Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — The 87-year-old Pope Francis publicly thanked God for allowing him “to do as an old pope what I would have liked to do as a young Jesuit,” and that is to travel to Asia to preach the Gospel.

As is customary, the pope used his first general audience after his Sept. 2-13 trip to Asia and the Pacific to tell people about what he did, what he saw, and what struck him most from his travels.

Addressing thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square on Sept. 18, Pope Francis said his trips are called “apostolic journeys” because “it isn’t a tourist trip, but a journey to bring the word of the Lord, to make the Lord known, but also to get to know the soul of the people, and that is very beautiful.”

On his journey, the pope visited Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore.

Some people are “still too Eurocentric” when they think of the Catholic Church, he said, but his visit showed the reality that “the church is much bigger — much bigger than Rome or Europe — and, let me say, much more alive in those countries.”

In Indonesia, the country with the largest number of Muslims in the world, the pope said: “I received confirmation that compassion is the path that Christians can and must walk to bear witness to Christ the savior and at the same time to encounter great religious and cultural traditions.”

“A Christian without compassion is worthless,” Pope Francis said.

“Faith, fraternity, compassion,” was chosen by Indonesian bishops as their motto for this trip. The pope likened these values to a tunnel connecting Jakarta's main mosque and cathedral. Visiting this tunnel and mosque demonstrated that “fraternity is the future; it is the answer to anti-civilization and diabolical plots of hatred and war.”

In Papua New Guinea, he told the crowd he was impressed by missionaries' dedication — including priests and women religious from Argentina — along with catechists who are primary evangelizers.

In this nation’s young people: “I saw a new future without tribal violence or dependency or economic or ideological colonialism; a future of fraternity and care for its wondrous natural environment.”

Pope Francis noted that in Timor-Leste—a poor yet predominantly Catholic country—he was struck above all by "the beauty of its people: enduring much yet remaining joyful; wise in suffering."

The East Timorese are a people "who not only bear many children but also teach them to smile," he observed. In Timor-Leste: "I saw youthfulness within families; children; young people; many seminarians; aspirants towards consecrated life." He concluded: "I'm not exaggerating when I say I breathed 'air of springtime.'"

While wealthy Singapore contrasted sharply with other nations visited during this tour: "The country's Catholic minority forms an active church engaged in fostering harmony among various ethnicities cultures religions." Even within affluent Singapore exists those 'little ones,' following Gospel teachings becoming salt light witnesses offering hope beyond economic gains."

Pope Francis began his audience introducing Vatican employees reading summaries of his talk in Spanish Polish languages. Arturo López Ramírez Monika Nowak scheduled marriage Saturday prompted papal comment: "It’s beautiful when love leads two individuals starting new family."

Ending usual manner praying peace Israel Palestine Ukraine Myanmar other conflict zones globally closing eyes prayed: "May Lord give us heart seeking peace vanquishing war always defeat."