Belo's father renounced his liurai birthright to be a Church catechist. Opposing foreign occupiers is also part of the family history. More than once during World War II, Japanese soldiers severely beat Belo's father when he tried to stop them raping East Timorese women. The author contends that such abuse contributed to the father's death in 1951 at age 39. Carlos was about three at the time and one of six children his mother had to raise.
Timorese tradition holds that souls gather there after death.
Shortly after his birth and before his Catholic baptism, Belo was bathed in waters from this sacred landmark. Kohen provides much insight when dealing with the story of Belo the priest - who, for all his activism, celebrates Mass daily in Dili cathedral and makes extensive pastoral visits to the countryside. He also introduced Tetum, the local language, into liturgies. Belo is a Salesian, a religious order founded by Italian St. John Bosco in the late 1800s to work with troubled and abandoned youth. The bishop has often said that all he ever wanted to do was help young people.