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First cardinal will open more doors for Timor-Leste

Archbishop Virgilio do Carmo da Silva's elevation is seen as a stepping stone to greater things for the tiny Catholic nation
Archbishop Virgilio do Carmo da Silva of Dili will become Timor-Leste's first-ever cardinal

Archbishop Virgilio do Carmo da Silva of Dili will become Timor-Leste's first-ever cardinal. (Photo supplied)

Published: June 03, 2022 10:33 AM GMT
Updated: June 06, 2022 04:15 AM GMT

Pope Francis making Archbishop Virgilio do Carmo da Silva a cardinal is perceived as a milestone that can elevate Timor-Leste onto the global playing field.

The Salesian archbishop was among 21 new cardinals named on May 29, increasing the number of cardinals from 208 to 229, of whom 131 are electors.

They will receive their red birettas in a consistory — a formal meeting of the College of Cardinals — in late August. Six are Asians, all under the age of 80, which means they are eligible to vote for the next pope and have a say in determining important matters relevant to the Catholic Church in Asia and beyond. 

The 54-year-old Dili archbishop is the first prelate elevated to cardinal from the tiny nation of 1.3 million people, of whom over 97 percent are Catholics.

As Timor-Leste struggles with political woes and seeks better global ties, Da Silva’s election brought jubilation after Jose Ramos-Horta was sworn in as president on May 20 — Timor-Leste’s Independence Day.  

Ramos-Horta, who received the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, has pledged to work closely with the Church on issues of education, national development, justice and human rights. This should provide solid ground for the cardinal’s future work with the government. 

The decision to elect a Timorese cardinal is not a consolation prize but shows the pope’s continued support for the local Church

Da Silva’s elevation is an answered prayer for Timorese Catholics who have been expecting Pope Francis to visit them, just as St. John Paul II did in 1989. That historic visit was interpreted as the pope’s support for their fight for freedom from Indonesian occupation. 

Pope Francis has renewed his promise to visit the Southeast Asian nation, but as of now, it remains unclear when. The decision to elect a Timorese cardinal is not a consolation prize but shows the pope’s continued support for the local Church. It both strengthens the people’s faith in the Catholic Church and may improve Timor-Leste’s influence in global affairs. 

The pope’s concern for the tiny Catholic nation can perhaps be traced back to 2015 when he sent the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to represent the Holy See at the 500th anniversary of the evangelization of Timor-Leste. 

During the visit, Cardinal Parolin also signed a concord that strengthened government and church cooperation. It provided five years of cooperation to ensure government support for church activities, including financial assistance for its services to the people.

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak and Bishop Do Amaral, president of the bishops' conference, renewed the five-year deal until 2027, ensuring US$15 million in state funds to assist church activities. Half the sum is for education, including the construction of classrooms and scholarships for children of poor families. 

According to Ruak, the renewal is part of the government’s recognition of the important role that the Catholic Church plays in Timorese society.

Da Silva’s appointment as cardinal is Pope Francis’ invitation — if not instruction — for the Timor-Leste Church not to uproot itself from its Portuguese heritage.

The Portuguese were the colonial rulers and evangelized Timor-Leste from 1615 until 1975 when independence was declared, which was short-lived due to the Indonesian invasion.

Under Indonesian rule, the Timorese people endured violence that rekindled nationalism led by Fretilin, which became the country’s main political party following the UN-sponsored independence referendum in September 1999.

The latest choice of cardinals shows the importance the pope places on peripheral churches in Asia, Africa and Latin America while moving away from a Euro-centric decision-making system

In the post-independence era, the Catholic Church was focused on restoration and healing. Likewise, it also expanded with the creation of Maliana Diocese in 2010, adding to the two existing ones — Dili and Baucau. More will be created in the future.

In September 2019, Pope Francis elevated the status of Dili to a metropolitan archdiocese, hence raising Bishop Da Silva to the rank of archbishop. 

As a member of the College of Cardinals, Archbishop Da Silva is now part of a group that helps Pope Francis manage the universal church with over 1.3 billion Catholics. When the time comes, he will participate in electing a new pope during a conclave. 

At the local level, the Timor-Leste cardinal is expected to amplify the voice of the people, the majority of whom are still poor and craving an improved life. His elevation should help maintain the good relationship between the church and state, which is fundamental to building a stronger nation.

At the global level, the cardinal will not only help in church matters but also help the government in achieving world recognition, including its efforts for full integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

During the August consistory, which will be the eighth convened by Pope Francis since he was elected in March 2013, the pope will outline his vision for the Church. Consistories are important for Francis as a way to complete his quest for the Church's transformation. 

The latest choice of cardinals shows the importance the pope places on peripheral churches in Asia, Africa and Latin America while moving away from a Euro-centric decision-making system.

As the first cardinal of Asia’s most Catholic nation after the Philippines, the road is open for Archbishop Da Silva to paint a universal Catholic Church from Timor-Leste’s point of view. 

But above all, the cardinal must safeguard the Church’s prophetic mission in Timor-Leste, where personal interests often determine politics and the process of democracy.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial position of UCA News.

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