In Southeast Asia, on the southernmost edge of the Indonesian archipelago and northwest of Australia, you can find the beautiful, small country of Timor-Leste.
Timor-Leste is practically a new country that gained its independence from Indonesia 23 years ago. Many issues led to its independence but among them was the fact that Indonesia was Muslim, and the 850,000 citizens of Timor-Leste identified as Catholic.
Fast-forward to 2025 and the population of Timor-Leste is 1.41 million with 98 percent identifying as Catholic, making it the second-most Catholic country in the world per capita, coming in second to Vatican City where the population is 100 percent Catholic.
Here are my takeaways from my two weeks in Timor-Leste:
- You might remember that last September Pope Francis visited Timor-Leste. He landed in Dili, the capital city, as part of his Asia-Pacific tour. Until then, Pope John Paul II was the first and only pontiff to visit, in 1989, when the land was still part of Indonesia. When arriving at Dili’s airport, you can’t miss the big welcome sign for Pope Francis. Then, as you head into the city you start to notice welcome signs for Pope Francis at almost every lamp post. I’m not Timorese but I felt a deep sense of pride seeing all this. Timor-Leste is a small country on the other side of the world, and many people haven’t heard of it. I realized then that Pope Francis was doing exactly what he had been preaching since his first day as pope; he was reaching the peripheries. To a small country that can sometimes feel forgotten, this meant everything.
- Everyday after work around 5 p.m., the locals gather at the beach and have cookouts. They don’t go home and plop on the couch, no, they spend time with their families, neighbors and friends. It’s all very peaceful. We live in a world where isolation is becoming more and more normal. Whether it’s being on the phone or watching television, we tend to forget to be present sometimes. The Timorese don’t forget — they are present. They are there for each other and live in a true community. It was a refreshing sight.
- Unfortunately, Timor-Leste is a poor and developing country, but what they lack in money they make up in spirit. The power goes out at least once a day and that’s something most people would complain about, but the Timorese have learned to make do. If the power goes out, they will just use the light of the moon. The people I got the chance to meet while visiting were some of the nicest people I’ve ever come across. They are grateful and they don’t take anything for granted.
I don’t know if I’ll ever get another chance to visit Timor-Leste, but I hope I do because I loved seeing how life across the world is. If you are looking for a travel destination, consider Timor-Leste. Trust me, the beaches are beautiful, and the faith is alive and well.
Batista can be reached at [email protected].
