About 500 Catholics including priests, nuns and catechists from across Timor-Leste gather in Dili for the first liturgical summit in the country since independence. (Photo by Thomas Ora)
About 500 Catholics, including priests, nuns and catechists, have gathered in Timor-Leste’s capital for a four-day national conference on liturgy, the first of its kind since independence 14 years ago.
The July 18-22 conference at Our Lady of Fatima Seminary in Dili aims to address a variety of liturgical concerns, including the meaning of liturgy, harmonization of liturgical practices, inculturation, as well as the liturgical calendar and its connection with daily life.
Timor-Leste’s Catholic bishops’ conference chairman Bishop Basilio do Nascimiento of Baucau said participants can listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and also each other about what is best for Catholics in the country.
"I hope it will relive the spiritual journey of pastors and laypeople in accordance with Vatican II," Bishop Nascimiento said in his opening remarks on July 18.
The prelate said the conference is crucial because liturgy is central to Christian life, and strengthens the faith of people in an era of globalization that can easily distract them from their faith.
"Liturgy is important because through liturgy, Christ sanctifies his people," Nascimiento said. "Therefore, it must be done accordingly, as an expression of faith."
He reminded priests to learn from any mistakes in the past, to reflect together and refute wrong practices.
"The church does not belong to priests, but Christ. Therefore we have to renew our life continually," he said.
Similarly Father Juvito do Rego of Dili Diocese said that the conference is a time to examine misunderstandings in the past and harmonize future practices.
Many Catholics have misunderstood devotions or novenas as part of the liturgy, according to the priest.
"They think that devotion is adequate, hence thinking that church attendance is unnecessary," he said.
Father Yohanes Rusae, executive secretary of the Indonesian bishops’ commission on liturgy who was invited told participants that liturgy is crucial and cannot be separable from Christian life.
"It’s is a meeting point between believers and God," said Father Rusae, adding that liturgical books must originate in scriptures.
Silvino Gusmao, a catechist from Maliana Diocese, said Catholics have waited for this conference for years and hoped to learn much from it.
"I’ve been catechist since 1987 but my knowledge on the liturgy is inadequate," said Gusmao who said that discussions on the first day of the conference have broadened his horizon.
Francisco Assisi, a parishioner from Dili, hoped the national conference will make young people more interested in attending church.
"My hope is that it will inspire Catholic youths to attend more church celebrations," he said.