As Pope Francis visits the most Catholic country in Asia in terms of percentage, local pastors and religious have said his decision to come to one of the world’s peripheries is appreciated and can help boost the local church and encourage young people to stay on the right path.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass for East Timor’s overwhelming Catholic majority on Sept. 10, applauding the country for its high percentage of youth and stressing the importance of becoming small and humble in order for God to work miracles.

As Pope Francis begins his brief, two-day visit to East Timor, one of the key underlying issues he will have to grapple with is the clerical sexual abuse crisis as the nation reels from allegations against highly revered members of the clergy.

Pope Francis has concluded the first leg of his four-nation tour of Asia and Oceania, leaving Indonesia Friday morning and landing in Papua New Guinea, where he is likely to address key agenda items such as poverty and climate change.

In the main event of his three-day visit to Jakarta, Pope Francis Thursday visited the city’s famed Istiqlal Mosque, where he and Muslim leaders outlined their vision for a moderate and tolerant society and called for an end to violent extremism.

On his final day in Indonesia, Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the country’s minority Catholic population, telling them not to be discouraged in the face of difficulties and failure and to take risks in following Christ.