For the occasion, the parish church was filled with the faithful and saw a rich representation of Timorese priests, religious, seminarians, and laity, all of whom were very happy to be able to participate in an unprecedented event for the Asian nation. Also noteworthy was the presence of Hon. Juvita Rodrigues Barreto De Ataíde Gonçalves, Timor-Leste's ambassador to the Holy See.
Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, appointed by Pope Francis as Archbishop of Dili on Jan. 30, 2016, and created cardinal by the same Pope Francis on Aug. 27 de 2022, upon arrival at the parish was greeted by the parish priest, Fr. Daniele Dal Prà. He kissed the crucifix, blessed the faithful with water and remained a few moments in silent prayer, kneeling before the tabernacle.
After the Mass began, the parish priest explained to the faithful the connection of cardinals with the churches of Rome: "An ancient tradition, dating back to the earliest days of the Church, is that each new cardinal is associated with a church in Rome. The title assigned by the Pope upon the cardinal's appointment symbolizes the unity of the College of Cardinals with the Bishop of Rome. Most Reverend Eminence, your appointment makes this parish community extremely happy: this is a reason for us to be grateful to the Lord, which honors us greatly. We know that on the Asian continent, Christians are a minority, but the majority of the population of Timor-Leste is Catholic." Thus, he concluded, "Cardinal Virgílio, this parish is your second home. Welcome among us!" And finally, he read the papal bull appointing the cardinal as titular of the church of St. Albert the Great.
For his part, the Salesian cardinal, in the course of his homily, gave several thanks, evoking the meaning of the word Eucharist - precisely, "thanksgiving" - starting with gratitude to God for the gift of life and then continuing to Pope Francis for the trust placed in him for making him a cardinal, to the Salesian Family for its spiritual and fraternal support, to the parish priest and parishioners for their welcome, and to the bishops, priests and other faithful present.
After the Eucharistic celebration, the Cardinal gave an interview to "Vatican News," in which he said, "I come with a feeling of joy to thank God for this vocation. We did not seek this vocation. The Lord, in His generosity, in His mercy, has given me this responsibility in my hands." Then he added that from now on he will have to "get to know this parish better, to link the parish with the diocese there in East Timor. Timor is very far from here, but through this bond, we shall be closer."
The cardinal also said that he was very happy - and saw it as a sign - when he found out that the church he is titular of is very close to the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS), where he received his master's degree in spirituality. Both the church and UPS are located in the periphery, as East Timor, in the geography of the Catholic world, is also located in a peripheral area, which is why the Cardinal added, "My creation as a cardinal was a gift from the Pope to the youth and people of Timor. And even today, here in the outskirts of Rome, it is a sign for the young people here."
