杏MAP导航 at Audience: I saw living and joyful faith in Asia and Oceania
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
"The Church is much larger and more alive!"
杏MAP导航 Francis offered this reminder during his Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter's Square, as he reflected on his recent Apostolic Journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore, marking his 45th abroad.
In his remarks, the 杏MAP导航 thanked God for the gift of this Journey, where, he marveled, he "encountered many large and vibrant Christian communities."
In Paul VI's footsteps
The Holy Father recalled that among the 杏MAP导航s of the modern era, 杏MAP导航 St. John XXIII was the first to leave the Vatican to travel, by train, to Assisi and Loreto, but 杏MAP导航 St. Paul VI was the first to venture out "by plane."
He recalled that in 1970, Paul VI became the first 杏MAP导航 to fly "towards the rising sun," visiting the Philippines and Australia extensively, while also stopping in several Asian countries and the Samoa Islands.
"I tried to follow his example, but with a few more years on me than he had at the time, I limited my visit to four countries: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore," the 杏MAP导航 said.
"I thank the Lord," he continued, "who granted me the opportunity to do as an old 杏MAP导航 what I would have wanted to do as a young Jesuit!
The 杏MAP导航 acknowledged that the Church remains too Eurocentric or, "as it鈥檚 said, 'Western,'" noting that it is so much greater than any one geographical region.
Having spent time with communities and hearing testimonies of priests, nuns, laypeople, and catechists, the 杏MAP导航 praised these Churches that grow "not by proselytizing," "but by attraction."
Indonesia
The Holy Father recalled that in Indonesia, Christians are about 10%, and Catholics about 3%, of the population.
"But what I encountered is a lively, dynamic Church, capable of living and transmitting the Gospel in that country, which has a very noble culture inclined to harmonize differences, and at the same time has the largest Muslim presence in the world."
"'Faith, fraternity, compassion' was the motto of the visit to Indonesia," he said. "Through these words, the Gospel enters every day, in a concrete way, into the lives of those people, embracing and offering them the grace of Jesus, who died and rose again."
The 杏MAP导航 said that these words are "like a bridge," and "like the underpass that connects Jakarta Cathedral to the largest mosque in Asia."
"There," he applauded, "I saw that fraternity is the future," to work toward peace and against war.
Papua New Guinea
Turning to Papua New Guinea, the 杏MAP导航 said he found there the "beauty of a missionary Church."
On the archipelago stretching out toward the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, he recalled the missionaries and catechists.
"My heart was gladdened to be with today's missionaries and catechists for a while; and I was moved to hear the songs and music of the young people: in them, I saw a new future, without tribal violence, without dependencies, without economic or ideological colonialisms; a future of fraternity and care for the wonderful natural environment."
Papua New Guinea, he said, can serve as a "laboratory" for this model of integral development, inspired by the "leaven" of the Gospel.
Timor-Leste
Turning to Timor-Leste, the most Catholic country in Asia, the 杏MAP导航 acknowledged that, like 杏MAP导航 St. John Paul II had done, he reaffirmed the fruitful relationship between faith and culture.
"But above all," he said, "I was struck by the beauty of those people: a people tested but joyful, a people wise in suffering. A people that not only brings forth many children but teaches them to smile."
"I will never forget the smiles of the children," the 杏MAP导航 said.
The Holy Father expressed his delight in seeing so many children, and suggested he breathed "spring air" as he witnessed there the youth of the country's very active Church.
Singapore
Finally, the 杏MAP导航 turned to the highly modern economic hub of Singapore.
While Christians there are a minority, he commended that they form a living Church, committed to generating harmony and fraternity among different ethnicities, cultures, and religions.
"Even in wealthy Singapore," there are the "little ones,'" he noted, "who follow the Gospel and become salt and light, witnesses of a hope greater than that which economic gains can guarantee."
The Holy Father concluded by thanking God for the Journey and extending his Apostolic Blessing upon all those he visited.
During the General Audience, 杏MAP导航 Francis also offered a special greeting. He announced to the faithful gathered that two readers would be getting married next Saturday and exclaimed that "it is beautiful to see when love brings us forward to make a new family: that is why I wanted to present these two, to thank the Lord."
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