Registration for Mass at Taci Toru is not intended to limit participation « Government of Timor-Leste

Cardinal Archbishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dili clarified on August 12, 2024 that the registration carried out in each diocese is not intended to limit the participation of Christians in the upcoming Masses celebrated by Pope Francis in Taci Toru.

Cardinal Dom Virgílio stressed that the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis is open to everyone and that the registration is specifically used to organize the necessary logistics for the event. “The registration that is being done is not intended to limit participation. It is done to be able to know how many faithful from each city will need to prepare transportation and how to reach and access the venue, and to be able to calculate the space that Tacitoru has prepared for Christians in each city, so our faithful can organize in this way,” the cardinal explained.

Virgilio added that the purpose of the registration is also to ensure that the activities of the faithful are best organized to guarantee their safety and comfort during the activities. “Registration is not intended to limit participation. It is only used to control and organize the movements in the best way possible. For the elderly, there are no restrictions either, but naturally it depends on the specific case,” said the cardinal, who also mentioned the personal responsibility of the faithful to assess their physical condition when attending Mass.

Bishop Dom Leandro Maria Alves of Baucau also called on Catholics not to be influenced by the false information circulating and reiterated the importance of following the guidelines issued by the government and the Church. “I call on the faithful not to worry and to come and participate because the Pope comes for all of us. So come and participate so that we can receive the Pope’s blessing and express our faith to the Pope who brings us these blessings,” Dom Leandro said.