Tuesday, September 10, 2024

DPP orders arson charge and circuit trial over destroyed church mummies

An arson charge has been brought against a man accused of destroying "priceless" ancient mummies following a fire at St Michan's Church in Dublin.

Christian Topiter, 38, who has been in custody on remand for almost three months, appeared before Judge Alan Mitchell at Cloverhill District Court on Tuesday.

Mr Topiter, previously of Grand Canal House, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6, was originally charged with causing criminal damage on June 11th at St Michan's Church to mummified remains, property of Church of Ireland Archdeacon of Dublin & Vicar of St Michan's Church David Pierpoint.

However, on Tuesday, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) authorised that the charge be replaced with another similar one stating that the damage was caused by arson. Garda James Kenny said Mr Topiter made no reply when the offence was put to Mr Topiter.

However, he told the Garda, "That wasn't me," in response to a second fresh charge for robbing a person in Smithfield, Dublin, of a suitcase on the same date.

He said the DPP has directed that Mr Topiter be sent forward for trial on indictment before a judge and jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, which has broader sentencing power.

The DPP also said Mr Topiter could be sent forward on a signed plea of guilty, should that arise.

He added that he expected the book of evidence to be ready at the next hearing.

Defence counsel Eloise Flynn asked for some disclosure beforehand, so the accused could consider the allegations.

The judge agreed to include that in his order.

The former security guard had initially been granted bail €4,000 but was never able to take it up, and he made no application for bail on the new charges on Tuesday.

Judge Mitchell remanded him in custody to appear again on September 17th.

A blaze broke out at around 4pm on June 11th, and water damage is believed to have ruined five mummified remains, including an 800-year-old artefact known as 'The Crusader'. 

The other mummies date back 400 years.

CCTV

Garda Kenny had told a bail hearing on June 12th that there was CCTV evidence and alleged the accused was arrested shortly afterwards wearing distinctive clothing.

A witness allegedly told gardaí that there was a person "locked behind gates where this incident occurred, where he would have had to forcibly enter".

Mr Topiter lived 200 metres away in a hostel beside Merchant Quay.

Garda Kenny said historical artefacts of this nature were priceless and irreplaceable.

The Garda maintained that the offence was at the higher end of criminal damage offences, which could carry a maximum 10-year sentence.

Responding to bail objections, the defence had said Mr Topiter had "clear ties" to Ireland and was in a four-and-a-half-year relationship with his fiancée.

His solicitor argued that there was no evidence before the court that his client would interfere with witnesses.

That court hearing was also told the accused had been in a stable relationship, worked as a security guard, received social welfare payments, and participated in a charity soup run.

The defence submitted that Mr Topiter had an immigration identity card issued by gardaí, was presumed innocent, and would obey conditions. 

The hearing also told he had no history of serious offences.

Former church minister jailed for defrauding congregation

A former church minister has been jailed for six months after defrauding his church of £10,000 and a grieving widow of £1,000.

Adrian Robert McLaughlin, 50, from Church Avenue in Dunmurry, was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday.

McLaughlin was previously found guilty of defrauding £10,000 from St Coleman's Church of Ireland in Dunmurry between 15th October and 30th November 2016.

The jury also found him guilty of defrauding a widowed parishioner of £1,000 between 24th September and 31st October 2016, the BBC reports. 

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Patrick Lynch KC said McLaughlin regarded the parish "as if it was a personal fiefdom" and had abused the trust of his congregation.

The court heard how McLaughlin banked a £10,000 cheque meant for a replacement organ following a church fire. 

It was also heard that the former minister was gifted a £1,000 cheque by a widowed parishioner on the understanding that the funds would be used to purchase memorial items in honour of her deceased husband.

McLaughlin requested that the payee line be left blank on the cheque, filled in his own name, and pocketed the cash.

Judge Lynch told the court he had read victim impact statements, with the widow speaking of her "upset" at being lied to by McLaughlin who she said was "someone my late husband and I trusted".

The judge said there was a "sense of hurt and disappointment" in every sentence of her statement.

McLaughlin was given a 12-month sentence, half of which is to be served in custody before being released on licence.

Monday, September 09, 2024

Statement from Bishop Cullinan in Response to the Scoping Report on Sexual Abuse

September 9th, 2024

It was deeply saddening to see the recent publication of the Scoping Report that has brought to light distressing allegations of sexual abuse against children within institutions run by religious orders.

The revelations contained in this report are harrowing and serve as a stark reminder of the failures that have occurred within our institutions. It is imperative that we confront this dark chapter with transparency and accountability. 

The suffering endured by these children is unimaginable, and we are committing and must continue to commit ourselves to ensuring that such atrocities never happen again.

Abuse against children is an especially heinous crime. It not only violates the sanctity of childhood but also robs these innocent ones of their fundamental right to safety and security. 

Children are inherently vulnerable, and when they are subjected to such atrocities, it inflicts profound psychological and emotional scars that can persist throughout their lives. 

The innocence of a child is a precious gift, one that should be nurtured and protected at all costs. 

When this innocence is shattered through abuse, it leads to long-term consequences, including trust issues, mental health challenges, and difficulties in forming healthy relationships, as outlined by some of the survivors in the report.

While the inquiry focused specifically on schools run by religious orders, we must also remember that similar experiences have existed throughout wider society during this period and this has been recognised by the fact that the Scoping Inquiry Report has recommended that the Commission of Investigation be broadened to include all schools.

I wish to acknowledge that this is also a very difficult time for the vast majority of the members of the religious institutions who have dedicated their lives to serving God and aiding those in need. Many have lived lives marked by compassion, charity, and selflessness. 

It is essential to understand that while some individuals have betrayed their vows and caused harm, countless others continue their mission with integrity and commitment.

This is undoubtedly a challenging time for them as well; they too are affected by the shadows cast over our Church’s reputation due to the actions of a few. Their work often goes unnoticed, yet they remain steadfast in their service to both local communities and those in developing countries.

During my recent visit to religious-run projects in slum areas of Nairobi, Kenya, I witnessed firsthand the dedication these institutions maintain towards safeguarding vulnerable children and caring for them in such beautiful ways. 

Each school has appointed safeguarding officers whose responsibility it is to ensure the safety and well-being of students. If it wasn’t for the presence of these religious orders in many parts of the developing world today, there would be nobody to feed and educate these little ones.

It is vital for us as a church and a nation not only to reflect on past failings but also to actively support those who are working tirelessly today for justice and protection. We must strive for an environment where every child feels safe - both within our institutions and beyond. We must also strive to create an environment where victims feel safe to report abuse.

In every parish in this Diocese there are dedicated child-safeguarding persons who along with the priests are trained to ensure a happy and safe environment for all children. I very much wish to commend their work.

The Catholic Church has a moral obligation to stand firmly against any form of abuse. We must ensure that our institutions are safe havens for children, where they can learn and grow without fear. It is imperative that we take these allegations seriously and work collaboratively with authorities to investigate them thoroughly. 

We must also provide support for victims, ensuring they receive the care and counselling necessary to deal with past traumatic experience and hopefully find some healing.

As we process this painful report, let us remember our duty: To protect our children at all costs. 

Together, we can work towards healing and rebuilding trust within our society. As a nation we need to engage more together to heal the sins of the past.

Pope asks Timor-Leste leaders to act on abuse of youth


Pope Francis on Sept. 9 called for action on abuse of young people after arriving in Timor-Leste, the Catholic-majority nation that has been shocked by several child sexual assault cases involving clergy members in recent years.

The 87-year-old pope is set to host a huge mass on Sept. 10 expected to draw more than half the country's population, but in a speech to a smaller crowd of officials the night before, he tackled the most sensitive issue of his trip head-on.

"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.

He did not mention a specific case or acknowledge any Vatican responsibility.

He also spoke against other abuses that he said can be considered “real social plagues.” The Catholic leaders specifically mentioned alcohol abuse among young people.

The pope also asked to end the misuse of marital arts, which became popular in the country after Indonesia introduced it during the occupation.

Instead of using it in the service of the defenseless, some are using its power of violence, the pope said, adding: “Violence is always a threat to the people.”

The Timor-Leste government banned martial arts clubs in 2023 following a period of deadly violence, but the ban was lifted in May 2024.

Advocacy groups had called for Francis to speak out on the issue in Asia's youngest country and he has previously met victims on trips to Ireland and Portugal, but his official schedule this time includes no such events.

Recent cases in East Timor include Nobel-winning Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, who the Vatican secretly punished over allegations he sexually abused young children for decades.

The Vatican went public in 2022 about the restrictions put on Belo after it was revealed his movements and interactions were limited following claims he abused young boys in East Timor until he retired and moved abroad two decades earlier.

In another case in the country, defrocked American priest Richard Daschbach was found guilty in 2021 of abusing orphaned, disadvantaged girls and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Before his speech on Sept. 9, Francis was met by a rock star welcome in Dili. Thousands of Catholics lined the streets, screaming and waving flags as he was driven by in an open-top car flanked by security.

Catholics from some 98 percent of the country's 1.3 million people.

'Peace and freedom' 

East Timor has a complex history marked by centuries-long Portuguese rule, decades of occupation by neighboring Indonesia, and a United Nations-backed referendum that allowed it to break free.

The pope's comments on abuse came after he was welcomed on arrival by the man who shared the Nobel with Belo, President Jose Ramos-Horta, a liberation icon for his work towards achieving East Timor's independence.

In his evening address, the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics also hailed the country's new era of "peace and freedom" two decades after it achieved independence from neighboring Indonesia.

East Timor emerged from the brutal occupation that left more than 200,000 Timorese dead, and Francis is the first pope to visit the country since then.

Locals said they wanted the pope to convey a message of harmony, as he did in Indonesia last week.

"I hope that Papa Francisco will bring a message of peace through this visit," said Francisco Amaral da Silva, a 58-year-old lecturer.

Celebrations begin

The city had a $12 million makeover before the visit, and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao helped sweep the streets with locals as the government rolled out the red carpet.

Authorities have also relocated street vendors in areas where Francis will travel, prompting criticism on social media.

Rights groups say some makeshift homes were demolished in preparation for the mass, while the government says they were erected illegally.

Francis' schedule includes meetings with Jesuits, children and the Catholic faithful.

But the trip's highlight will be the colossal mass on Tuesday, expected to draw 700,000 worshippers.

Some locals saw his visit as an opportunity to sell pope merchandise.

Teacher Silverio Tilman, 58, set up a stall selling pope T-shirts, raking in more than $600 in two days -- double the average monthly salary.

"We prepare these items in case the pilgrims need them to attend the holy mass. We are not seeking big profits," he said.

Iraqi bishops’ standoff now at ‘higher ecclesiastical court’, cardinal says


The Patriarch of Baghdad has forwarded his canonical complaint against several Chaldean bishops to “the higher ecclesiastical court,” according to a statement on September 7.

The statement did not specify to which higher canonical authority he had forwarded his threatened canonical action against five Chaldean bishops, including the Archbishop of Erbil, Bashar Warda. 

However, the move is being received among some senior Chaldean clergy as a de-escalation by Cardinal Louis Sako, who was widely expected to attempt unilateral canonical action against the bishops, whom he accused of acts of disunity in the Eastern Catholic Church.

The statement was included as a postscript to a lengthy pastoral reflection on personal examination of conscience.

“We are all prone to making mistakes, and without honest self-reflection, we will live in a state of stress and anxiety, possibly losing our friends and ourselves!” Sako wrote. “Do we realize that we lie when we spread fabricated news according to our personal standards to appear strong? Truth does not need embellishments. The rope of lies is short! People know when we lie, steal, or oppress others in our pursuit of success!”

“False bubbles do not prove that we are in the right, but rather expose our disconnection when we use false evidence to support our positions! It is deeply painful when some people turn lies into weapons for moral assassination,” the cardinal said, while clarifying that “this spiritual and educational reflection has no relation to the dissenting bishops; that matter has been referred to the higher ecclesiastical court.” 

Sako had previously issued an Aug. 28 statement criticizing the five Chaldean bishops for skipping a July episcopal synod of the Eastern Catholic, which bishops are ordinarily required by canon law to attend, and similarly missing an August spiritual retreat. Sako also noted the bishops had decided to withdraw their students from a Chaldean seminary, which he claimed “constitutes a serious breach” of ecclesial unity.

Sako did not specify exactly what delict, or canonical crime, the five bishops are alleged to have committed, instead attaching a number of penal canons to his Aug. 28 statement. 

Sources close to the Archdiocese of Erbil have previously told The Pillar that the cardinal seemed not to have followed the required canonical procedural steps, including canonical warnings, if he believed the bishops were or are close to committing a delict, or if he believes they are committing one currently.

The cardinal originally imposed a Sept. 5 deadline for the bishops to “apologize and make amends” or he would forward the matter to Pope Francis, recommending that the bishops face canonical sanctions — specifically mentioning the prospect of excommunication.

On the day of the deadline, The Pillar reported that sources close to the five bishops, led by Archbishop Warda, had no intention of apologizing and the expectation among them was that Sako could attempt to impose some kind of canonical suspension on the bishops, a potentially seismic event in the Eastern Church.

Instead, Sako’s indication Saturday that he has now forwarded the matter to another “higher” authority is being seen as an indication that the cardinal has moved to de-escalate the standoff, removing the possibility of imminent unilateral action against the bishops.

It is unclear to which authority the patriarch has handed the matter off. 

It is possible he has referred the case internally within the Chaldean Church, deferring it to the governing synod of bishops — a deliberative body in Eastern canon law, distinct from the merely consultative groups sometimes convened in the Latin Church. 

The Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches allows for patriarchs, like Sako, to issue penal precepts to bishops, with serious canonical penalties attached — but only with consent of the episcopal synod.

Given Sako’s previous indications that he would appeal to the Holy See directly, it is seen as more probable that the matter has been forwarded to Rome, either to the Dicastery for Eastern Churches or to the pope personally. 

And, senior sources within the Chadeal Church have previously told The Pillar, an appeal directly to the Vatican would suggest that Cardinal Sako might not have much support among the rest of the Chaldean Church’s bishops.

Some close to the standoff have speculated to The Pillar that if Sako decided to appeal to Rome he would likely prefer to approach Pope Francis directly, bypassing the dicastery with which Sako is thought to have a complicated relationship.

The pope is currently on a scheduled apostolic tour of Asia and Oceania, with a following European tour scheduled shortly after he returns to Rome, so it is unclear if and when he would turn his attention to any appeal from the Chaldean patriarch — or what action Sako may have asked the pope to take.

It is equally unclear if Francis would choose to intervene formally in the relations between Chaldean bishops, or how positive an effect such an intervention could have. 

The pope has previously moved to try to help settle an ongoing dispute within the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, which has for years seen a sizable portion of clerics in its largest archdiocese in open rebellion over liturgical norms passed by its governing synod.

In July last year, Francis appointed Archbishop Cyril Vasil’ SJ as he personal delegate to resolve the standoff, which helped force the resignations of several members of the Church’s senior leadership. 

However, although the Syro-Malabar synod has since appeared to recognize and endorse a kind of compromise with the dissenting clergy, Vasil’ has insisted he is overseeing the creation of a special canonical tribunal to pursue sanctions against priests who have refused to wholly conform to liturgical norms.

Division in the Chaldean Catholic Church centers on the relationship between Cardinal Sako and Archbishop Warda of Erbil, whom Sako has called the “godfather” of the Babylon Movement, an Iraqi political party in a long-running and high-profile dispute with Sako, which culminated in a 2023 government decision to revoke a decree that recognized Sako as the legitimate leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq.

After the decree was revoked, Sako spent some nine months in a kind of self-imposed exile in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. The cardinal now insists that Warda failed to defend him and the Church during that period.

The patriarch says that Warda should have condemned the revocation of the decree, and the figure behind it — Iran-backed Iraqi militia leader and strongman Rayan al-Kildani, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. State Department for human rights violations, and who has styled himself in Iraq as a kind of protector of Christians. 

According to Sako, al-Kildani has tried to sideline him in order to seize control of Church properties, and the property of Christians, in Iraq.

Sako has argued that in several media interviews, in both Iraq and in the West, Warda seemed to downplay the significance of the decree’s revocation, which Sako frames as an attack on his leadership of the Chaldean Church.

Some Iraqi Catholics suggest that Archbishop Warda has been unwilling to criticize al-Kildani because of the strongman’s influence in the Nineveh Plain region of Iraq.

But sources close to the Erbil archdiocese have told The Pillar that Sako’s narrative is not accurate — that the patriarch has been personally in a long-running power struggle with al-Kildani for political influence in Iraq, and has unfairly put the Church in the center of that dispute — doing so even without diplomatic support from the Vatican. 

While Sako has painted Warda as a Kildani sympathizer, sources close to the Erbil archdiocese have a different take, saying the archbishop is focused on trying to avoid Sako’s political fight, especially amid the fracturing reality of a country in which ISIS remains a threat, especially for Christians — with ISIS attacks in Iraq and Syria reportedly set to double this year.

The Chaldean Catholic Church is one of the 23 Eastern Catholic sui iuris churches in the Catholic communion. Headquartered in Baghdad, the church has more than 600,000 Catholics — but because of decades of violence and instability in the region, it is difficult to estimate how many live in Iraq, and how many live in diaspora, either in the United States, Europe, Australia, or across the Middle East.

In San Diego, Bishop Apologizes to LGBTQ+ Community During Pride Mass

In a hopeful sign for LGBTQ+ ministry, six parishes in the Diocese of San Diego celebrated an “All Are Welcome” Mass this summer. At the liturgy, a local bishop apologized to the LGBTQ+ community on behalf of the church and encouraged greater love and inclusion.

The Mass, hosted by St. John the Evangelist Church’s LGBTQ Ministry, was held during Pride Month in June. 

Bishop Ramón Bejarano, an auxiliary bishop in the diocese, presided over the liturgy, joined by seven priests and two deacons as concelebrants.

Beginning in song with the hymn “All Are Welcome,” the Mass affirmed that LGBTQ+ Catholics and their loved ones are wonderfully made and must be welcomed in the church. 

In his homily, Bishop Bejarano emphasized God’s love for every person as the “foundation of the world” and the need to encounter one another in love. He explained, in part:

“In his earthly ministry, Jesus never rejected anybody. He welcomed everyone, even his enemies. As a Church we must do the same, welcome everyone, without any distinction. In the words of Pope Francis, ‘Todos, todos, todos.’ Unfortunately, as a Church, sometimes we have not loved as God loves us, and we reject, discriminate, and push others away, even from the love and salvation of Christ. Last year I went to a workshop organized by New Way Ministry. It was not until I heard the stories of those present, that I realized the pain, the sorrow, the stigma and trauma that we have caused to others because we don’t accept them, because we tell them that they do not belong, because we judge them. Jesus will never inflict that kind of pain or trauma to people.”

Bishop Bejarano then offered an apology to the LGBTQ+ community, saying:

“I apologize for the pain and distress that I and the Church have caused to many of you. I apologize for the stigmatization and trauma we have caused to others, because we have told them that they are not valued and that they are not worthy of the love of God. There are many others out there who feel rejected and unvalued. Like Jesus, who in today’s gospel sent the Twelve for mission, so Jesus sends us home where we get welcomed. But before we get welcomed, we must also welcome. The members of the Church many times have not welcomed the homeless, the prisoner, the immigrant, the mentally ill, the LGBTQ, the one who speaks a different language or has a different skin color. We fall in the danger of seeing them as ‘they’ and ‘us’. The Church is a welcoming body for everyone who wants to get closer to Jesus. In this body there is only ‘us’. Today, when you share the sign of peace, also say, ‘And thank you for being here.’ Help everyone to feel welcome, valued and loved by God, who looks at the heart because he chose us first.”

The multilingual Mass also included intercessions focused on the LGBTQ+ community and other forms of marginalization that often intersect, such as refugees, those with mental illness, unhoused people, and “all who are forgotten or thrown away.” Two petitions read, in part:

“May those in the LGBTQ Community know God loves them for who they are and they are welcomed in our communities of faith. May those who have felt unwelcomed in the past, be embraced in our faith community today.

“For parents who have a gay, lesbian or transgender child, may you gain strength in knowing that your child is fashioned, as all are fashioned by God, with being with purpose and wonder. May you be reassured that you are not alone and that those in our faith communities are here to support you on your journey.”

At the end of Mass, Bishop Bejarano offered a special blessing for the faithful gathered, expressing gratitude for God’s diverse creation and a desire of the church to grow in appreciation of it. The bishop said, in part:

“Help us to embrace that each of our beloved LGBTQ siblings, and everyone who is or feels marginalized by your Church, are beautifully and wonderfully made, all in Your image. Teach us to love ourselves, as You love us, so we may in turn love all people, just as they are, and embrace their identity fully, as You have embraced us.

“We pray for our Church, that we may respond to the spirit’s call to welcome all. We pray that the Holy Spirit will bring us to reconciliation, healing wounds and bridging the gaps that divide us.

“Please protect us all from those that wish to harm us. May the hearts of those who fear and condemn be changed.

“Bless our LGBTQ ministry, that we will continue to grow by Your grace and bring all people to the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.”

In addition to St. John the Evangelist, the parishes of St. Thomas More, St. Catherine Labouré, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Saint Joseph Cathedral, St. Francis of Assisi, and Saint Brigid were co-sponsors. The Diocese of San Diego and its leader, Cardinal Robert McElroy, also supported the Mass.

Bishop Strickland apologizes for closing churches during COVID: ‘I was duped’

Bishop Joseph Strickland has apologized for church closures during COVID lockdowns, saying he was “duped.”

Strickland made the comments in response to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Crisis Editor-in-Chief Eric Sammons.

“I wish our bishops knew the spiritual blessings that would be unleashed on the Church by a simple and sincere public apology for shutting down public Masses during COVID,” Sammons wrote on Saturday.

“Eric, I offer my apology as you have requested, I was duped by the media hype and should have been stronger,” the bishop emeritus of Tyler, Texas, wrote on X. “[Let] us pray for all shepherds to have stronger supernatural faith as we face more challenges in the future. May Christ be our Light in whatever darkness we face.”

Eric, I offer my apology as you have requested. I was duped by the media hype and should have been stronger. Let’s us pray for all shepherds to have stronger supernatural faith as we face more challenges in the future.

May Christ be our Light in whatever darkness we face. https://t.co/RqwGQ1FK0d

— Bishop J. Strickland (@BishStrickland) September 7, 2024

“Thank you, Your Excellency. This means more than you can imagine to so many of us,” Sammons wrote in response. “Be assured of my continued prayers for your fruitful apostolic ministry.”

Strickland has been an outspoken opponent of other coercive COVID restrictions, such as mandatory COVID jabs.

“The limits of temporal power ends at freedom of conscience,” he said in January 2022. “We’re obligated to seek to have a well-formed conscience, to know the truth. And it’s hard to have a well-formed conscience when you can’t get the truth … and it’s all politicized and propagandized.”

Archbishop Gänswein introduced as Vatican Ambassador to Lithuania

Archbishop Georg Gänswein (68) has officially taken up his post as papal ambassador in Vilnius. 

The German presented Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda with his credentials as Apostolic Nuncio for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on Friday, according to the head of state's website. 

Nauseda congratulated Gänswein on his arrival in Lithuania and on his 40th anniversary as a priest, which he celebrated in May. 

As secretary to Joseph Ratzinger/BenedictXVI (1927-2022), Gänswein was one of the most prominent Germans in the Vatican for many years.

Photos from the Office of the President show Gänswein in a black cassock with the purple sash of an archbishop and a cape of the same colour as he walks down the red carpet into the presidential palace. 

There, the credentials were handed over in front of the flags of Lithuania and the Vatican.

Help for Ukraine

Catholic Lithuania has always had a special relationship with the Holy See and will not forget that the latter never recognised the occupation and annexation of the Baltic country by the Soviet Union, said the President. 

Lithuania's Church had been an important pillar of the country's internal strength during both the Soviet and Tsarist Russian occupations. 

After independence, the visit of Pope John Paul II and his words "Fear not!" gave Lithuania courage. These three words are as relevant today as ever in view of Russia's attack on Ukraine, said the head of state.

Nauseda called on the international community to help Ukraine in its defence. He appealed to the Vatican to maintain its strong support for Ukraine, which he greatly appreciated, as well as the Catholic Church's help for Ukrainian refugees. 

Any scenario other than a victory for Ukraine would have negative consequences for Europe and its security, the President emphasised. 

Future peace must be based on full support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, the head of state said.

Pope Francis had transferred Gänswein to his home diocese of Freiburg in 2023 without assigning him an office. 

In June 2024, Francis appointed Benedict XVI's long-time private secretary as Vatican ambassador to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Schismatic Poor Clares: Further splits in the controversial community

Following the latest developments in the case of the excommunicated Poor Clares of Belorado, the community is splitting further. 

According to a report by the Spanish internet portal "Religion Confidencial" on Sunday, the number two of the community, the nun Teresa Roca, left the convent and the schismatic community last Friday due to differences with the former abbess Laura García de Viedma (formerly Sor Isabel de la Trinidad). 

Alongside the abbess, Roca was one of the plaintiffs against the archbishop and his measures.

So far there had been no contact between her and the Archbishop of Burgos, Mario Iceta. Iceta is the special papal envoy in the case of the schismatic Poor Clares. 

According to him, the Church, and in particular the Archdiocese of Burgos, is "full of hope" for reconciliation with the excommunicated Poor Clares. 

As the internet portal learnt, the nuns also refused to take part in a meeting with social workers. This was to further investigate the situation of the nuns. 

The archdiocese was immediately informed by the social workers about the non-appearance.

In May, sisters from the convent of the Poor Clares in Belorado broke away from the Catholic Church. 

After joining a schismatic bishop and later expelling him from the convent, the nuns joined the Brazilian alleged bishop Rodrigo Henrique Ribeiro da Silva at the beginning of August. 

However, he too is said to have left the convent because of an uncertain future. 

The schismatic and self-proclaimed bishop acted as an advisor to the nuns, but did not recognise Pope Francis as the head of the church. 

The convent community originally comprised 16 sisters. 

Ten of them were excommunicated by Archbishop Iceta in June; a month earlier, their religious organisation had expelled the Poor Clares. 

There is now a legal dispute over the ownership of the convent. 

Pope Francis has also pledged his support to the special envoy.

Pope opens East Timor stop saying abuse is ‘flowering all over the world’

As Pope Francis begins his brief, two-day visit to East Timor, one of the key underlying issues he will have to grapple with is the clerical sexual abuse crisis, as the nation reels from allegations against highly revered members of the clergy.

Pope Francis landed in East Timor, also called Timor Leste, on Sept. 9, after making visits to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea as part of a broader tour of Asia and Oceania that will also take him to Singapore.

In a speech to national authorities after his arrival in Dili Monday afternoon, Pope Francis made a veiled reference to the abuse issue, calling on authorities to “to prevent every kind of abuse and guarantee a healthy and peaceful childhood for all young people.”

However, he did not apologize or link the abuse issue to the Catholic Church or to Church representatives.

“Let us not forget that these children and adolescents have their dignity violated,” Francis said, adding in an impromptu remark that “the problem is flowering all over the world.”

In response to this, he said “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,” but did not press the issue further.

Ahead of his arrival, the clerical abuse survivor advocacy group Bishop Accountability published an open letter to American Cardinal Sean O’Malley, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, asking the pope to vocally address the issue while in East Timor.

In recent years, East Timor has been grappling with allegations of pedophilia against prominent bishop and national hero Carlos Ximenes Belo, a Nobel laureate who has been sanctioned by the Vatican.

Belo, believed to be residing in Portugal, is a former bishop of Dili who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his efforts in promoting human rights and self-determination for East Timorese during Indonesia’s occupation from 1975-1999, and for promoting a fair and peaceful solution to the country’s conflict as it fought for its independence.

He stepped down in 2002 at the unusually young age of 54, and in 2022 was publicly accused of the sexual abuse of minors, with the Vatican subsequently saying he had been barred from ministry when allegations that he raped and abused teenage boys arose in 2019.

Belo’s legacy remains a stain on the Church in East Timor, but his efforts for national independence also have earned him an enduring support among many East Timorese, making his case a complex and delicate one that Pope Francis will have to navigate with precision while in the country.

Similarly, American ex-priest Richard Daschbach was defrocked in 2018 after being accused of and later admitting to sexually abusing young girls under his care while serving as a missionary in East Timor.

He faced civil charges and was convicted by a Timorese court in 2021 of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged girls, marking the first time a member of the clergy had been civilly sanctioned for abuse in the country. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Daschbach had served in the country’s remote town of Oecusse, and, like Belo, is celebrated and defended by locals and high-ranking politicians for his efforts to support the country’s push for independence.

East Timor’s Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, has reportedly visited Daschbach at least twice in prison for his birthday. Gusmão’s sons later reportedly wrote letters to victims apologizing for their father’s actions.

Pope Francis is not scheduled to meet with Gusmão privately during his visit to Dili, however, Gusmão attended the pope’s meeting with national civil authorities after the pontiff landed in the country.

In its letter to O’Malley, Bishop Accountability asked O’Malley to urge Pope Francis “to be the victims’ champion” and to advise the pope “to speak fiercely during his visit on their behalf. Help him understand how alone and frightened they must feel.”

Anne Barret Doyle, co-director of Bishop Accountability, said in a statement that, “An untold number of child sex abuse victims in East Timor are likely afraid to report their suffering, as they watch powerful predators bask in public affirmation despite the serious abuse allegations against them.”

“It is a grim situation for victims, but Pope Francis could change it. He is revered in East Timor. If he explicitly condemns Belo and Daschbach, and praises the bravery of their victims, his words could have an enormous positive impact,” she said.

“To disrupt the people’s attachment to Daschbach and Belo, the Pope must denounce the two men by name … A generic statement that omits the perpetrators’ names will be easily ignored or misinterpreted.”

Pope Francis, who was greeted by thousands of locals who lined the streets to see him after his arrival in Dili, in his speech to authorities did not address clerical sexual abuse directly or call out Belo or Daschbach by name.

Speaking about social challenges that East Timor faces, such as alcohol abuse and gang violence by groups of young people trained in martial arts, the pope said, “Instead of using this knowledge in the service of the defenseless, they use it as an opportunity to showcase the fleeting and harmful power of violence.”

It is expected that Pope Francis might speak on the topic in more depth while meeting with the country’s bishops, clergy and religious on Tuesday.

In the past, the Vatican’s envoy to East Timor, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi, has urged Catholics supportive of Belo to respect sanctions imposed on his ministry for the “serious crimes” he committed, despite the favor he still enjoys throughout much of East Timorese society.

East Timor’s last papal visit took place when Pope John Paul came in 1989, prior to the country’s independence. East Timor declared independence in 1975, but it was not recognized until 2002.

Pope Francis acknowledged the violence of East Timor’s recent past as it fought to obtain independence from Indonesian occupation, and he applauded the role the Catholic faith played in helping them to achieve that goal.

He also praised the country’s commitment to pursuing full reconciliation with Indonesia despite the troubles of the recent past, an attitude he said, “found its first and purest source in the teachings of the Gospel.”

East Timor is a majority Catholic nation, where roughly 97 percent of the local population is Catholic and the church enjoys broad support among political leaders, and collaboration with the national government.

The pope touched on high levels of poverty, especially in rural areas, urging authorities to harness the country’s natural resources, such as oil and gas, to promote social development.  He called for proper training for political leaders, saying the church’s social doctrine ought to serve as “the foundation,” as it promotes integral development and seeks to avoid “unacceptable inequalities” and care for those on society’s margins.

The abuse issue was also a subtle theme during the pope’s visit to Papua New Guinea, as the Pacific has long been held to be the Catholic Church’s dumping ground for clergy accused of sexual abuse, and who the church wanted to keep out of the public eye.

Illustrative of the challenges the pope faces in confronting the abuse scandals in places where sensitivities are different from the U.S. and western Europe may be the case of Father Carlos Miguel Buela, an Argentine founder of a religious order known as the Institute of the Word Incarnate.

Buela died in 2023 amid accusations that he had sexually abused seminarians in his congregation.

Speaking to journalists in Vanimo, a remote corner of Papua New Guinea visited by Pope Francis on Sunday, a Argentine missionary and member of Buela’s order was largely dismissive of the allegations.

“Yes, he was accused of abuse and absolved by [Pope] Benedict XVI,” said Father Miguel de la Calle, a pastor in Vanimo and part of a group of Argentinian missionaries who met Francis.

“Francis himself gave him a blessing before he died,” de la Calle said, and faulted reporters for excessively focusing on the accusations.

Noting that the founder had relocated to Genoa before his death, de la Calle insisted that he was never condemned.

“Pope Francis liked the founder a lot, he appreciates our charisma,” he said.

Pope's statements on the end of tribal violence criticised

One of the Pope's topics in Papua New Guinea at the weekend was violence - especially that between the tribes and around 800 different ethnic groups in the country.  

"I particularly hope that the violence between the tribes will end, which unfortunately claims many victims, makes peaceful coexistence impossible and hinders development," emphasised Pope Francis during the second stop of his trip to the Asia-Pacific region. 

He appealed to everyone's sense of responsibility to break the spiral of violence.

In the capital Port Moresby, Francis also called for more respect for women. In the country with a population of over ten million, women suffer from patriarchal structures and the associated violence and discrimination. 

The number of reports of rape is increasing. Women are also being persecuted and murdered as witches in Papua New Guinea. Although around 90 per cent of Papua New Guinea's inhabitants are Christians, the belief in magic and witchcraft continues to play a major role.

"Viewed from a Western perspective"

Clement Papa (53) is a so-called coadjutor archbishop in the archdiocese of Mount Hagen in Papua New Guinea. As such, he assists the local Archbishop Douglas William Young. Papa was born and grew up in Mount Hagen in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. For him, there is no question that the culture of violence in his home country must come to an end. 

At the same time, however, he believes that the Pope, like many other critics, views the situation in his country too much from a Western perspective.

"People from outside don't really know and understand Papua New Guinea," Papa said in an interview with the Catholic News Agency (KNA) on Saturday evening (local time).

"Papua New Guinea, which consists of hundreds of tribes with just as many languages, is a country in transition from a tribal society to a Western concept of society." However, a traditional tribal society is still far removed from the Western concept of politics, justice and the rule of law. 

"This is not sufficiently taken into account and understood from the outside," said the coadjutor archbishop.

The island of New Guinea was once shared by the colonial powers of the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain. While the Dutch part became part of Indonesia against the will of the population in the early 1960s, today's Papua New Guinea first came under Australian administration after the Second World War until it became a sovereign state in 1975.

Western dominance is also present in the history of the city of Mount Hagen, which was named after the former governor of the German colony of New Guinea, Curt von Hagen, who came from East Prussia. 

The first archbishop of the archdiocese, which was only founded in 1982, was the American George Elmer Bernardi. His successor was Michael Meier from Hesse. The current archbishop is the Australian Douglas Young, who consecrated Papa, who was appointed coadjutor archbishop by Pope Francis in May of this year, just over a month ago on 3 August. This makes Papa the first local bishop in Mount Hagen.

Papal visit with radiance

Despite his criticism, Papa considers Francis' visit to be enormously important and sees it as positive for the strengthening of faith and the further development of the still young church in Papua New Guinea. 

However, the impact also goes beyond the country. "We may be insignificant on the global stage," he says, "but we are also the country on the border between Asia and Oceania." 

According to the Vatican's Statistical Yearbook 2023, the Catholic Church in Asia is growing. 

In the countries of Oceania, Christianity has become the dominant religion over the last 200 years thanks to Western missionaries.

After Indonesia, Papua New Guinea is the second stage of the Pope's 12-day trip through four countries in Asia and Oceania.

Osnabrück's new Bishop Dominicus Meier has taken office

Osnabrück's new Bishop Dominicus Meier (65) has officially taken office. 

At the festive service in Osnabrück Cathedral on Sunday afternoon, he called on Christians to be even more attentive to the real concerns of their fellow human beings. 

According to the new bishop, there is currently too much marginalisation and exclusion "by nationalistically coloured or egotistical voices". 

Following his election by the cathedral chapter, the Pope appointed the former auxiliary bishop of Paderborn and Benedictine monk on 28 May as the successor to Franz-Josef Bode , who stepped down in March 2023.

In his sermon, Meier went on to say that Christians should not stop at critical scrutiny or even endless debate, but should intervene to encourage and help. Those who, like Jesus, listen carefully to others have "better things to do than join in the general lamentation about the changing times and mourn the supposedly better past".

Facing the dark moments too

As a bishop, he wants above all to be attentive, pay attention and speak and act with appreciation. 

"I am prepared to do this and I am happy to come to the diocese of Osnabrück," promised Meier. Together with the faithful there, he wanted to "encourage the Church of Osnabrück to present a friendly and welcoming face, without trivialising the dark moments of our history, which we must face resolutely in order to learn from them".

At the beginning of the service, which was also broadcast to a neighbouring church and on the internet, Meier took his first seat on the bishop's chair, the cathedra, making him the new head shepherd of the diocese. 

The papal certificate of appointment was read out in front of around 1,100 faithful in the cathedral. 

Guests from churches and politics included Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil (SPD), the Chairman of the Catholic German Bishops' Conference, Georg Bätzing from Limburg, Nuncio Nikola Eterović and Hanover's Protestant Bishop Ralf Meister.

Bishop Meier was born Michael Meier in 1959 in the district of Olpe in North Rhine-Westphalia. 

In 1982, he entered the Benedictine Abbey Königsmünster in Meschede, where he took the religious name Dominicus. He was ordained as a priest in 1989 and as an auxiliary bishop in Paderborn in 2015. 

The religious is an expert in canon law issues. Among other things, he was a diocesan judge in Salzburg, professor of canon law and head of the ecclesiastical court in Paderborn. 

In 2021, Pope Francis appointed him as a judge at the Supreme Court in the Vatican. 

Within the German Bishops' Conference, Meier is Deputy Chairman of the Migration Commission and Commissioner for the Eastern Churches.

Bishop Leahy says impact of abuse at schools is beyond comprehension and a sword through all our hearts

Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy has said that the distressing, harrowing and devastating impact of the sex abuse at schools has both destroyed the lives of victims overwhelmed many in the church.

In a letter to parishes in response to the publication of the scoping inquiry into abuse at religious-run schools, Bishop Leahy said, “Throughout the Diocese thousands of Catholics go to our weekly celebration of Mass, receive pastoral support in their homes, in person or online through masses. I am conscious that as we engage now following the publication of the scoping inquiry into historical sex abuse at religious-run schools, we do so with a very heavy heart. 

“We pray for those who have voiced the 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse by 884 abusers in 308 schools run by religious orders. The cries of abuse pierce heaven. The destruction of innocence, of lives is beyond comprehension. As much as we try, there is no combination of words that can match the pain and evil inflicted.”

Bishop Leahy said that beyond the horror inflicted on victims, the abuse impacts deep into the heart of the church. “The whirl of the reports of devastation visited upon these survivors is a sword also through our own hearts. The level of it, and not a single case of abuse is understandable, too is appalling; 17 special schools recorded 590 allegations involving 190 alleged abusers.

“In our prayers and thoughts, we are mindful that what should have been places of sacred trust and care, schools run by Religious Orders, turned out to be locations of nightmarish horrors perpetrated by people, all of whom should have been nourished by the inspiring narratives of the founders of these Orders but who, instead, inflicted horribly destructive betrayals of vision, hope, and light.

“We must see those who abused for what they are. Perpetrators of the most horrific and vile crimes that destroyed young lives.”

Bishop Leahy continued, “As well as praying for the survivors, we have the storm of emotions and thoughts, questions and perplexities as well as sentiments of shame, anger and confusion that we have heard or read about as well as felt also deep within us.

“It cannot be otherwise when we read in the Scoping Inquiry how participants described being molested, stripped naked, raped and drugged amidst an atmosphere of terror and silence’. The distressing, harrowing and devastating impact of the abuse overwhelms us. It’s impossible to get our mind around it.”

The inquiry offers, he said, important steps in articulating important distinctions between the levels of abuse both in terms of the orders and of the schools. It also offers expert opinions regarding both causes as well as processes and next steps that can help in moving forward.

Bishop Leahy also acknowledged the impact the abuse has had on others in religious orders who have “lived their life of vocation with love and kindness”.

“We must not forget them today. They are suffering the experience of seeing so much good work done by their congregations to which they committed their lives, now being emptied before their eyes. I am mindful too of all priests as well as lay members of Church communities whose faith is yet again put to the test as they are surrounded by a legitimate chorus of lament and criticism that impacts deeply on them too.”

Solar panels suspected in Brazil church collapse that killed 2, injured 29

A week after the roof of a sanctuary collapsed in Recife in northeastern Brazil, killing two people and injuring 29, local authorities are still investigating the causes of the accident, while the local church has announced new protocols for renovation and construction works in the archdiocese.

The incident occurred on Aug. 30 in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Morro da Conceição, a poor neighborhood located on a hill in Recife. Around 70 people were gathered inside of the temple in the afternoon, when volunteers were distributing food kits for people in need.

Electrician Marcos Amorim, who was working in the church when the incident happened, told Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo that he heard a loud cracking and saw the roof falling down from the back doors to the main entrance. Most people hid beneath the pews and were later rescued by first aid teams.

Chuchgoers Antônio José dos Santos, 54, and Maria da Conceição França Pinto, 68, died from injuries. Pope Francis prayed for them on Sept. 1 during the Angelus. A requiem mass was celebrated in their honor on Sept. 5, the seventh day of their death – according to the Brazilian Catholic tradition – at a sports court in Morro da Conceição, near the sanctuary.

According to Archbishop Paulo Jackson de Sousa of Olinda and Recife, the church is still waiting for the conclusion of the investigation being carried out by the authorities.

“We were told that the analysis will take between 20 and 30 days. The final report will demonstrate the causes of the accident and who was responsible for it,” de Sousa told Crux.

Just a week before the incident, a company had concluded the implantation of photovoltaic panels on the roof. A post on Aug. 12 on the sanctuary’s Instagram account showed workers installing the equipment that would be connected to the solar panels. The church said the measure would reduce the energy costs in the parish.

Agents told the Brazilian press that they could find broken screws amid the rubble, something that further increased the suspicions of analysts that the accident was caused by an overload on the roof caused by the solar panels.

The city government has already removed 5.5 tons of debris from the site, about 40 percent of the total amount of materials. Part of such volume will be sold and the money will be used in the reconstruction of the sanctuary.

Two injured people remain hospitalized, waiting for orthopedic surgeries. Teams of healthcare professionals and psychologists have been helping victims and families to cope with the trauma.

Many, however, are still shocked by the incident.

“One of my cousins texted me saying that our aunt had suffered an accident in the church. I didn’t understand it. I texted her son and he told me that he had looked for her in two hospitals and was going to the morgue. Then he found her,” said Gerlucia Brzovich, a Brazilian-born nurse who lives in Maryland.

Maria da Conceição França Pinto lived with her and her siblings for a few years during Brzovich’s childhood in Rio de Janeiro. Back in Recife in her teens, she lived only a couple of blocks away from her beloved aunt, who she considered to be a kind of second mother.

“When I came to the United States with my mom, she moved to our house in Recife to live with my siblings,” she told Crux.

Brzovich said that Maria da Conceição used to work as a volunteer in the sanctuary and she was probably helping the church to distribute food kits. Another uncle of hers was also there, but left a couple of minutes before the disaster.

Brzovich is among the people who are waiting for answers regarding the causes of the accident.

According to Jackson de Sousa, it’s impossible now to know who committed the mistakes that led to the tragedy, but he hopes that the incident will change the way the church in Brazil deals with safety in its temples and buildings.

“In our archdiocese, we’ll now have protocols for all construction works in the region. Although they’re autonomous, each parish will have to submit its renovation or building project to the engineering area of the curia,” he explained.

At the same time, the archdiocese has been establishing relations with the state agencies in charge of historic temples in order to promote the adequate maintenance and renovation – something that has been a constant problem in Brazil, with serious consequences at times.

De Sousa explained that the most recent renovation in the sanctuary was carried out by a pool of companies under the supervision of the state government, which will assume again the reconstruction of the roof.

“As a church, we have a great responsibility when dealing with places that welcome large groups of people. We have to improve our protocols all across Brazil,” he said.

Pope starts East Timor trip with calls he name revered clergy in abuse scandals

As Pope Francis begins his brief, two-day visit to East Timor, one of the key underlying issues he will have to grapple with is the country’s clerical sexual abuse crisis. 

The highly Catholic island nation continues to reel from allegations against revered members of its clergy.

Pope Francis landed in East Timor, also called Timor Leste, on 9 September, after making visits to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea as part of a broader tour of Asia and Oceania that will also take him to Singapore.

In a speech to national authorities after his arrival in Dili on the afternoon of 9 September, Pope Francis made a veiled reference to the abuse issue, calling on authorities to “to prevent every kind of abuse and guarantee a healthy and peaceful childhood for all young people”.

However, he did not apologise or link the abuse issue to the Catholic Church or to Church representatives.

“Let us not forget that these children and adolescents have their dignity violated,” Francis said, adding, in an impromptu remark, that “the problem is flowering all over the world”.

As a result, he said, “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” – but he did not press the issue further.

Ahead of his arrival, the clerical abuse survivor advocacy group Bishop Accountability published an open letter to American Cardinal Sean O’Malley, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, asking the Pope to vocally address the issue while in East Timor.

In recent years, East Timor has been grappling with allegations of paedophilia against prominent bishop and national hero Carlos Ximenes Belo, a Nobel laureate, who has subsequently been sanctioned by the Vatican.

Belo, believed to be residing in Portugal, is a former bishop of Dili who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his efforts in promoting human rights and self-determination for East Timorese during its occupation by Indonesia from 1975-1999, and for promoting a fair and peaceful solution to the country’s conflict as it fought for its independence that was achieved in 2002.

The first new nation of the 21st century “suffered some of the worst atrocities of modern times” during its people’s struggle for self-determination, notes the BBC.

Belo stepped down in 2002 at the unusually young age of 54, and in 2022 was publicly accused of the sexual abuse of minors, with the Vatican subsequently saying he had been barred from ministry after allegations that he raped and abused teenage boys arose in 2019.

Belo’s legacy remains a stain on the Church in East Timor, but his efforts for national independence also have earned him an enduring support among many East Timorese, making his case a complex and delicate one that Pope Francis will have to navigate with precision while in the country.

Similarly, American ex-priest Richard Daschbach was defrocked in 2018 after being accused of and later admitting to sexually abusing young girls under his care while serving as a missionary in East Timor.

He faced civil charges and was convicted by a Timorese court in 2021 of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged girls, marking the first time a member of the clergy had been civilly sanctioned for abuse in the country. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Daschbach had served in the country’s remote town of Oecusse, and, like Belo, is celebrated and defended by locals and high-ranking politicians for his efforts to support the country’s push for independence.

East Timor’s Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, has reportedly visited Daschbach at least twice in prison on his birthday. Gusmão’s sons later reportedly wrote letters to victims apologising for their father’s actions.

Pope Francis is not scheduled to privately meet with Gusmão during his visit to Dili; however, Gusmão attended the pope’s meeting with national civil authorities after the pontiff landed in the country.

In its letter to O’Malley, the organisation Bishop Accountability asked O’Malley to urge Pope Francis “to be the victims’ champion” and to advise the Pope “to speak fiercely during his visit on their behalf. Help him understand how alone and frightened they must feel”.

Anne Barret Doyle, co-director of Bishop Accountability, said in a statement: “An untold number of child sex abuse victims in East Timor are likely afraid to report their suffering, as they watch powerful predators bask in public affirmation despite the serious abuse allegations against them.”

“It is a grim situation for victims, but Pope Francis could change it. He is revered in East Timor. If he explicitly condemns Belo and Daschbach, and praises the bravery of their victims, his words could have an enormous positive impact,” she said.

“To disrupt the people’s attachment to Daschbach and Belo, the Pope must denounce the two men by name…A generic statement that omits the perpetrators’ names will be easily ignored or misinterpreted.”

Pope Francis, who was greeted by thousands of locals who lined the streets to see him after his arrival in Dili, in his first speech to authorities did not address clerical sexual abuse directly or call out Belo or Daschbach by name.

Speaking about social challenges that East Timor faces, such as alcohol abuse and gang violence involving groups of young people trained in martial arts, the Pope said: “Instead of using this knowledge in the service of the defenceless, they use it as an opportunity to showcase the fleeting and harmful power of violence.”

It is expected that Pope Francis might speak on the topic in more depth while meeting with the country’s bishops, clergy and religious on 10 September.

In the past, the Vatican’s envoy to East Timor, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi, has urged Catholics supportive of Belo to acknowledge the sanctions imposed on his ministry for the “serious crimes” he committed, and despite the favour he still enjoys throughout much of East Timorese society.

East Timor’s last papal visit took place when Pope John Paul came in 1989, prior to the country’s independence. East Timor declared independence in 1975, but it was not recognised until 2002.

Pope Francis acknowledged the violence of East Timor’s recent past as it fought to obtain independence from Indonesian occupation, and he applauded the role the Catholic faith played in helping them to achieve that goal.

He also praised the country’s commitment to pursuing full reconciliation with Indonesia despite the troubles of the recent past, an attitude he said, “found its first and purest source in the teachings of the Gospel”.

East Timor is a majority Catholic nation, where roughly 97 per cent of the local population is Catholic and the Church enjoys broad support among political leaders, and collaboration with the national government.

The Pope touched on high levels of poverty, especially in rural areas, urging authorities to harness the country’s natural resources, such as oil and gas, to promote social development.  

He called for proper training for political leaders, saying the Church’s social doctrine ought to serve as “the foundation”, as it promotes integral development and seeks to avoid “unacceptable inequalities” and care for those on society’s margins.

The abuse issue was a background theme during the Pope’s visit to Papua New Guinea, as the Pacific has long been held to be the Catholic Church’s dumping ground for clergy accused of sexual abuse and who the Church wanted to keep out of the public eye.

Illustrative of the challenges the Pope faces in confronting the abuse scandals in places where sensitivities around the issue differ from the those found in the West can be seen in the case of Father Carlos Miguel Buela, an Argentine founder of a religious order known as the Institute of the Word Incarnate.

Buela died in 2023 amid accusations that he had sexually abused seminarians in his congregation.

Speaking to journalists in Vanimo, a remote corner of Papua New Guinea visited by Pope Francis on Sunday, a Argentine missionary and member of Buela’s order was largely dismissive of the allegations.

“Yes, he was accused of abuse and absolved by [Pope] Benedict XVI,” said Father Miguel de la Calle, a pastor in Vanimo and part of a group of Argentinian missionaries who met the Pope.

“Francis himself gave him a blessing before he died,” de la Calle said, and faulted reporters for excessively focusing on the accusations.

Noting that the founder had relocated to Genoa before his death, de la Calle insisted that he was never condemned.

“Pope Francis liked the founder a lot, he appreciates our charisma,” he said.