Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dili (Fides Service) - In an appeal for Peace the Bishops of East Timor draw inspiration for Pope Benedict XVI’s Message for Lent 2007 stressing the need to “recognise the wounds inflicted upon the dignity of the human person”. Bishop Ricardo Da Silva of Dili and Bishop Basilio Do Nascimento of Baucau together with the Nuncio Archbishop Leopolodo Girelli call the whole nation to uphold justice as a way to forgiveness and reconciliation. The appeal reads: “In the name of God, who during this Lenten Season is calling us to a journey of authentic conversion to the love of Christ, we Bishops make a particular appeal to all the East Timorese for non-violence”.
The Bishops urge “the sons and daughters of the Church in East Timor and all men and women of goodwill to uphold justice as a way to forgiveness and reconciliation at all levels in our society. In this way the whole nation will be moved to avoid any form of violation of human life and dignity and to foster a culture of life and peace”, the Bishops say, rallying the people to take to heart the common good.
Bishops conclude “May Lent be for every Christian a renewed experience of God’s love given to us in Christ, a love that each day we in turn must ‘re-give’ to our neighbour, especially to the one who suffers most and is in need. May Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception patroness of this country, sustain us in this journey towards the much desired peace for East Timor”.
The appeal was issued at the end of the first pastoral visit to the country of Papal Nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli. This small Asian nation is preparing for important presidential elections in April.
In the meantime there remain the open wounds of bloody strife between separatists and pro-Indonesians which followed a referendum which led to independence from Indonesia in 1999. To ascertain the whole truth of those massacres and promote good reciprocal relations the respective governments have set up a Truth and Friendship Commission. In East Timor the government, the local Catholic Church and the social forces are promoting a culture of reconciliation and peace to foster, social, economic and cultural development. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 5/3/2007 righe 26 parole 271)
