we have 18.9% of the population who identify as Protestants/Catholics also reveal the acceptance of most people in Singapore. In fact, Catholics have done much for the country in terms of education, medicine and humanitarian services. However, we do not accept an ultra-exclusivist view of religions, while not denying the uniqueness of each religion.

You mentioned that in Singapore you experience pastoral problems similar to those experienced in many Countries in Europe. What are these problems?

Singapore being a highly educated, socially connected and sophisticated society, affluent and influenced very much by the West, shares the problems of the first world countries. We have to deal with the challenges of social media, fake news, and all kinds of information/misinformation that contaminate the minds of our young people. The younger generation is very much influenced by the views of the West with regard to same-sex relationships and transgenderism. So, too, when it comes to divorce and remarriage. Like many advanced countries, the younger generation tends to be more individualistic and self-centred, concerned about their happiness rather than the larger common good of society. They want to enjoy all the good things in life. Many are so focused on their career and have no time for marriage and even if they are married, they do not want the burden of having to raise children. With affluence, there is much independence, and women no longer need to get married to find fulfilment in life. Again, with affluence and a high level of education, many of our young people who are so immersed in the world of science and technology, experimentation of all kinds of adventures, tend to see religions as old-fashioned and even superstitious. Everything is based on science and reason alone. The perspective of faith is seen to be naïve. They are very much formed by the internet world which gives them so much information that they are paralyzed into making any commitment to anything.

Sometimes someone describes Singapore as a “perfect” society, where all problems are solved and all needs are answered. But is this really the case?

Ha ha! We are certainly not a “perfect” society but we are trying to do the right thing. We have a good government that is sensible, sensitive and inclusive. The government is highly respected by the people and they have won the trust of the people to do the right thing and the best for Singapore. They try to keep society together, with the rich helping those who are in the lower social classes. There are strict laws which we are too happy to comply with, because it is for the good, safety and well-being of our people. But like everyone in the world, we are also struggling to find real happiness, strong and loving relationships and most of all, meaning. So whilst we have peace, harmony, security and a good economy, it is not everything in life. Man does not live on bread alone! What our young people are seeking today is more than just comfort and pleasure, they want meaning and purpose. And this is where religion comes in. When I minister to them, I always give them hope in life, a hope that is real, a hope that gives them real happiness by encountering the love of God that quenches the thirst of their hearts; and then in turn giving their lives in service to the community, and to the poor. Indeed, because we are affluent, the people are very religious because now they seek God not because they want temporal and material favours but they seek for lasting meaning, purpose, relationship, love and joy in life. This is why Singapore is a very religious society with more than 80% subscribing to one religion or another. Even among the 20% who declare themselves as agnostic, it does not mean that all are atheists, but that they do not belong to any religion or denomination, although deep in their hearts, they recognize the presence of the Sacred. This is where we have an opportunity to evangelise by sharing with them how Jesus is the Way to the Truth and to Life. Only Jesus can give them real security, meaning and purpose.

What are the accents of Pope Francis' magisterium and preaching that most touch the hearts of people in Singapore?

Pope Francis is highly respected and regarded as a man of God by many Singaporeans, even among non-Catholics because of his vision of promoting harmony in the world, among religions and respect for creation through dialogue. It is his message of mercy and compassion and inclusivity that wins the hearts of many, whether it is those with same-sex orientation, transgender, etcetera. He shows appreciation of the contribution of women and the elderly. He champions the marginalized, the poor, the voiceless, the migrants and those suffering from wars. He reaches out to non-Christian religions, promotes inter-religious dialogue and mutual respect. He shows the world that Catholicism is truly a universal religion because we embrace everyone and respect all without exception regardless of race, language, culture, or religion. Within the Church, he has brought about many reforms, transforming the Church to be truly an evangelizing Church with both laity and clergy being co-responsible for the mission of the Church. He brought the Church together by asking the Church to be synodal at every level of Church life, by journeying with each other in the Spirit, listening and discerning together as Church. He is truly the face of the compassionate and loving Christ to all.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY - Pope Francis in East Timor: excerpts from the homily during the Holy Mass on the esplanade of Taci Tolu

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:36:05 +0200

Dili - The second day of Pope Francis in East Timor ends with a Holy Mass on the esplanade of Taci Tolu. The Pope presided over the rite in the same place where the Eucharist with John Paul II took place in 1989. More than 600,000 people were present, arriving at dawn on the outskirts of the capital. The Mass was celebrated in Portuguese in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, around whom the homily also revolves. The most important passages follow:

God lets his saving light shine through the gift of a child. All over the world, the birth of a child is a bright moment of joy and a moment of celebration that awakens good desires: for renewal in goodness, for a return to purity and simplicity.

The sight of a newborn child fills even the hardest heart with warmth and tenderness.

The weakness of a child contains a message so powerful that it touches even the most hardened hearts, restoring harmony and serenity. It is wonderful what happens when a child is born!

East Timor is beautiful because there are so many children: you are a young country where you can see life pulsating and blossoming in every corner. And that is a great gift: so many young people and so many children constantly renew the freshness, energy, joy and enthusiasm of your people.
But more than that, it is a sign, because when we give space to the little ones, welcome them, care for them and also humble ourselves before God and before one another, these are precisely the attitudes that open us to the Lord's action. By making ourselves small, we allow the Almighty to do great things for us.

Let us not be afraid of making ourselves small before God and each other, of missing out on our lives, giving away our time, revising our plans or giving up something. Let us also not be afraid of making our plans smaller if necessary, not to diminish them, but to make them even more beautiful by giving ourselves away and accepting others.

All of this is well symbolized by two beautiful traditional pieces of jewelry from this country: the Kaibauk and the Belak. Both are made of precious metal. That means that they are meaningful!

The first piece of jewelry symbolizes the light of the sun. It stands for strength, energy and warmth and can represent the life-giving power of God. It reminds us that with the light of God's word and the power of his grace, we too can participate in the great plan of salvation through our decisions and actions.

The second jewel, the Belak, worn on the chest, is a complement to the first. It recalls the delicate glow of the moon at night. It represents peace, fertility and sweetness and symbolizes the tenderness of the mother who, with the delicate reflection of her love, makes everything she touches shine with the same light that she receives from God.

Kaibauk and Belak, strength and tenderness of father and mother: this is how the Lord shows his kingship, which is made of love and mercy.

And so, in this Eucharistic celebration, we ask together - each of us, as men and women, as the Church and as a society – to be able to reflect in the world the strong and tender light of the God of love

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY - Pope Francis in East Timor: excerpts from the address to bishops, priests, catechists and religious

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:25:26 +0200

Dili - The first appointment on the agenda for the second day of Pope Francis' visit to East Timor, the third and penultimate stage of his long apostolic journey to Asia and Oceania, was a private visit to the Casa Irmãs Alma in Dili, a facility that cares for disabled children. He then met with the bishops, priests, religious, seminarians and catechists of the small Asian state at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Here are the main passages of his address:

East Timor is a country "at the ends of the world". Precisely because it is at the edge, it is at the center of the Gospel! A Church that does not see the peripheries and hides in the center is a sick Church!

Because at the heart of Christ, the existential peripheries are in fact the center: the Gospel is full of people, characters and stories who are on the edges, on the borders, but who are called by Jesus and become protagonists of the hope that He brings us.

The fragrance received from the Lord must be carefully preserved It means being aware of the gift received, remembering that the fragrance is not for ourselves but for anointing the feet of Christ by proclaiming the Gospel and serving the poor; it means being vigilant towards ourselves, because mediocrity and spiritual lukewarmness are always lurking.

In fact, we must constantly rekindle the flame of faith.

Do not neglect to deepen Christian doctrine and to mature in your spiritual, catechetical and theological formation; because all this serves to proclaim the Gospel in your culture while purifying it of archaic and sometimes superstitious forms and traditions. There are many valuable things in your culture, I am thinking in particular of the belief in the resurrection and in the presence of the souls of the dead; but all this must always be purified in the light of the Gospel and the teaching of the Church.

Evangelization happens when we have the courage to "break" the vessel that contains the fragrant oil, to break the "shell" that often closes us in on ourselves, and to step out of a mediocre, comfortable religiosity lived only for personal needs.

The country needs the fragrance of reconciliation and peace after the painful years of war; the fragrance of compassion that helps the poor to get back on their feet and inspires commitment to the country's economic and social destiny; a fragrance of justice against corruption. And in particular, the fragrance of the Gospel must be spread against everything that degrades, disfigures and even destroys human life, against those plagues that create inner emptiness and suffering, such as alcoholism, violence and lack of respect for the dignity of women. The Gospel of Jesus has the power to transform these dark realities and create a new society.

We need passionate, qualified and creative priests, religious and catechists. I would like to say in particular to priests: I have heard that the people greet you with much affection and call you "Amu", which is the most important title here, it means "Lord". However, this must not lead you to feel superior to the people. It must not lead you to the temptation of pride and power; because the priest is an instrument of blessing. He must never, ever exploit his role, he must always bless, console, be a servant of compassion and a sign of God's mercy. . Let us remember: with the oil the feet of Christ are anointed, which are the feet of our brothers and sisters in the faith, starting with the poorest.

ASIA/EAST TIMOR - The seeds that the missionaries have planted are now bearing fruit

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 13:38:19 +0200

by Antonella Prenna

Venilale - Sister Carolina Maria Correia, of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians , comes from the village of Samalari in the district of Baucau. In an interview with Fides, ahead of Pope Francis' visit to East Timor, she talks about her years of formation, the development of the country and her work as a missionary.

"I began my vocational training with the arrival of the first missionary in Venilale. I was 17 years old and wanted to become a nun. I entered the convent and took my first vows at the age of 23. I began working in Venilale in 1996 with Sister Alma Castagna as a doctor in the Outpatient Clinic and Dispensary. I met the Salesians through the Salesian missionary Father Eligio Locatelli, who celebrated Holy Mass every week in my village of Samalari. I am one of the fruits of the missionary educational work, so to speak,” says Sister Carolina enthusiastically.

As for the social context, the nun points out that although East Timor has been independent for 22 years, there are still problems in many areas. “There are difficulties in accessing clean water, health care and education. The government rules the nations according to parties and family, the economic level is low and much still depends on foreign countries, children use modern technology without parental guidance, there are fewer jobs for young people and most look for work abroad.” Sister Carolina complains that young people do not live in harmony. “There is an organization called ARTEMARSIAIS,” she explains. “It is made up of several groups that apparently suggest brotherhood, but in reality it is a constant feud of one group against the other. The young people allow themselves to be bossed around by others and, strongly conditioned, do not live according to their own conscience. The stability of the nation is still shaky.

Regarding ecclesial life, Sister Carolina recognizes that "our superficial faith still dominates us, the true faith is not yet founded in Christ but in the tradition and culture of Timor. "I can say that the number of Catholic Christians in Timor is high, but we are still struggling to promote the quality of Christian life, which is made up of faith, hope and charity. The presence of missionary nuns and priests is very appreciated by the people. But the culture in Timor is very strong, so we need to evangelize more and better, to clarify the difference between culture and faith."

"I would like to draw on the reflections of Father Joaquim Sarmento SJ on the motto of Pope Francis' visit: 'May your faith be your culture'. The Jesuit says: 'After 500 years of Christian presence in Timor, the Christian faith has experienced a period of growth in terms of the number of believers. But the Christian faith understood as a culture of life and the feeling that the values of Christian doctrine become the principles that animate the daily life of the Timorese is something new.' He reminds us that in 1930 Catholics represented only 4% of the population of Timor. By the time of the Indonesian invasion, this percentage had risen to almost 30%. Ten years later, the figure had risen to 85%. This means that in just ten years the number of Catholics in Timor has increased by 55%. The reasons for this rapid growth include security, culture, humanitarian aid and Indonesian law. "However," the priest continued, "this increase in numbers does not necessarily translate into an authentic quality of Christian life. Many people were baptized in the emergency situation of war without adequate preparation, which opened the door to syncretism, superficiality, ritualism and moral relativism, which will be strongly present in Timor."

"Many things have changed," Sister Carolina continues. "The difficulties do not discourage us, because FMA, Salesian priests and those in government are all working for the common good. The progress and development in the nation is visible through the rehabilitation of the main roads, the construction of a house for the poor, the creation of jobs for young people working outside the country, scholarships for students inside and outside the country, the reduction of the number of illiterates, the development of water supplies, the promotion of youth groups that care for creation , according to the teaching of Pope Francis." "There is great cooperation in the country, the Ministry of Health in Timor is still very precarious and relies on doctors in hospitals in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. In Cuba, scholarships are awarded for medical specialization."

"After 28 years of religious profession, I have worked most of my life in the Outpatient Clinic and Dispensary," said the nun. Sister Carolina studied nursing in Jakarta and Marriage and Family Sciences at the Faculty of Bioethics of the Lateran University in Rome. She is responsible for the clinic and director of the "St. Maria Mazzarello" community in Venilale. "In this community we have 196 vocational schools, clinics, outpatient clinics and a dormitory for 88 girls. We are seven FMA sisters. In the medical clinic, I am also responsible for family planning and health education in 25 schools in Venilale with almost five thousand students.

“As a Timorese nun,” Sister Carolina concludes, “I am grateful for the blessing that the missionary sisters bring us for the formation of religious, education, health, social services and for everyone. In the beginning there were only three and after almost 35 years there are a total of 97 FMA sisters, 90 of whom are from East Timor and 7 from Indonesia. This means that the spirit continues to work and spread for the people of God. Our Indonesian sister evangelizes not only Catholics but also Muslims and other religions.” Finally, Sister Carolina also speaks about her expectations for the current visit of Pope Francis to East Timor. "First and foremost, we all hope that the motto of this papal journey, 'May your faith be your culture', will be put into practice. Words and actions to live the values of the Gospel, forgiveness, solidarity, justice, peace, love of life, compassion for the poor around us," explains the nun. "May those in charge of the country recognize their failure and dare to start anew. May they know how to manage interpersonal relationships with wisdom, patience and morality. May the leaders of the nation and the Church, aware of their responsibilities, live the attitude of the Good Shepherd to lead their flock and embrace all members of the group in harmony with one another. May the leaders of the nation and the Church have a heart of the Good Samaritan to love or choose the poor following the example of Pope Francis. May the presence of Pope Francis make the heart of every Christian beat faster."

AFRICA/GHANA - Bishops: "The judiciary and the electoral commission must do their part so that the next elections take place in peace"

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 12:00:43 +0200

Accra - "The judiciary will ensure that the vote is fair and complete". This is what the Episcopal Conference of Ghana hopes in the message signed by its President, Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi of Sunyani, in which it stresses the importance that the next general elections on 7 December take place in a peaceful climate and do not give rise to conflicts.
"In the event of electoral disputes, we trust that the judiciary will address them with the utmost integrity and adherence to the rule of law.
Ghana is considered the most stable country in West Africa, but the result of the presidential vote has been contested on at least two occasions.
The first time was in 2012, when opposition leader Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party challenged the victory of incumbent President John Dramani Mahama. The Supreme Court of Ghana was tasked with hearing the case and eventually ruled in Mr. Mahama’s favor after months of deliberations.
In 2020, the situation reversed when former President John Dramani Mahama, now opposition leader, challenged the re-election of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. As in the 2012 case, the judiciary was called upon to resolve the dispute.
The Episcopal Conference also addressed the Electoral Commission, stating that “it is imperative that the Commission ensure that the electoral process is conducted impartially and in accordance with the law.” The media, according to the bishops, must also play their role by providing accurate, impartial and balanced information, avoiding sensationalism that risks inciting division or conflict. The media, say the bishops, should help promote a well-informed and peaceful electoral environment. The message goes on to call on young people not to fall into the trap of incitement to hatred and violence, and finally on traditional and religious leaders to promote national unity and help reduce tensions.
The 2024 elections are taking place in a precarious economic context for the country; due to the COVID pandemic, the disruption of grain supplies due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and insufficient monetary and fiscal discipline, Ghanaians are facing rising inflation. Finally, jihadist groups operating in neighboring countries are now threatening to extend their deadly operations to Ghana.

ASIA/EAST TIMOR - In the enclave of Oekussi, where a story of faith and salvation began

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 11:43:40 +0200

by Paolo Affatato

Dili - This is the strip of land "where it all began", explains to Fides Father Josè Tacain SVD, a Timorese missionary born in Oekussi, quoting the expression that the Timorese like to use. Oekussi-Ambeno is the place on the island of Timor where the Portuguese landed for the first time in the 16th century and where the first Dominican missionaries landed with them. It is therefore considered the "cradle of East Timor". But Oekussi - and this is its particularity - is today an enclave of East Timor located in the western part of the island, therefore in the heart of Indonesian territory. On an area of 814 km² lives a population of about 70,000 inhabitants, who have always remained, over the centuries, culturally and spiritually linked to East Timor, regardless of the regime of West Timor. Oekussi is proud of its past, its culture and its faith. In Oekussi, the area called Lifau is the exact place where the first Portuguese landed in 1515, and it is from there that the Dominican friar Antonio Taveira, known by the locals as the "Saint Anthony of East Timor", began his missionary work on the island, as a monument and a series of plaques celebrating the arrival of the Gospel remind us. In 1556, a group of Dominican friars established the first permanent settlement on Timorese territory and Lifau later became the capital of the Portuguese colony at the time. This status was lost in 1767, when, due to frequent Dutch raids, the Portuguese decided to move the capital to Dili, the current capital of East Timor.
In 1859, with the Treaty of Lisbon, Portugal and the Netherlands divided possession of the island of Timor, but confirmed that the territory of Oekussi remained under Portuguese rule. And even in 1975, when Indonesia invaded East Timor, the territory continued to be administered as part of occupied East Timor. Finally, after the recognition of East Timor's independence in 2002, Oekussi-Ambeno became part of the young republic again. Today, Father Tacain notes, at the political level, Oekussi has become a "special economic zone" because it faces the daily challenge of being geographically separated from the rest of the country and needs development projects, especially in the tourism sector. "Oekussi, he continues, is also a district of the Archdiocese of Dili where the faith has never died out in 500 years. There are five parishes and historical traces of the presence of Portuguese missionaries, such as the Church of St. Mary of the Rosary. I would like to mention that there was a Catholic seminary as early as 1700. Many priests of the Church of Dili or consecrated members of religious orders were born there. The religious festivals are deeply felt and celebrated with great devotion. All this is a sign of the vitality of the faith." East Timorese faithful often make pilgrimages to the monument that commemorates the time and place where, on August 18, 1515, the Portuguese landed “and where our story of faith and salvation began,” notes Verbite priest. “The history of the nation and the history of the Catholic Church are linked. We recognize the Portuguese colonizers brought the gift of the Gospel,” he observes.
In Oekussi, squeezed into Indonesian territory, one does not feel besieged: “We are living a reconciled history with Indonesia. I remember that in my childhood, the Indonesian administration was an occupying power, but our Timorese identity has never been weakened. At the time, the Suharto regime had imperialist aims that have disappeared and today we maintain good neighborly relations. We have always been part of East Timor and the Lord has always accompanied our journey.”

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY - Pope Francis in East Timor: excerpts from the address to the Authorities, Civil Society and the Diplomatic Corps

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 11:32:32 +0200

Dili - This morning the Pope's plane landed in Dili from Papua New Guinea. After a brief stop at the Apostolic Nunciature, in the afternoon the Pope went to the "Nicolau Lobato" Presidential Palace for the traditional welcoming ceremony, where he paid a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic, José Manuel Ramos-Horta. In attendance were 29 children dressed in traditional clothing, three of whom presented the Pope with flowers and the traditional cloth, the Tais. Afterwards the Pope and the Head of State met for a private conversation, while the staff of the Secretariat of State and the religious authorities met with the Prime Minister. After the signing of the guest book and the official photo, the meeting with the Authorities, Civil Society and the Diplomatic Corps took place in the hall of the Presidential Palace. The main passages of the Pope's speech are reproduced below:

In this place Asia and Oceania touch each other. In a certain sense, they also encounter Europe, which, though geographically distant, seems closer due to the role it has had in this area over the past five centuries – I do not want to talk about the Dutch pirates! Indeed, the first Dominican missionaries arrived here from Portugal in the sixteenth century, bringing with them the Catholic faith and the Portuguese language. Today, both Portuguese and Tetum are the two official languages of the country.
Christianity, born in Asia, arrived at these far reaches of the continent through European missionaries, testifying to its universal vocation and ability to harmonize with even the most diverse cultures, which find a new coalescence that is both higher and profound when encountering the Gospel.
Christianity enculturates, it takes on the cultures and therein the various Eastern rites of the various peoples, for one of the important aspects of Christianity is the inculturation of the faith. At the same time, it evangelizes cultures. This binomial, inculturation of faith and evangelization of culture, is important for Christian life. It is not an ideological faith, but a faith rooted in culture.
This land has gone through a painful period in the recent past. It has experienced upheaval and violence, which often occur when a people looks toward full independence only to have its quest for autonomy denied or thwarted.
From the date independence was declared until it was definitively restored, Timor-Leste endured its greatest suffering and trial. It suffered. The country, however, has been able to rise again, finding a path to peace and the beginning of a new phase of development, of improved living conditions and of appreciation on all levels of the unspoiled splendour of this land and its natural and human resources.
We give thanks to God, since you never lost hope while going through such a dramatic period of your history, and after dark and difficult days, a dawn of peace and freedom has finally dawned.
Your rootedness in the faith has greatly helped in reaching these important goals. I would say that you are a people that has suffered, but are wise through suffering.
In this regard, I wish in particular to recall and commend your assiduous efforts to achieve full reconciliation with your brothers and sisters in Indonesia, an attitude that found its first and purest source in the teachings of the Gospel. You remained firm in hope even amid affliction and, thanks to the character of your people and your faith, you have turned sorrow into joy!
May the Lord grant that in other conflicts in various parts of the world the desire for peace will prevail, because unity is always superior to conflict; the peace of unity is always superior to conflict. This also requires a certain purification of memory, in order to heal wounds, to overcome hatred with reconciliation and confrontation with cooperation.
It is good to speak of “the politics of the outstretched hand”, which is very wise rather than foolish, for when the outstretched hand senses betrayal, it knows how to resist, it knows how to move things forward.
Another praiseworthy event took place when, on the twentieth anniversary of the country’s independence, you incorporated as a national document the Declaration on Human Fraternity. You have done this so that – as the Declaration itself calls for – it can be adopted and included in school curricula. Indeed, this is fundamental.
Now, a new horizon has opened before you, cleared of dark clouds, but with new challenges to face and new problems to solve. That is why I want to say: may the faith, which has enlightened and sustained you in the past, continue to inspire your present and future: Que a vossa fè seja a vossa cultura! That is to say, may it inspire principles, projects and choices in conformity with the Gospel.
Of the various current issues, I think of the phenomenon of emigration, which is always an indication of an insufficient or inadequate appreciation of resources; as well as the difficulty to provide everyone with a job that offers a fair salary and guarantees families an income corresponding to their basic needs. And this is not always an external phenomenon. In Italy, for example, there is emigration from the south to the north and we have a whole region in the south that is becoming depopulated.
I think too of the poverty present in so many rural areas, and the subsequent need for collective and wide-ranging action involving manifold efforts and leaders from all sectors – civil, religious and social – to remedy it and to offer viable alternatives to emigration.
Moreover, I think of what can be considered social scourges, such as the excessive use of alcohol by young people. Please take good care of this; give young people ideals to get them out of these traps! There is also the phenomenon of joining certain gangs, which are trained in martial arts; but instead of using this knowledge in the service of the defenceless, they use it as an opportunity to showcase the fleeting and harmful power of violence.
Let us not forget, too, that these children and adolescents have their dignity violated, a phenomenon that is emerging across the world. In response, we are all called to do everything possible to prevent every kind of abuse and guarantee a healthy and peaceful childhood for all young people.
In order to solve these problems, and to achieve the optimal management of the country’s natural resources – primarily oil and gas reserves, which could offer unprecedented possibilities for development – it is essential to prepare properly and provide appropriate training to those who will be called upon to be the country’s leaders in the not-too-distant future.
The Church offers her social doctrine as the foundation for such a formative process. It constitutes an indispensable and trustworthy pillar on which to build various approaches. The Church’s social doctrine is not an ideology, instead it is based on fraternity. It is a doctrine that must promote; it promotes the development of peoples, especially the poorest.
You are a young people. I am not referring to your culture and history, which are rather ancient, but to the fact that about sixty-five percent of Timor-Leste’s population is under the age of thirty. I think of two countries in Europe where the average age is forty-six and forty-eight. Yet among you, sixty-five percent are under thirty years old, so we can think that the average age will be around thirty, or a little less. This is a richness.
This statistic tells us that the first area for you to invest in is education. Keep moving forward. Invest in education, in education within the family and education at school, in an education that puts children and young people at the centre and promotes their dignity.
The enthusiasm, freshness, forward-looking perspective, courage and resourcefulness, all typical of the young, combined with the experience and wisdom of the elderly, form a providential mixture of knowledge and a great impetus toward the future. Together, youthful enthusiasm and wisdom are a great resource that do not allow for passivity, still less for pessimism.
Please trust in the wisdom of the people. The people have their wisdom; trust in that wisdom.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY - Pope in Oceania: excerpts from the address to the young people of Papua New Guinea

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 14:18:35 +0200

Port Moresby - Pope Francis says goodbye to Oceania. After the private celebration of Holy Mass, he said goodbye to the collaborators and benefactors of the Apostolic Nunciature in Port Moresby to go to the "Sir John Guise" Stadium for his last public appointment in Papua New Guinea, the meeting with the young people. After the greeting from the "Papa Mobile", the meeting began with a welcoming dance performed by young people in traditional clothing. After the greeting from the President of the Youth Commission, Bishop John Bosco Auram of Kimbe, there were testimonies from a young woman from the "Catholic Professional Society" and two other young people. This was followed by the Pope's address, the most important passages of which are reproduced below. The event ended with a common prayer and blessing. The Pope then headed to the airport to say goodbye to Papua New Guinea and to travel to Dili in East Timor, the third and penultimate stage of his long Apostolic Journey.

I am happy to have spent these past few days in your country, where the sea, mountains and tropical forests coexist. It is, above all, a young country inhabited by many young people!
Thank you! Thank you for your joy and for recounting the beauty of Papua “where the ocean meets the sky, where dreams are born and challenges vanish”. Above all, thank you for setting before all of us a hopeful desire: “to face the future with smiles of hope!”. And also with smiles of joy

Dear young people, I did not want to leave here without meeting you, because you are the hope for the future.

How do we build a future? What meaning do we want to give to our lives? I would like to answer these questions by starting with a story found at the beginning of the Bible, the story of the Tower of Babel. There we see two models clashing, two opposing ways of living and of building a society: one leads to confusion and dispersion, the other leads to the harmony of encounter with God and with our brothers and sisters.

I ask you now, what do you choose? The model of dispersion or the model of harmony, which one do you choose? [Young people answer: harmony!] You are good! Be careful: He did not create us for confusion but to have good relationships. This is very important.

Confronted with the variety of languages that divide and disperse, we need one language to help bring us together. What is this language? I would like to hear from some of you brave ones... Who can tell me what language this is? Who is the bravest, raise your hand and come forward here. [A boy replies: love]. Are you sure? [Young people answer: yes!] Think about it. And against love, what is there? Hate. But there is also something perhaps uglier than hate: indifference to others. Indifference has its roots in selfishness.

You who are young must have the restlessness of heart to care for others. You must have the restlessness of making friends with each other.

There is a very important relationship in the life of a young person: the closeness to the grandparents.

And you, do you have a common language? Think carefully. The language of the heart! The language of love! The language of closeness! And also, the language of service.

I thank you for your presence here. And I hope that all of you speak the deepest language: that all of you may be a “wantok” of love!

A young person, can he or she make a mistake? [Young people answer: yes!]. And an adult person, can he or she make a mistake? [Young people answer: yes!]. And an old person like me, can he or she make a mistake? [Young people answer: yes!]. We can all make mistakes. Everyone one of us. But the important thing is to realize the mistake. That is crucial. We are not superman. We can make mistakes.

This also gives us a certainty: that we must always correct ourselves. In life we can all fall, all of us. Is it important not to fall? I ask you. [Young people answer: no!] Yes, but what is more important? [Young people answer: get back up!] Don’t stay down. If you see a friend, a companion your age who has fallen, what should you do? Laugh at that? [Young people answer: no!] You are to look at him and help him get up.

Think that we only in one situation in life can look down on the other person: to help pick him up. To help him rise. Do you agree or disagree? [Young people answer: yes!] If one of you has fallen down, is a little down in moral life, has fallen down, should you give him a smack, like this? [Young people answer: no!] Very good.

AFRICA/ALGERIA - Abdelmadjid Tebboune confirmed in office: voter turnout still unclear

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:24:32 +0200

Algiers - With 94.65% of the votes cast, outgoing President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was re-elected Head of State of Algeria in the election on September 7 . The result is, however, contested by the opposition and the independent press. The Algerian French-language daily "Le Matin" speaks in an editorial published yesterday, September 8, of a "Soviet percentage" with which Tebboune was re-elected.
The only two challengers were the Islamist Abdelali Hassani Cherif of the Movement for the Society of Peace and Youssef Aouchiche, secretary of the historic opposition party Front of Socialist Forces , who received 3.17% and 2.16% of the votes cast respectively. With Tebboune's re-election considered certain, the real unknown of the election was voter turnout. The President wanted to be re-elected by a larger number of voters than in the 2019 elections. The head of the Independent National Electoral Authority , Mohamed Charfi, is now accused by all three candidates, including President Tebboune, of having made contradictory statements about voter turnout.
On September 7, Charfi had reported an "average turnout of 48% when polling stations closed," but without specifying the number of voters in relation to the more than 24 million registered voters. Charfi had indicated the percentage of votes from abroad as 19.57% .
Unlike the turnout, which is calculated by dividing the number of voters by the total number of registered voters, the average turnout, calculated by dividing the sum of the turnouts of the "wilayas" by 58, does not reflect the reality on the ground. Tebboune, 78, is trying to portray himself as a "popular" President by claiming a higher turnout than in previous elections. However, ANIE statistics forced him, along with his two challengers, to question the results. The three candidates issued a joint statement accusing the ANIE president of announcing contradictory results.

ASIA/EAST TIMOR - The Prime Minister of East Timor: reconciliation with Indonesia is an example to follow in our time torn apart by wars

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:00:57 +0200

by Paolo Affatato

Dili - East Timor has chosen the path of reconciliation with Indonesia to heal the wounds of the past. And now this reconciliation process "could be, in its own way, an example for the contexts of conflict in the current international context, also in Europe and the Middle East". This is the proposal made by Xanana Gusmao, former leader of the resistance movement and current Prime Minister of East Timor, in an interview with Agenzia Fides, in which he expresses the hopes of his compatriots in view of the apostolic visit of Pope Francis, who arrived today in the youngest country in the world with a population of over 95% Catholic.

Mr. Prime Minister, what does the visit of Pope Francis mean for East Timor?

The Pope's visit arouses a feeling of pride. It is a historic step for us, a small Catholic country so far from the Vatican. We remember the visit of Pope John Paul II 35 years ago, when the question of our independence had to be examined by the international community. The Pope's arrival and prayers were a blessing for us at that time. Before the invasion of Indonesia , less than 30% of East Timor's people were baptized Catholic. In addition to the violence, massacres and murders, religion was also used by the oppressors, and sometimes people were forced to call themselves Muslims. But on the contrary, people flocked to churches and baptisms increased. There was a connection between the religious side and our struggle for independence. Then the tragic outcome of the Santa Cruz massacre was an important signal, and Western countries also began to take our struggle for self-determination into account. The Pope came "at the right time", his visit was a twist of fate, older generations still say today. And so we believe that today too is "the right time" to welcome Pope Francis.

How is the peace and reconciliation process with Indonesia progressing?

East Timor has made a great effort to reconcile the wounds of the past. In this respect, East Timor could be a kind of example compared to the current international conflict contexts, including in Europe and the Middle East. Here we have found a way to pursue a process of genuine reconciliation. There has been a fruitful exchange of experiences with other countries that are in a fragile situation. When I attended the peace conference for Ukraine in Switzerland, Russia was not present. But peace is made with enemies, you have to meet at the negotiating table, and the international community has the task of facilitating them.
We have done this with Indonesia. This does not mean that we forget the suffering and atrocities of the past. We have the Museum of Resistance, which collects all the evidence of these painful events and preserves the memory for future generations. We do not want to and cannot erase history. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has also called on Indonesia to acknowledge the massacres that took place. And we have also recalled episodes of respect in which the Indonesian military refused to use violence against the defenseless civilian population despite orders received. But we remember the past in order to build a different future, a future of respect and peace. We do not want to shift the blame onto the Indonesian people of today. I was in Indonesia after the collapse of the Suharto regime, which had decided to occupy East Timor. Indonesia has also changed. It was possible to build a process of reconciliation and good political relations. The Timorese people and the Indonesian people shared this approach. We have striven for peace and are still trying to build a good future, especially with a view to the new generations.

What is the relationship between Church and State in East Timor?

Our constitution is secular, we are a secular and democratic state that gives credit to the Catholic Church and even explicitly recognizes its valuable contribution in the Charter. We have a special relationship with the Catholic Church, we have signed a Concordat. The State makes an annual contribution to the Church, which varies every year and is included by the government in the state budget: a support that is used by the Catholic institutions for social services to the population. East Timor has a high proportion of young people in the population.

How does this influence government policy?

East Timor is a young country, about twenty-two years old, and it can be said that it is made up to a large extent of a young population. The government is called upon to give them a future. We are thinking of investments to improve the quality of education. Secondly, we must promote economic development, because only economic development can guarantee more jobs for our population and prevent the migration of young people. We are now in this process. We are still an agrarian country, made up mainly of farming families, but today they send their children to school.
We are trying to change people's mentality, for example by improving agriculture with new technologies and creating incentives for the private sector. We need a cultural change that promotes an entrepreneurial mentality. For this reason, we have launched a development program consisting of about nine hundred small projects spread across the country, with which we are trying to get people, especially young people, to start small businesses. And we are happy with the result. Small, broad-based projects serve as motivation and role models. A small business can support an entire family or several families. We are planning to create a development bank to support small and medium-sized enterprises, a bank that provides microcredit.

What is East Timor's position on the international scene?
What are the relations with neighboring states such as Indonesia, Australia and China, which are interested in Timorese oil?

As a young and small nation, we wanted to network and compare ourselves with other fragile countries based on their socio-political conditions: this is how the initiative of the "G7+" group was born, an intergovernmental organization that brings together countries that are in active conflict or have recently experienced conflict and political instability. It already has 20 member countries from Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and the Caribbean. The exchange of best practices with these countries has been and continues to be very useful. For oil production, we are in negotiations with Australian and Chinese companies, with one principle: after production, the pipeline must reach East Timor. We must do everything we can to create jobs, including skilled jobs, for our population. We want to avoid only involving large companies from abroad, our goal is to have a positive social impact and a positive economic impact. We are advocating for this principle and this right in all international bodies, namely the right to bring the pipeline to our shores.

What does Xanana Gusmao want for the future of East Timor?

When I was young, I dreamed of freedom and independence. That dream has come true. It was the dream of an entire people. It was a path with a wonderful result. Now it is about a people developing and having good living conditions. People suffered even after independence. We had to rebuild the country from scratch, starting with basic infrastructure. Now we must go ahead and build schools and hospitals in rural areas. Today we dream that not just a few people can live a life of dignity, but all Timorese, in the cities, in the villages, in the countryside and in the mountainous regions. But it is more than a dream, it is a mission that we aspire to today.

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

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 12:24:43 +0200

by Paolo Affatato

Dili - "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 . 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 , 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 met with Don Martinho Da Costa Lopes , 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 . 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.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY - Pope gives Bibles and rosaries to missionaries: “Continue on this path”

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 11:31:35 +0200

by Fabio Beretta

Vanimo - Hugs, prayers, photos. And typical Argentine specialties to celebrate being together. And all this in just half an hour. That's how long the private meeting between Pope Francis and a group of Argentine missionaries from the Institute of the Incarnate Word , who have been working in northern Papua New Guinea for years, lasted.

"The Pope," Father Alejandro Diaz, 51, told Fides , "wanted to come here to Vanimo, a small town that is very poor. He first met the local community of Vanimo. Then he went to the nearby village of Baro to pay a private visit to our school, the Holy Trinity Humanist School.”

There is a bond of friendship between the Bishop of Rome and this community of missionaries that began years ago: “He has always supported us. Thanks to the help he sent us, we were able to build a boarding school for boys and obtain off-road vehicles to move through the jungle.” Thanks to the Pope’s help, “we were also able to buy a bus that serves as a school bus for the villages.”

“About two thousand people, who also came from neighboring villages, were waiting here to see and greet him,” reports Father Diaz. “We gave him a warm welcome. For the occasion, we prepared a small concert. We organized a small orchestra made up of students from our school who spent weeks rehearsing the pieces.”

In an adjoining room, the Pope met the six missionaries who live here and preach the Gospel for a brief conversation: "We offered the Pope a mate, a typical Argentine drink, and also fried cakes, also a typical Argentine dish." In the few minutes available for the conversation, "the Pope encouraged us to continue the mission on the path we have taken here," says the missionary. "Then he left us several gifts, especially Bibles and rosaries, to give to the faithful and catechists. He also gave us a wonderful wooden statue of Saint Joseph."

On several occasions, Pope Francis - who wanted to celebrate the beginning of his Petrine Ministry precisely on March 19, 2013, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph - described the husband of Mary and stepfather of Jesus as the one who knows how to "walk in the dark," an expert "in listening to the voice of God" and in "moving forward in silence."

Pope Francis also met the Sisters of the Incarnate Word who live and work in Baro: "The Pope stopped briefly with the sisters to greet them personally and take some photos. Although his entourage pressed him and told him that it was late and the plane had to leave, he continued to joke with us all." Before returning to Port Moresby, Pope Francis blessed, as planned, 25 images of the Patron Saint of Argentina, Our Lady of Luján . "There are 25 because the Pope's arrival here coincides with the 25th anniversary of the arrival of the statue of Our Lady of Luján in Papua New Guinea," explained Father Diaz. "In the next few days we will donate them to the chapels of the villages scattered in the jungle."

This afternoon "was like a caress for us missionaries. We feel encouraged to continue on this path. The Pope asked us to do so."

OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - “Our people are united by faith thanks to the missionaries.” Interview with John Ribat, M.S.C., Archbishop of Port Moresby

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 11:20:07 +0200

by Fabio Beretta

Port Moresby - The role of missionaries among the tribes, the work of the local Church in following the teachings of the Gospel and feel part of the universal Church, the joy and enthusiasm for the Pope's visit. Cardinal John Ribat, Archbishop of Port Moresby, gave Agenzia Fides an overview of the Christian community living in Papua New Guinea, destination of the second stage of the Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania.

The Pope will find a young Church, but one that already boasts of a martyr…
It is in fact a young Church that continues to grow, also thanks to the example of Peter To Rot, today blessed. For the moment, his canonization process is at a standstill because the miracle is lacking. This is one of the things we will ask the Pope: to intervene in the canonization process*. Our hope as a community is that this process will be completed within next year, so that we can see our catechist as a Saint very soon. Here in Papua New Guinea, the Church is young but the faith is strong, Catholics are enthusiastic about this papal visit.
Many people come to Port Moresby from the highlands and neighboring countries, but also from the suffragan dioceses. Many make pilgrimages on foot or by boat, always praying.

How important are the missionaries in Papua New Guinea? Why do you think the Pope chose to meet the missionaries in this country?
The missionaries arrived in this country several centuries ago. Compared to those first arrivals, they are fewer today, but the Christian community keeps in mind the beginnings of the missions, mainly thanks to the Germans and the Americans. Today, there are many in Papua New Guinea, scattered in many regions and in different dioceses. They come from India, the Philippines, Indonesia. But, as in the beginning, there are also some who come from Europe, like the Italian Salesians. In Vanimo, another city that the Pope will visit, there are missionaries from Argentina, his compatriots. The work of the missionaries is important to us, and not only because they continue to spread the Catholic faith. They encourage people, they work with them. And this is important. There is a good relationship between the missionaries and the people and this is due to the fact that several dioceses in Papua New Guinea, historically speaking, were founded by missionaries. And now, with the arrival of the Pontiff, the population is helping a lot with the preparation. Our Episcopal Conference unites Papua New Guinea with the Solomon Islands, and many people have also come from there to help us in the workings of the organization. If this climate of unity in faith exists here, we owe it to the missionaries.

In Papua New Guinea, there is fighting between tribes. Does the Church, if it does, intervene in any way?
The tribes fight among themselves, but in the seminaries, there are boys from different villages who live together peacefully.... These tribal fights do not occur everywhere. They occur mainly in the mountainous regions where, unlike the coastal regions, the Church has only arrived in the last few decades. These are villages that are difficult to access, whose customs and traditions are deeply rooted in the past. It is also an ecologically fragile area; we have recently experienced natural disasters that have killed several people. However, there are social tensions throughout the country. On January 10 this year, a riot broke out to protest a reduction in wages. In the city there were deaths, shops were looted, cars were set on fire... Today we are recovering. As a Church, we have released statements to the press, which are also read in churches. In these texts, in addition to condemning all forms of violence, we have given new keys to understanding the various problems and new laws because they had not been well explained. With tribal struggles it is different. We let ourselves be inspired by the Word of God.

For the second time, a Pope is visiting this nation: what can the local Catholic community offer to the universal Church?
This is a question that we, as a community, have been thinking about for weeks. We are trying to understand what we can do and how we can help others. A first "practical" response that we have given ourselves has been to send new missionaries. They have transmitted the faith to us and now we are ready to leave to help the Church grow where it is needed. Some of our priests are in Argentina or Brazil. Some have gone to Africa. But this is only a small contribution. We are also a growing Church and we strive to live well among ourselves the teachings of the Gospel and the doctrine of the universal Church. This gives us the feeling of being part of something universal. These events help us, they give us the impetus to live universality at home, by attending Mass.

What are the greatest challenges for the Church in Papua New Guinea to proclaim the Gospel today?
One of the challenges is the misinformation that comes from social media and elsewhere. As a Church, we have made it our task to help people understand when there is fake news. We are bombarded with so many messages and it creates confusion. In this sense, and I speak for myself, the words of Saint Paul have helped me a lot in speaking to people. And I wonder how the Church can preach the Gospel well in these times when changes are the order of the day. The answer I gave myself is this: if everything changes, the truth remains the same. And the truth, for us, is Christ. The Word of God, after 2000 years, is still the same, it has not changed. Some try to convey a wrong message, they interpret it to “adapt” it to the changes in the world. But this is not the truth.

Although Papua New Guinea is a small flock, according to official figures, the number of baptisms and vocations is increasing: how do you explain this?
Vocations are increasing because young people, but also older people, want to contribute to doing something important for their country. The Church has always encouraged them in this way. Young people, in particular, occupy an important place in the life of the Church. Before entering the seminary, many begin by exercising the most diverse professions, but always at the service of their neighbor. And little by little, they feel that what they do is not enough for their development. Baptisms are also increasing, but this is also due to population growth. But I also see that more and more young people are getting married. These are young people whom the Church has helped to grow in faith and who can now say that they have fulfilled themselves in life.

*There are cases that proceed by equivalence, applied to the two cases of beatification and canonization; it is a procedure by which the Pope, after verification, approves a cult that has existed for some time, without waiting for a miracle to recognize it. It differs from formal beatifications and canonizations, for which the Church provides for a regular investigation and the corresponding miracle. Furthermore, the Pope can always make special decisions. Pope Francis did this for John XXIII, who became a Saint because of his reputation for holiness, which had been widespread throughout the world for decades, without a second miracle being recognized. An extraordinary procedure was also followed by Benedict XVI with regard to Saint John Paul II, whose cause for canonization was opened a few weeks after his death, without waiting the required five years .

AFRICA/ALGERIA - Presidential election in Algeria: the military plays an increasingly important role in the country

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:56:45 +0200

Algiers - Algerians will elect their Head of State tomorrow, September 7. Outgoing President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, 78, is widely considered the favorite. His only challengers, accepted by the Constitutional Court and confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Authority , are only two: the Islamist Abdelali Hassani Cherif of the Movement for the Society of Peace and Youssef Aouchiche, secretary of the historic opposition party Front des Forces Socialistes . The early election does not seem to have aroused much enthusiasm among the Algerian population, which is struggling with the consequences of the sharp rise in the prices of basic services. According to some interpretations, the decision to bring the election forward to September, announced in March, appears to have been dictated by a desire to prevent protests and demonstrations. The electoral campaign reached its peak in the hot Algerian August, making it difficult, if not impossible, to organize demonstrations. In addition, most workers were on holiday, which reduced the possibility of strikes to a minimum.
Tebboune came to power in 2019 after the overthrow of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who was preparing to serve a fifth term despite poor health and a governance marked by corruption and inefficiency. The angry population had launched the popular movement "Hirak", which took to the streets to demand Bouteflika's resignation. Tebboune had taken office promising reforms, but the 2020 coronavirus pandemic had allowed the regime to introduce measures restricting the population's movement and censoring social media, which effectively paralyzed and brought the "Hirak" movement under control.
Under Tebboune's presidency, the military's role in the administration of power was strengthened, a development that had already begun under Bouteflika, when the center of gravity of real power shifted from the security services to the commanders-in-chief of the armed forces, whose commander-in-chief, General Saïd Chanegriha, often appears alongside the president at public ceremonies. Faced with real or perceived threats affecting Algeria from within and without, the armed forces have been assigned an increasingly important role in public life, and the defense budget is set to increase to nearly €20 billion by 2023.
In this context, it is clear that voter turnout is the real figure that indicates the level of acceptance of the regime among the population. Of the 45 million inhabitants, only 23 million are registered to participate in the election. Voting by Algerians living abroad already began on September 2.

OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - The baptized do not want Christianity as a "state religion"

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:31:09 +0200

Port Moresby - The country has a 95% Christian population, but is not based on a "state religion": this is the concept of state in Papua New Guinea, which has been independent since 1975 after Australian colonization. The constitution adopted that year officially proclaimed the "Independent State of Papua New Guinea", with the preamble to the charter containing a reference to "Christian values". In recent years, and in the first months of 2024, motions have been submitted to Parliament for possible constitutional changes to transform the nation into the "Christian State of Papua New Guinea". Since 1847, when the first Catholic missionaries, the Marist Fathers, arrived in the country, traditional belief systems and Christianity have coexisted at various levels. Later, Christian missionaries of various denominations arrived, and since the 1970s, Pentecostals and evangelicals have become more widespread.
It was the representatives of the Pentecostals in particular, with the support of politicians, who proposed changes to the charter, but these did not meet with the approval of the Catholic Church. A letter sent to the government in recent months and signed by the Archbishop of Port Moresby, Cardinal John Ribat , states that they do not agree with the creation of a "confessional state" or with the attempt to enshrine the country's Christian identity in the constitution.
The text notes that this could lead to a "change in the character of the State" and the existing balances, recalling that the Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience, thought and religion and the right of every citizen to freely practice his faith: a democratic regulatory framework based on the rule of law that allows the peaceful and free development of any religious community. The current model is considered valid by the Catholic Church: priests, religious and missionaries in Papua recall that there is a fruitful cooperation between the State and the Churches, especially in the health and education sectors, which is reflected in the "Church-State Partnership Program". The Anglican Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Baptist Union, the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church and the Salvation Army, as well as other Christian churches and organizations, run about 60% of the schools, health services and social facilities in the country. The government subsidizes these institutions and contributes to the salaries of teachers and health personnel who work in these institutions, in recognition of their role and public service.
The country has about 9 million inhabitants, 95% of whom are Christian , with minorities of other religions and traditional cults.