Leste welcomes home mortal remains of bishops who stood with the people
The mortal remains of three former Catholic Church leaders who supported Timor-Leste during its struggle for independence have returned to the country. The urns were received with full military honors and will be laid to rest at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Dili.
Why it matters
This event serves as a significant moment of national reconciliation and historical recognition for the role the Church played in Timor-Leste's path to sovereignty.
By Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD – Dili After decades away from their homeland, the mortal remains of three former Church leaders who accompanied the people of Timor-Leste through war, occupation and the struggle for self-determination have returned to the country they served. The urns containing the remains of Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart, Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro, and Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes arrived at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili on September 1 aboard an Aero Dili flight from Bali, Indonesia. Their return marks a historic moment for the Catholic Church and the people of Timor-Leste. The three Church leaders are now reunited with the memory of Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva, as the nation prepares to lay all four to rest together at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Dili.
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