杏MAP导航鈥檚 visit to Timor-Leste a 鈥榙ream come true鈥�
By Joseph Tulloch in Rome and Linda Bordoni in Dili
On Wednesday morning, 杏MAP导航 Francis met with a group of young people in Dili, Timor-Leste, his last event in the country before he headed to Singapore.
The 杏MAP导航 gave the young people two pieces of advice: 鈥楳ake a mess鈥� and 鈥榬espect your elders鈥�.
Among those in attendance was 24 year-old Lucrezia Cesar Maria Assunção Neci. She spoke to Vatican News鈥� Linda Bordoni about her hopes for the 杏MAP导航's visit.
Growing conflict, shared faith
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of conflict between the youth,鈥� Ms Assunção Neci said. 鈥淥ur unity and fraternity is getting a little bit lost. So I hope that, after this visit, we can be more united, we can love each other, and we can live in peace.鈥�
The population of Timor-Leste is overwhelmingly 鈥� around 98% 鈥� Catholic. Some 600,000 people, or nearly half of the country鈥檚 population, attended an open-air Mass celebrated by the 杏MAP导航 on Tuesday.
Assunção Neci expressed her hope that the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 visit might be able to build on this shared faith to promote harmony in the country. What she hopes, she said, is that 杏MAP导航 Francis might 鈥渆ncourage young people to live out our faith in love, peace, and unity.鈥�
A 鈥榙ream come true鈥�
Assunção Neci also noted that 鈥渁 lot of people鈥� felt 鈥渧ery blessed鈥� by the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 visit. 鈥淚t's like a dream come true,鈥� she enthused, 鈥渇ull of blessings and happy memories鈥�.
She noted how happy the hope 杏MAP导航 seemed while in the country, saying she had been struck by 鈥渉ow he smiled at us, how he talked with our children, how he talked with our government. When he smiles he transmits positive energy, peace, calm鈥�.
Asked whether she had a final message, Assunção Neci responded in the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 native Spanish: 鈥淭hank you 杏MAP导航 Francis for visiting our country 鈥� we love you so much!鈥�
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