The following are excerpts from the
Acceptance Speech of Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, SDB,
Titular Bishop of Lorium and Apostolic Administrator of Dili,
given in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1996. He is a member of
the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco.
What reasons, brought the Catholic Bishop of East Timor to be here in the presence of this assembly? I come from a social context that is already known to your Excellencies, where, due to circumstances, the aspirations and desires of the people are limited.
As a member of a people, I have to share the destiny of the people, taking upon myself completely this mandate, knowing the risks that such attitude will involve. Striving for the defense of the rights of all peoples is not only the privilege of those guiding the destiny of the people or those enjoying lofty positions in society, but it is the duty of everyone whatever rank or status.
As a member of the Church, I take it upon myself the mission of enlightening and denouncing all human situations which are in disagreement with the Christian concept and contrary to the teaching of the Church concerning all mankind.
The Catholic Bishop is a pastor of a part of God's people. His specific mission is spiritual. Such mission is incumbent upon him basically as a dispenser of spiritual resources for the salvation of persons and consolidating them in faith in Jesus Christ.
But mankind is not limited to a spiritual dimension, one should be saved as a whole, human and spiritual. In this aspect, any Catholic Bishop shall never be indifferent when a people's possibilities for human realization, in all dimensions, are not respected.
So the Nobel Peace Prize, attributed to a Catholic Bishop, is not an homage for one person but also basically the gratitude for the encouragement that the Catholic Church has developed over the centuries in defense and promotion of the rights of human beings.
However, addressing this distinguished assembly with beliefs and concepts about mankind may be quite humanistic. But I do believe for sure that among us we have something in common, that is we affirm that the human being is the subject of all concept and human activities. We declare that one's value and dignity does not depend on the individual's belief, religion, politics, philosophy, race or color of skin.
Man is a being for freedom. It means that one's realization is complete when capable to decide about one's options and taking responsibility for his or her actions without any kind of intimidation.
Man is a being realized in a community. It means that the social and ethnic group one belongs to is the background for his or her fulfillment.
Man is a being realized when there is a reciprocity of respect. It means that wherever human beings are not respected in their elementary rights by those in charge or by those responsible in society, as a consequence, we have oppression, slavery, arrogance, arbitrariness, death of individuals and death of a people.
The Catholic Church proclaims Jesus Christ as the great deliverer for all mankind. Indeed, Jesus frees each one from every moral and social slavery, giving back his or her true dignity as a human being.
In making Christ known, the Church reveals to all their true situation and calling, since Christ is the head and model of that renewed humanity imbued with that fraternal love, sincerity and spirit of peace, to which everyone aspires (AG. 8).
I pray for peace in the Middle East for peace with justice for Israelis and Palestinians, Christians, Jews and Moslems alike in the Holy Land, with dignity and tolerance for all. I pray for peace in Afghanistan, which can not be forgotten, and for the continuation of the peace process in Central America and for those in the nearby Chiapas [Mexico]. And no human being can be indifferent to the drama in the Great Lakes area, in Burundi and Rwanda, and also Zaire, where the human suffering cries out for a solution. The situation of endless tension in Sudan also deserves a major attention.
And let us always think of many anonymous people throughout the world, struggling for the protection of human rights. Day by day, working to convince the international community of the justice of their cause, whether they be Moslems or Christians, Protestants or Catholics, Hindus or Buddhists whether they be followers of age-old traditional beliefs, believers or non-believers. I say: press on, take courage, remain true to your ideals, you will not be forgotten.
The world censures those who take up arms to defend their causes and call on them to use non-violent means in voicing their grievances. But when a people chooses the non-violent path, it is all too often the case that hardly anyone pays attention. It is tragic that people have to suffer and die and the television cameras have to deliver the pictures to people's homes everyday before the world at large admits there is a problem. Therein lies the enormous significance and the brave wisdom of the decision of the Nobel Committee to focus on East Timor this year; it represents the extraordinary recognition of East Timor's quest for peace and the recognition of its pleas for an end to suffering.
Others have written that if there had not been a war in East Timor, I would be spending all my time tending to the needs of troubled youth, which is the special calling of my religious order, The Salesians of St. John Bosco. But this is only a matter of degree: even now, I spend an overwhelming amount of energy in listening to and counseling the youth of East Timor, who urgently need such help because of their history. This is my special obligation, and one which I welcome.
Thus I must press on, aware of all the task that are far from complete. St. John Bosco once said that we will have the chance to rest in the hereafter, not in this world. And my life in the past thirteen years since I took up the post in East Timor illustrates the accuracy of Don Bosco's judgment in this regard among others. But my own hard work forms only a small part of what is necessary; the participation of others is vital. I extend the hand of friendship and goodwill to all those who provide genuine assistance or moral support in the vital struggle for peace in East Timor, throughout Asia, Africa, in the western hemisphere, throughout Europe, in Bosnia and elsewhere in the Balkans. Everywhere.
I would like, before I finish, to address one word to the youth around the world, particularly to the youth of my dear Timor: " Society is a succession of interwoven rings in which each generation has the duty to contribute to the next generation in order to live in the world peacefully fraternally. Under your shoulders, dear young people of the entire world, weigh the responsibility to transform tomorrow's world into a society where peace, harmony and fraternity reign. "
In this moment I would like, in the first place, to thank…His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, who has been persistent and attentive in following the situation and the suffering of the people and the Church in East Timor, I submit my filial devotion and the promise of unending fidelity and in union with Christ.
To the Pontifical Commission of Justice and Peace, particularly in the person of its President, His Eminence Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, who had the opportunity to be in direct contact with the Church of Timor, I submit my deep gratitude.
I can not forget the contribution of friends from other religions who, with discretion and fearless activity have made it possible that the Nobel Peace Prize for 1996 be attributed to the Catholic Church in East Timor.
- Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo SDB
- Titular Bishop of Lorium and
- Apostolic Administrator of Dili
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