Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world – with nearly 300 million people, and 87% of them at least nominally followers of Islam. Pope Francis just completed his pilgrimage there, in a different mode of his namesake of old, when in 1219 the original Francis recklessly went to convert the Sultan in Egypt, and survived only because he was considered such a fool for God. The Pope is currently in East Timor, on the opposite end of the demographic spectrum – a population of just over 1.3 million, and nearly 98% Catholic, once under Indonesian dominance, but, as of 1999, currently independent.
Whatever one thinks of the current holder of Peter’s office, it is impressive, even just physically, never mind mentally, for an 87-year old to make such a trek across the globe. We may not agree with his methods, as he stretches the boundaries between the common ground proper to missionary work and some sort of quasi-syncretism, but we may hope and pray that some, even many, are converted towards the fullness of Truth, found only in the Catholic Church. There is something about the papacy that just signifies Christ, regardless of who sits in the chair. The crowds are biblical in their numbers, at least in Catholic Timor – people are seeking something beyond the limits of this world and of religions that offer only part of the truth, and much falsity besides.
After all, God uses all means – the good and the bad, the perfect and the imperfect – to win souls to Him and His truth, which, deep down, they know will set them free. How His providence worked will only be revealed at the end of time, and in these latter days, we will in hope, and expectation.