Cardinal Tagle to Join Pope Francis in Indonesia

by Marie Vargas

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has confirmed that he will be joining Pope Francis in his tour of Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Singapore.

Cardinal Tagle confirmed this with Dominus Est editor-in-chief Margaux Salcedo, who will be reporting live from Indonesia for Dominus Est from September 3 to 5.

Follow Facebook.com/DominusEstPH for the live coverage by Dominus Est of the Pope's visit to Indonesia from September 3 to 5, 2024.

Tagle, in a separate interview with Fides News Agency, as reported by Vatican News, said that this visit is for those "in the peripheries": "It is a sign of (the Pope's) paternal closeness to what he calls‘ existential peripheries’."

He added, "Pope Francis knows that there are many poor people in those areas, and among the poor there is an attraction to the figure of Jesus and to the Gospel, even in the midst of war, persecution, and conflict."

The Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery of Evangelization also shared how Asia changes one's perspectives. "For me, Asia is "a world comprising different worlds," and as an Asian, I see how trips to Asia open my mind and heart to vast horizons of humanity, and of human experience. Christianity also takes hold in Asia in ways that surprise me. I learn a lot from the wisdom and creativity of the Holy Spirit. I am always surprised by the ways in which the Gospel is expressed and embodied among the different human contexts," Tagle shared.

"The experience of the first Apostles, of the disciples of Jesus, is repeated over and over in these countries. A parish priest in Nepal told me that the territory of his parish is as large as a third of Italy; he only has 5 parishioners scattered over such a large territory. It is 2024, but the context and experience appear similar to the Acts of the Apostles. And the small Churches that live in the East can teach us," he added.

As for what the Pope's visit will bring, Tagle said, "The Pope's visit will hopefully bring new lifeblood to the fraternity between believers of different religions."

Pope Francis will be in Jakarta from September 3-5, East Timor from September 6 - 8, Papua New Guinea from September 9 - 10, and Singapore from September 11 to 13.