Pope's death and crash test faith on quake island
Pope's death and crash test faith on quake island
Agencies, Gunung Sitoli, Nias
Somber survivors gathered outdoors on Nias island on Sunday for
their first Mass since last week's huge earthquake, mourning the
death of Pope John Paul II and nine Australian military personnel
killed in a helicopter crash.
As a service began at the large Santa Maria Church in Gunung
Sitoli, the main town on this majority Catholic island, a strong
aftershock measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale rattled the
building, sending about 150 panicked worshipers spilling outside.
The Mass resumed after the altar, candles and cross were
brought out of the building. Other churches in the town could
also be seen holding outdoor services.
"Our suffering has multiplied because we have lost our leader,
His Holiness the Pope," pastor Mikael To'pr, who led the service
as worshipers sat in the open on plastic stools, said in his
sermon.
He urged the congregation not to lose their faith in God
because of the recent series of tragedies.
"Many people are asking why did this happen, why did God let
this happen or even does God still exist," he said. "We do not
need to ask why. The important thing to remember is that God is
with us. Jesus is still with you."
Last Monday's massive quake came as the region was still
recovering from the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami that killed at
least 126,000 people in the country, mostly in Aceh.
Last week's quake left tens of thousands of people homeless on
Nias and two other island groups, Simeulue and Banyak, with at
least 594 people confirmed killed.
A majority of the 800,000 people on Nias are Christians,
although only about 8 percent of Indonesia's 220 million people
follow Christianity. Most of the rest are Muslim, making the
country the world's most populous Islamic nation.
Father Mikael To'pr said the death of the Australian military
personnel on Saturday added to the shock and sadness of the
islanders.
"After I heard about the helicopter that crashed near Teluk
Dalam, I felt shocked. They came to help us, but now they are
victims also," he said.
A witness said the helicopter crashed on a soccer field and
burst into flames. Local television showed burning wreckage as
villagers tried to put out the flames with buckets of water.
A woman who lost her husband and three children in last
Monday's earthquake wept during the sermon.
"I prayed that I will be strong enough to withstand this and
to be able to take care of my other two children," said Angeline
Indah, 43, after the service.