Pope Francis, who often seems to delight in surprising and astonishing others, is here again.
Over the years he has indicated several times that he is going to take it easy, only to then increase his activities again.
He is nearly 88 years old and has a knee condition that limits his mobility, abdominal problems from diverticulitis and is vulnerable to respiratory problems because most of one of his lungs has been removed.
Last fall, the pope said his health problems were making it difficult to travel abroad. Shortly afterward, when he canceled a trip to the UAE, speculation about the extent of his medical problems increased.
But that was then.
Now he is in the midst of the longest foreign visit of his 11-and-a-half-year papacy. It has been a packed tour, and in addition to East Timor, it includes three countries – Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Singapore – where Catholics are a minority.
Why then does the Pope travel so much and so far from home?
His followers say his passion drives him.
“He clearly has enormous stamina and that is driven by his absolute passion for mission,” said Father Anthony Chantry, the British director of the papal charity Missio, who was recently appointed to the Vatican government’s evangelisation department.
“He says we all have a tireless mission to reach others and set an example.”
Evangelism
Christian “mission” is something that has evolved over the centuries. It is still about spreading the gospel, but now the stated purpose is focused on social justice and charitable efforts.
During his trip, Pope Francis will meet missionaries, including a group from Argentina now living in Papua New Guinea. But during numerous trips to Asia, including this one, he will also come close to China, a country with deep suspicions about the church, its mission and its motives.
The Pope has often stressed the importance of evangelization for every Catholic. Yet in many parts of the world it is still difficult to separate ideas of “missionaries” and “evangelization” from notions of European colonization.
With the number of Catholics in Europe declining, does ‘mission’ and ‘evangelization’ in Asia and Africa now mean the expansion of the Church in those parts of the world?
“I think what he preaches is the Gospel of love that will not harm anyone. He is not trying to gather support for the Church, that is not what evangelization is about,” says Father Anthony.
“It is not equivalent to proselytizing, that is not what we have been doing for a long time. That is not the agenda of the Holy Father and it is not the agenda of the Church. What we do is that we share and help people in whatever way we can, regardless of their faith or lack of faith.”
Father Anthony says that being a Christian missionary in the modern age, led by Pope Francis, is about doing good work and listening, but sometimes, “where necessary,” also about challenging ideas.
“We believe that God will do the rest, and if that leads to people accepting Jesus Christ, that’s great. And if it helps people appreciate their own spirituality – their own culture – then I think that’s a success too.”
The pope has certainly long spoken of interfaith harmony and respect for other faiths. One of the most enduring images of his current trip will be him kissing the hand of the Grand Imam of Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque and holding it to his cheek.
He was warmly welcomed by the people who came to visit him in the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.
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Pope Francis concludes his marathon journey in Singapore, a country where about three-quarters of the population is ethnic Chinese, but where the Catholic minority is also heavily involved in missionary work in poorer areas.
Singapore has been something of a strategic regional hub for the Catholic Church for centuries, and what Pope Francis says and does there is likely to be closely watched in China, not least by the Catholics who live there. It’s hard to get a true picture of the numbers, but estimates suggest around 12 million.
The lack of clarity about the numbers is partly because Catholics in China are divided between the official Catholic Church in China and an underground church loyal to the Vatican that emerged under communism.
In his attempt to unite the two groups, Pope Francis has been accused of appeasing Beijing and abandoning underground Catholics who refuse to accept Chinese government interference and continue to face persecution.
Careful path
The deals struck between the Vatican and Beijing in recent years appear to have created a situation in which the Chinese government appoints Catholic bishops and the pope gives in and recognizes them. China says it is a matter of sovereignty, while Pope Francis insists he has the final say – although it doesn’t seem that way.
“He’s not going to please everyone all the time, but I think the Holy Father is really trying to say that the Church is not a threat to the state,” said Father Anthony Chantry. “He’s walking a very cautious path and it’s fraught with difficulties, but I think he’s just trying to build a respectful relationship with the Chinese government.”
Rightly or wrongly, it is all in the name of bringing in more people. Some of Pope Francis’ predecessors have been in many ways more uncompromising, seeming more tolerant of a smaller, “purer” global Catholic community, rather than making concessions in foreign relations or in the way the church views, say, divorce or homosexuality.
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While some popes have clearly been more comfortable with their studies and theology than with traveling and being surrounded by large crowds, others have focused more on the politics of their position.
Traveling with Pope Francis, it is obvious that while he may look tired and depressed during diplomatic meetings, he is quickly revived by the crowds who come to see him and energized by the less important people he meets, especially the young ones.
This is certainly not a Pope who shies away from the limelight. It is precisely his presence among the people, some would say his mission, that seems to be his lifeblood.
According to Father Anthony Chantry, this latest and longest papal trip is just one example of how the Pope believes the Church should treat both Catholics and non-Catholics.
“The whole point is that we have to reach out to others. We have to make everyone feel welcome. I think he (Pope Francis) does that very well, but I don’t think he’s trying to score points there, it’s just him.”
There is very little the pope has done since his election in 2013 that hasn’t irked Catholic traditionalists, who often feel his spirit of outreach has been taken too far. His actions on this trip are unlikely to change that.
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