Speaking at St Peter's Square on 18 September, the Pope said the Church is "more alive" in areas like Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.

The pontiff emphasised the Church's need to move beyond its European roots and embrace the global Catholic community.

Francis remarked "We are still too Eurocentric… but in reality, the Church is much bigger… and much more alive in these countries".

Fraternity is the future

Reflecting on the Asian tour, Pope Francis praised the "missionary, outgoing Church" he encountered, especially in Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country where Catholics make up only 3% of the population.

He observed a dynamic faith community there, actively transmitting the Gospel.

Pope Francis signed a joint declaration with the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque in Indonesia, condemning religious-based violence and promoting interfaith harmony.

"There, I saw that fraternity is the future, it is the answer to anti-civilisation, to the diabolical plots of hatred, war and also sectarianism" he said.

In Papua New Guinea, the Pope was welcomed by indigenous tribes who have embraced Catholicism.

He met with missionaries and catechists whom he called the "protagonists" of his visit and expressed hope for a future free from tribal violence and colonial dependencies.

Salt and light

The Pope's visit to East Timor, predominantly a Catholic nation, also left a strong impression.

He was touched by the country's large families and abundant religious vocations.

He called East Timor a model of a "culture of life", contrasting it with wealthier nations like Singapore which he said could learn from its example of high birth rates.

His final stop in Singapore, though starkly different from the other nations, reaffirmed his belief in the power of small, faith-driven communities.

"Even in wealthy Singapore, there are the ‘little ones' who follow the Gospel and become salt and light, witnesses to a hope greater than what economic gains can guarantee" he added.

The Pope's reflections emphasised the universality of the Catholic Church, urging believers to look beyond Europe to the flourishing faith communities in other parts of the world.

Sources

Catholic News Agency

La Croix International

CathNews New Zealand

He used his address at the commemoration of the 50 anniversary of the Synod of Bishops last month to praise the "rich variety" of Catholic life that the Synods have brought, and the way they have ended the eurocentric imaging of the Church.

One of the most exhilarating "synodal" moments for him, he recalled, was during the 1998 Special Assembly of the Synod for Oceania.

"Mass was celebrated in the St Peter's Basilica to the sound of conch shell horns and enriched processions and great garlands of flowers evoking the space, beauty and freshness of remote Pacific islands where Christianity was still in its first generation of disciples."

Source

• thetablet.co.uk
• Image: media02.radiovaticana.va