The remarkable attendance was a testament to the overwhelmingly Catholic Southeast Asian country and the esteem with which its people hold the church.

The Mass, held at Tasitolu Park near the capital Dili, marked a significant moment in the country's religious history and echoed the visit of St John Paul II 35 years ago.

The gathering highlighted the deep devotion of the Timorese people in a nation where 97% of the population is Catholic.

Catholic Church's key role

Pope Francis arrived at the park in his popemobile and stayed well after sunset to greet the faithful, who illuminated the park with mobile phone lights.

"I wish for you peace, that you keep having many children, and that your smile continues to be your children" the Pope said, delivering his message in Spanish.

East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after decades of conflict that claimed up to 200,000 lives. The Catholic Church played a key role in supporting the country during its struggle, drawing international attention to human rights abuses under Indonesian rule.

Cardinal Carmo da Silva, the archbishop of Dili, told the crowd at the end of the Mass that John Paul's visit "marked the decisive step in our process of self-determination" and that Francis' visit to the same place "marks a fundamental step in the process of building our country, its identity and its culture".

Tasitolu Park once bore witness to atrocities committed by Indonesian forces. The park, where bodies were disposed of during the occupation, is now a symbol of peace. A large statue of St John Paul II stands in the park, commemorating his 1989 visit during East Timor's push for independence.

While local organisers initially expected 300,000 attendees, the actual turnout reached 600,000, according to the Vatican. The Pope's presence was described as a powerful source of blessing and hope for the people.

Prevent every kind of abuse

The day before the Mass, Pope Francis urged Timor-Leste's leaders to address child abuse following recent scandals involving clergy. He called for action to protect young people and condemned alcohol misuse and the violent use of martial arts, which has led to government crackdowns.

"Let us not forget the many children and adolescents whose dignity has been violated. The phenomenon is manifesting all over the world" he said in a speech in the capital, Dili.

"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" the pope added.

Sources

AP News

UCA News

CathNews New Zealand

Francis sounded warnings against the dangers of arrogance and power in religious leadership.

The meeting at Dili Cathedral came during the Pope's September 9-11 visit to East Timor.

"The priest is an instrument of blessing. He must never take advantage of his role. He must always bless, comfort, be a servant of compassion and a sign of God's mercy" said the pope.

He reminded clergy that their elevated status should not distance them from the people.

"You come from the people! You were born of mothers of the people! You grew up among the people!" Francis said.

"Don't forget the culture of the people you have received."

Continuing the conversation, Francis also addressed the temptations that come with power, sharing a personal anecdote.

"My grandmother always told me that the devil gets in through your pockets" he said.

He called on them to be vigilant against corruption which can infiltrate even Catholic communities.

"The tasks of the clergy are to proclaim the Gospel, to serve the poor and to work for justice and against corruption" Francis emphasised, encouraging church leaders to be "passionate, prepared and creative" in their mission of evangelisation.

Francis recalled the Gospel passage where Mary poured expensive perfume over Jesus's feet at the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary.

"You are the fragrance of the Gospel in this country" he said, calling on the clergy to spread the "perfume" of the Gospel to those in need, especially the poor.

"It means being vigilant about ourselves because a lukewarm spiritual mediocrity is always lurking" he said.

Sources

• Crux
• Katholisch.de

Last week there was a heavy police presence around churches, at the bishop's palace and Sunday Masses.

Both uniformed and plain-clothed officers armed with machine guns were in evidence

"I got an order from my commander in relation to a terrorist threat, so I went to Dili's Cathedral and some other churches in Dili to observe the situation surrounding Bishop Dili's residence," Dili's deputy police commander Euclides Belo said.

"I have told the security members to inform the National Police immediately if they see strange people near the bishop's residence," he said.

The concern about a terrorist attack emerged ahead of the dismissal by the country's top court of a petition by Fretilin, the political party which lost power in the May 12 general election, to have the votes in four districts recounted.

This has paved the way for the court to officially declare the result that saw the Alliance of Change and Progress (AMP), led by the revolutionary hero, Xanana Gusmão, win a majority with 34 seats in the 65 seat legislature allowing it to govern in its own right.

The election result remains unofficial until it is published in the country's national gazette, the Jornal da República and, once it is, parliament has 15 days to have its first sitting.

National TV network TVTL has announced that the sitting will take place on 12 June.

Gusmão is a former president and prime minister of Timor Lesté .

AMP, a coalition made up of three parties, has yet to reveal who will lead the country once the court signs off on the result, but sources close to three party group have indicated that Gusmao will serve a third term as prime minister.

Source

• ucanews.com
• sea-globe.com
• Source: José Fernando Real

Now, after Saturday's election, it seems this Fretilin-led government is heading for defeat.

With more than 99 percent of votes counted in Saturday's poll, the Alliance of Change for Progress (AMP) was leading with 49.59 percent of the total, according to the latest count by the state election administration.

The Fretilin party of Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri was on 34.18 percent of votes.

Official results are not due until May 27, but a senior AMP official said it looked certain that it had won.

In a January TV interview, Alkatiri said: "I accept my position as PM not only because of Fretilin votes.

"But when I met with Bishop Nascimento who is representing the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, he himself told me to accept the position.

"That is why I assume it. The reason why? To change the status quo."

While the bishop endorsed the comments at the time, he has since been forced to bury his support, church insiders told ucanews.com.

Last week the government handed over the first instalment of a promised US$15 million to the Catholic Church.

The timing of the church's agreement with the government has led to accusations it is using the church to its advantage.

Father Julio Crispin, head of the Baucau Diocese Justice Commission, said the agreement has nothing to do with the election.

He said the agreement was signed "because the council of ministers had its last sitting yesterday."

He explained that the money was for education, social welfare and churches.

Fretilin sources said the funds, payable under an agreement with the Vatican, had been delayed for some months until it was clear they could be afforded.

Source

• reuters.com
• ucanews.com
• Image: Ryan Dagur

The St. Joseph Seminary in Maliana Diocese is the country's second minor seminary after Our Lady of Fatima in Dili, which has been the only place of study for young people aspiring to become priests. Continue reading

The Aug 15 Mass was held at Tasitolu, the site of a 1989 Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II.

Catholics came from all over the island for the Mass, wearing traditional dress and displaying banners representing their dioceses, communities, schools and parishes.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the highest-ranking Church official to visit Timor-Leste since St. John Paul, was the Mass's main celebrant, which took place on the feast of the Assumption of Mary.

At Pope John Paul's Mass in 1989 Timorese youth unfurled banners protesting Indonesian rule.

The incident, one of the few times during the occupation that Timor Lesté had an international audience, was considered a seminal moment of the resistance.

Source

• globalpulsemagazine.com
• Image: globalpulsemagazine.com

The treaty has been under negotiation since 2006 but was not finalized until two months ago, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo told ucanews.com in an interview Aug. 6.

"Timor-Leste is one of the most Catholic countries in the world," Araujo said.

The Vatican has long been considered one of the country's closest diplomatic friends.

During the Indonesian occupation lasting from 1975 until independence in 2002, the Vatican would appoint bishops to Timor-Leste outside the Indonesian bishops' conference.

Source

• ucanews.com
• timor-leste.gov.tl
• zenit.org
• Image: crossed-flag-pins.com

It will impose licensing for journalists and a narrow definition of a "journalist" and potentially bars foreign journalists.

Journalists are expected to fall into line with the government's media definitions and foreign reporters could be blocked at the country's borders.

Parliament passed the law on May 6 that impacts on the press and rights of freedom of speech.

The President, Taur Matan Ruak, has 30 days to examine the law and has the right to veto it and send it back to Parliament with any concerns he may have.

The law is available in Portuguese, which only a limited number of the Timor-Leste population understands, and the indigenous national language Tetun.

Source

• Pacific.Scoop
• Image: Shannon Gillies/PMC

It has been 50 years since the 1st of May 1963 when the people of West Papua and the Land of West Papua were integrated into the Republic of Indonesia by means of military invasion after the TRIKORA (Tri Komando Rakyat, "People's Triple Command") speech by President Soekarno on the 19th of December 1961. Since then the people and the land of West Papua have been experiencing human calamities resulting from a conflict without a peaceful and fair resolution. Hundreds of thousands of the indigenous West Papuans have been murdered, slaughtered and imprisoned by the Republic of Indonesia.

Our land of abundance in natural resources has been exploited for the sake of capitalism and development. The capitalism only brings up colonialism. And, that is why the development for the people of West Papua is always under the operation of the militaristic intelligence (services). So, when our people demand a fair compensation due to the use of their traditional land for development, they are always named as the members of Free Papua Organization (OPM) or separatists. Such a condition sets a fire of revolt, Free Papua ideology, which is never put down.

Today, our history of the long-lasting Free Papua struggle is added to a long list of the sufferings of the people of West Papua. This should have become a reflection for all of us. Why did Xanana Gusmoa, Ramos Horta and Bishop Belo end the sufferings of the people of Timor Leste within a period of 24 years integration with Indonesia? Why has it been 50 years but the Free Papua Organizations has not shown any sign of accomplishment? Is this because our egocentric attitude is weakening us? Or has our loving God not been in our side yet? Continue reading

Sources

• Edison Waromi in West Papua Media Alerts
• Image: Dive the World

Edison Waromi is the Prime Minister of the National Federal Republic of West Papua, and is currently held in Abepura Prison serving a 3 year sentence for his role in organising and participating in the Third Papuan People's Congress.

Ruak won 275,441 votes, or 61.23 per cent, while Francisco Guterres, known as "Lu Olo", took 174,386, or 38.77 per cent, according to a count announced on Tuesday 17 April

Throughout his campaign Ruak reinforced his military image. Like Lu Olo, Ruak is a hero of the 24-year guerrilla war against Indonesian occupation.

He resigned as defence chief late last year to run for president, had vowed to introduce mandatory military service if elected.

Ruak, whose name means "piercing eyes" in the local Tetum language, was accused by the United Nations of involvement in illegal weapons transfers in 2006, when rioting and factional fighting left the nation on the brink of civil war.

In a speech published in January the incumbent President, and Nobel Peace Laureate José Manuel Ramos-Horta wrote,"I will run for office and it is up to the people to decide. But I will not engage in campaigning. The people know me - during the occupation I was the voice of the people, the shadow of the people in the world; I became Minister for Foreign Affairs for many years, during the 2006-2007 crisis I became Prime Minister and finally President, until now.

I will not campaign against other candidates because I am not better, nor smarter than my brother candidates.

During the coming weeks, I will only release a statement with my thoughts, my program for 2012-2017. I will continue to work at the Palace and visit various areas as I have always done in the past, but I will not engage in campaigning.

I can tell you today: should the people choose another candidate, I will support our new President in whatever way he may want and ask. He will not be alone."

"As with most countries, Timor Leste is complex: in its history, in its various ethnic groups and languages and in its social composition and aspirations,". says Good Samaritan Sister, Rita Mary Hayes who has been in Timor Leste since six months after the violence and destruction that followed the Timor Lesté people's vote for independence from Indonesia on August 30, 1999.

"This year marks the tenth anniversary of independence gained from Indonesian occupation and is also the five hundredth anniversary of the arrival of Portuguese colonisers," she says

"The people have experienced two different Presidents, two Prime Ministers and two different party-led Governments. These coming elections can now be based on choice based on their experience as well as their hopes. They are ready for it."

On July 7, voters will choose a new government in a general election.

Sources

• Business Spectator
• The Good Samaritan Sisters - The Good Oil
• Office of the President of Timor Lesté
• Image: Praza