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I’m in Timor-Leste to visit the Railaco Jesuit Mission, which has been supported by St Canice’s Parish in Sydney for the past twenty years. This little rural parish is located in the mountains and – depending on your choice of vehicle and driver – about an hour away from Dili. On this trip, I’ve also been invited to participate in the special celebrations in Soibada – about three hours from Dili – to mark the establishment of the first Jesuit Mission in the country 125 years ago.

While small as a nation, East Timor is in fact the most Christian country in Asia, with around 90% of the population professing Catholicism, which could explain the pope’s trip.
But a look at the recent history of the region shows that the connection between the Church and the East-Timorese goes much deeper than simple demographics.