Pope Francis revokes priesthood of Timor-Leste priest

Nov 27, 2021

By Ryan Dagur 
Pope Francis has revoked the priesthood status of a diocesan priest in Timor-Leste who aims to run for president in the Catholic-majority nation. The revocation was made public in a communique addressed to Catholics on November 21 in Baucau Diocese, to which Martinho Germano da Silva Gusmao belongs.

“Through this communique, from today onwards, Mr Martinho Germano da Silva Gusmao will live his life as an ordinary layman and continue to bear witness to the faith as a good layman,” the communique said. It explained that the priest’s dismissal was in response to a request from Gusmao to Pope Francis sent last year.

Vicar General Fr Alipio Pinto Gusmao and Vice Chancellor Fr Deonisio Guterres Soares, who signed the communique, stated that Gusmao “lived his life as an ordinary layman in society, but the sacrament of priesthood he had received was not cancelled”.

“Thus, when people were in a situation of deathly danger and there was no priest available to give the sacrament of confession immediately, Martinho Gusmao was able to administer the sacrament of confession and give official absolution of sins,” they said.

They expressed gratitude for Gusmao’s service as a priest and asked Catholics to pray that he “will still be able to be a good layman and continue to bear witness to his faith as a Christian in the community”.

Fr Gusmao submitted a resignation letter in January 2020 to the bishop of Baucau, Dom Basilio Nascimento — who died last month — and a letter to the Pope in February 2020.

Bishop Nascimento suspended Gusmao from priestly duties in August.

Gusmao, who studied political science at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and was formerly the commissioner of the National Electoral Commission of Timor-Leste, claimed that his decision to resign was to allow him to get involved in political affairs, including running for president next year.

The priest, who was also a lecturer at the Catholic-run Instituto Superior de Filosofia e de Theologia (ISFIT), Dom Jaime Garcia Goularat in Fatumeta, Dili, said on Nov 22 that the Vatican’s decision “would make my preparations to become a presidential candidate smoother”.

Timor-Leste has scheduled presidential elections for March and Gusmao said he would run as an independent. -- ucanews.com