Church hierarchy in Portugal learned about the case of Ximenes Belo at least 12 years ago, before the visit of Benedict XVI – Observer
Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, just been communicated from Dili, apostolic administrator of Dili, Filipe Ximenes Belo, just been communicated from Dili, and apostolic administrator of Dili. 24 hours. Reason: he was tired, identified and needed a “long period of recovery” — which he would later do in Portugal. Most people believed this version until Wednesday, when the Dutch newspaper The Groene Amsterdammer Many, however, already knew that tiredness and illness were not the real reasons. The Observer found that, in Timor, at least since 2007, these suspicions were already known among the security forces. And, at least since 2010, the hierarchy of the Church in Portugal has also known, shortly before the visit of Pope Benedict XVI.
The news of The Groene Amsterdammer nevertheless took many by surprise. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Teresa Gouveia, was one of them. “I have always associated your coming [para Portugal] health reasons,” he told the Observer by phone. And that was exactly what was being proclaimed in the news that came out about the bishop. The truth is that Ximenes Belo left his post vacant in Dili and, in January 2003, would lodge in a Salesian monastery in the Aveiro area. This “long period of recovery” would last a year and a half, at which point he decided to go on a mission to Mozambique and assist a local priest in working with children.
“I do pastoral work teaching catechism to children, giving retreats to young people. I went down from the top to the bottom,” he said at an event in Bangkok for which he was nominated as a Nobel, in a statement recorded by the UCA news.
At that time, the bishop still did not have his mission in Mozambique, but he announced that, as soon as it was finished, he would return to Timor to visit close relatives. However, in 2006, this time to Jornal de Notícias, he stated that he could only return to the country when the Holy See allowed it. “I will return if I have authorization from the Holy See and a call from the two fellow bishops of Timor, Xanana Gusmão, Mari Alkatiri, Ramos-Horta and the commanders of the Police and the Army. I am available to be the reconciler, to resolve ethnic, ideological, religious or even political differences,” he explained. But there is no record that he returned.
This article is exclusive to our subscribers: subscribe now and benefit from unlimited reading and other benefits. Already a subscriber start your session here. If you think this message is in error, please contact our customer support.