Pope Francis is just a couple of weeks away from his nearly two-week long trip to Asia. Following his Wednesday General Audience, he spent an extended amount of time with a group who travelled from Indonesia to greet him.
The group consisted of interfaith leaders, including Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu. Each member expressed their excitement for the pope’s first visit to their home country.
“The pope’s presence in Indonesia is not only for Catholics but for all Indonesians,” said Stefanus Gusma, chairman of the Catholic Youth Organisation Indonesia.
“Because the pope’s views, thoughts, values related to humanity, brotherhood and the environment have become a necessity, an interest and a commitment for all of us. So we are very proud that Indonesia is one of the countries chosen by the pope.”
The interfaith group also came to Rome with a mission: to create a more just and safe world. They presented a document to Pope Francis detailing their goal to invite young people to live in harmony and respect for one another.
“We are joining hands and expressing how young leaders throughout Indonesia can be involved in promoting world peace,” said Addin Jauharudin, chairman of the Islamic Youth Organisation Indonesia.
“We conveyed this to the pope and he officially signed our document.”
The group will continue their travels and meet with other world and religious leaders to promote peace and harmony among various religions. And when they return to Indonesia, they will get to see Pope Francis once again, but this time, in their home country.