“I have two words of advice for you: make a mess and respect your elders!” Pope Francis offered those words of advice on September 11 as he met with the young people of Timor-Leste in the capital, Dili.
The encounter was held at the Congress Centre and was the final public event of the Holy Father’s Apostolic Journey to Timor-Leste. In his address, the Pope noted that young people make up a clear majority of the population of 1.4 million, of whom over 95% are Catholic, praising their enthusiasm in living the faith.
Pope Francis said he would never forget the smiles he found on the faces of the Timorese people. He also invited Timorese youth to recall the sacrifices their forefathers made in laying the foundations of the nation, and took the opportunity to urge them to respect their elders.
A society, he noted, has two treasures: young people and the elderly. “The children and the elderly,” said the Pope. “A society that has so many children like you must take care of them. And one that has so many elderly, who are the memory, must respect and care for them.”
Pope Francis spoke briefly about the three values of “freedom, commitment, and fraternity.”
He recalled a saying in the Tetum language of Timor-Leste—“ukun rasik-an” which means “everyone is able to govern themselves.” The Pope said young people should recall the true meaning and purpose of freedom. “To be free does not mean doing what we want,” he said, noting that freedom means respecting others and caring for our common home. He also recalled the value of “fraternity” and the importance of reconciliation. “You, in this smiling country, have a wonderful history of heroism, faith, martyrdom, and above all, faith and reconciliation,” he said. Pope Francis concluded his meeting with young Timorese by urging them to recall the example that Jesus gave in forgiveness and reconciliation.