Sacred Heart Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke has called on the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI) to invite Pope Francis to visit his archdiocese in Papua to help create peace in the country’s restive easternmost region.
He expressed his wish to have the pope visit during a meeting with officials from the Asso-ciation of Indonesian Catholic Intellectuals (ISKA), his arch-diocese and seminarians on June 1 at his residence.
“An official invitation must come from the KWI. I hope it and the Catholic Church in Indonesia will give it a go,” he told UCA News over the phone on June 3.
“I do not want to break the rules. But I really hope it will not take too long. It would be great if a visit can be arranged soon after the Covid-19 pandemic ends,” he said, adding that an official invitation to the pope should be sent through the Indonesian ambassador to the Holy See.