Pope Francis is close to the people and the Church in East Timor, this was emphasized by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Undersecretary for Public Affairs at the Vatican City State Secretariat, during the inauguration of the new Papal Embassy in the capital, Dili. He also participated in a conference on the Human Fraternity Document, whose principles East Timor included in the educational curricula.
Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, undersecretary for public affairs at the Vatican City State Secretariat, inaugurated on Tuesday 20 September the new Papal Embassy in Dili, the capital of East Timor. In his speech to the participants in this opening, including President Ramos Horta, who won the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, he expressed the hope that this event would be a tangible expression of the interest that the Popes have always attached to the people of East Timor, in addition to the fact that the opening of the new embassy is an expression of Pope Francis is close to the Church in this country, and he continued, hoping that the opening of the embassy would be an encouragement and renewal for all believers.
Among what Bishop Edgar Peña Parra pointed out in his speech was that the new embassy was completely “green”, in line with Pope Francis’ teaching in the Encyclical “Laudato” on the care of creation, in the common home. On the other hand, he spoke of what he described as the “architectural harmony” of the new embassy, which is a sign of the good relations between the Holy See and the Republic of East Timor. The Undersecretary for Public Affairs of the Vatican City State Secretariat wanted to remind that the opening of the new embassy coincides with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of East Timor’s independence and the establishment of diplomatic relations. In this context, he spoke regarding the development of relations between the two parties thanks to the implementation of the 2015 agreement, which relates to many aspects of the life and service of the Church in this country, adding that the Catholic faith has been a source of strength and consolation for the people of East Timor for more than 500 years, whether in positive or negative periods.
The Undersecretary for Public Affairs of the Vatican City State Secretariat continued his speech, recalling the appointment of Pope Francis, Archbishop of Dili, Archbishop Virgilio de Carmo da Silva, a cardinal, to become the first cardinal in East Timor. Then Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra welcomed the decision of the East Timorese Parliament to adopt the document of human fraternity for world peace and coexistence, which was signed by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi in February 2019. In his intervention at a conference held at the Catholic University of East Timor on this document, the Undersecretary for Public Affairs of the Vatican City State Secretariat referred to the inclusion of the content of the Document on Human Fraternity in educational programs in East Timor, and added that the principles of the document would lead young people in their aspiration to be good citizens. Not only for this country, but for the world. Bishop Edgar Peña Parra stressed that only by recognizing the intricate dignity of all persons can we achieve true reconciliation and peace, healing the wounds of the past, and establishing a society for future generations marked by justice and prosperity.
Archbishop Peña Barra then paused on the importance of educating future generations and reflected on some aspects of the importance of the Abu Dhabi Document for interfaith dialogue and life in East Timor. In his speech, on the other hand, he recalled the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Pope John Paul II in 1989 during his visit to this country when his homily centered on the salt of the earth. Archbishop Peña Barra therefore stopped at the importance of salt as a symbol of brotherhood, and in this context referred to the proverbs presented by the people of East Timor, who are not only reconciled but also conciliated people. Thus, he spoke of the taste of brotherhood, which is an indispensable condition for achieving peace, as affirmed in the Document on Human Fraternity, and continued that salt guarantees this taste on the one hand and preserves cohesion on the other, thanks to education. Hence East Timor’s decision to include the principles of the Document on Human Fraternity in the programs of schools and universities is of greater historical importance, in order to preserve what is learned to form an ever more mature consciousness. Bishop Peña Parra concluded by stressing the importance of interreligious dialogue, which Pope Francis affirmed as not just an opportunity, but a necessary, urgent and indispensable service to humanity.
