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[COMMENTARY] Pope's Iraq visit recalls 1989 mission of peace to Timor Leste
Pope Francis approaches Islam with love, empathy and understanding and encourages more sincere dialogue between followers of the two religions.
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Pope Francis (center) arrives at the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the old city of Iraq's northern Mosul on March 7. (Agence France Presse/Vincenzo Pinto)
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hen I read Pope Francis’ message from the site of the ancient city of Ur, the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham, who is highly revered in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, I recalled the late Pope John Paul II, who celebrated a holy Mass in East Timor, which at the time was Indonesia’s 27th province, on Oct. 12, 1989. Ten years after the papal visit, East Timor declared independence from Indonesia.
I believe Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq and his honest dialogue with world Muslim leaders will usher in more peaceful and empathetic relations between followers of the two Abrahamic religions.
On Feb. 4, 2019, Francis signed a “A Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” with Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of al-Azhar, during an interreligious meeting in Abu Dhabi. Francis included the joint statement in his Fratteli Tutti (All Brothers) encyclical, issued on Oct. 4 of last year.
“In my fraternal meeting, which I gladly recall, with the Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, we resolutely [declared] that religions must never incite war, hateful attitudes, hostility and extremism, nor must they incite violence or the shedding of blood. These tragic realities are the consequence of a deviation from religious teachings,” the Pope said.
I am an ordinary Catholic. So you may understand or laugh at my biases with the two popes. For me the pope is a Holy Father, our supreme religious leader, whether he is liberal like Francis or conservative like his predecessor Benedict.
Both Francis and John Paul II sent a strong message of peace and prayed for the end of violence and respect for human dignity. Pope Francis approaches Islam with love, empathy and understanding and encourages more sincere dialogue between followers of the two religions.
Many believe the late John Paul II played a major role in freeing Eastern Europe from communism, starting from his home country, Poland. You may believe it or not, but the same man also helped liberate the East Timorese people from 22 years of brutal occupation by Indonesia.
