Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the world’s one billion Catholics, arrived in Indonesia on 3 September. He then travelled to Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore, before returning to Rome on the evening of 13 September.

In each place, the Pope met government dignitaries, religious and clerical persons, and celebrated masses attended by tens of thousands of people. He also visited a place of care for a particular group in each nation. International news outlets reported the Pontiff’s messages of peace, encouragement and challenge and the numerous photos show the joy and positive engagement of countless people.

Gobsmackingly, the newspaper with the largest circulation in Australia, Nine Entertainment’s Sydney Morning Herald, did not report on the trip even once in its paper edition. Not a single word. It posted two articles online, both from Associated Press.

For a news outlet of the stature of the Herald to ignore completely the Pope’s visit to the region raises questions. Even from a solely historical point of view, there is nothing now recorded in the annals of the Herald that may be of use to future researchers. However, such researchers may use the fact of this silence as an indication of current Australian, or at least Nine, thinking, and that itself would be a valuable historical insight.

Why would a major media outlet ignore the Pope’s visit? What does it say about perceptions of people’s interests? What does it say about the importance of facts? Is there some philosophical reason for the silence? If a major world figure, say the Prime Minister of New Zealand or the Dalai Lama, visited nations in the region, would they be as comprehensively ignored?

The matter also raises other questions, as three of the nations involved have a distinctive shared history with Australia.

Regarding Indonesia, there is general Australian silence about the million Indonesians murdered in the 1960s on suspicion of being communists. Papua New Guinea had just over two decades of Australian administration before independence, giving Australia some continued influence and moral responsibility which surely applies currently.

Timor-Leste’s relationship with Australia is marked by a dire World War II history that continues to be ignored. Tens of thousands of Timorese died during the war as a direct result of their friendship towards Australian soldiers, a verifiable fact which is studiously ignored. Australia’s complicity in the Indonesian invasion and occupation of East Timor between 1975 and 1999 has never been truthfully acknowledged. Nor has the utter disgrace of Australia’s greed and duplicity in its espionage against the Timorese people over the resources of the Timor Sea.

Yes, references to violent histories, paedophilia, financial scandals and political intrigue are often necessary in social commentaries, and not only when writing about Australia. They are rightly invoked in relation to governments and religions everywhere, including the Catholic Church. Some available news items on the Pope’s visit to the region ensured such references.

However, Pope Francis used his visit to the region to underline and encourage positive human interaction between peoples, because dialogue helps to break down extremism, intolerance, deception and violence. He emphasised the importance of working together to face the environmental crises being experienced in our common home. Even some minimal reporting would have presented a taste of the challenge, encouragement and joy that his words inspired.

In Indonesia, the Pope said the different rites and practices of the various religions must be respected, but that it is more important that people look deeply underneath and discover that we are all brothers and sisters.

In Papua New Guinea, he referred to the extraordinary cultural and human richness of the people, and the vast wealth and beauty of the country. He commented that while outside experts and large international companies have to be involved in the harnessing of the natural resources, the needs of local people must be met and their living conditions improved.

In Singapore, Pope Francis commended the government and people on the innovative ways they address issues, particularly through multilateralism and working towards environmental solutions. He referred to the needs of those on the margins, and hoped special attention would be paid to the poor and the elderly as well as to protecting the dignity of migrant workers, for example, in their right to a fair wage.

The Pope’s visit to Timor-Leste drew huge crowds, with 600,000 present at the Mass. He said the Gospel holds a fragrance of compassion and justice and urges opposition to corruption. All of this can inspire a renewed commitment to revive the economic and social wellbeing of the country.

He challenged the Timorese Church, reminding priests and religious that they were not superior to the people. “You are not superior.,” he said. “Please, do not think of your ministry as bringing social prestige. No, ministry is a service.”

The Gospel depicts all the nations gathered for the final judgment where Jesus will invite people to come with him. Pope Francis said: “…but Jesus does not say: ‘Come with me because you were baptised, because you were confirmed, because you were married in the church, because you did not lie, because you did not steal’. No, he says: ‘Come with me because you took care of me when I was hungry and you gave me food, when I was thirsty and you gave me drink, when I was sick and you visited me’.”

These messages are wise and positive, but also challenging. They go to the heart of the deepest needs of human beings: the intangible desires for what is good, life-giving and right, expressed in down-to-earth compassion and support. No-one read about them in the Sydney Morning Herald.

What might the Herald report when Prabowo Subianto is installed as president of Indonesia later this year? This person had four tours of duty as a member of Kopassus in East Timor during its occupation, and was a deputy-commander and a commander. He was present at the massacre of hundreds of unarmed civilians in Kraras in 1983. Will the Herald state the facts or just be content with Prabowo’s denial of the historical record?

Perhaps even one of the Herald’s 50 or so full page Harvey Norman advertisements that appeared during the Pope’s visit could have been foregone for a report on this historical regional event. It’s hardly normal for a newspaper of this ilk to be so derelict as to omit a solitary word about the regional presence of such an influential international leader.

https://johnmenadue.com/the-popes-visit-the-sydney-morning-herald-has-more-important-stories-to-cover/

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