Prenovitiate in Lospalos: 13 years of vocation journey
Lospalos, Timor Leste, 19 April 2018 -- Also this year 25 Timorese prenovices, aged 18 to 28 years of age, spend 11 months in the Far East of East Timor, Lautem disctrict capital of Lospalos. The seven SDB strong Salesian community including three confreres entrusted with the accompaniment of the prenovices is very youthful, immersed the whole day amidst the young of the parish, oratory, orphanage, public schools and the SYM groups. Since last 2005 every year about 30 young men from all parts of Timor Leste discern their Salesian consecrated vocation in this vibrant youthful environment. Their study hall is located on the second floor of the Orphanage, a very suggestive place.
Usually half of them are coming from Salesian Aspirantate (secondary school) or other SDB works (students, parishioners or Don Bosco Alumni). They spent their week busy between the chapel, study hall, refectory, playground, work in the garden, outreaching oratory and time with Colegio Dom Bosco 'Orphanage' youth in need. Many of them find a hard time with language study since Timor Leste youth need to learn aside of the main dialect Tetum also Portuguese, English and Bahasa Indonesia (four in one).
Our prenovices are attracted to Don Bosco mainly by a model of Salesian Priests of Brothers in their home parish or school, by the joyful and family spirit environment they found in the Oratory or by the pastoral charity of Fatumaca community confreres who took care about their spiritual accompaniment like Deacon Baltasar Pires.
Of course, the vocation is journey is full of doubts, insecurity, search for more deeper and solid motivations. The young formators (all in Timor Leste are young!) try to help the prenovices with more personal responsibility on their vocation journey, with writing their own vocation biography, keeping their journal and assisting them in their apostolate and deepening of prayer life.
Fr. Tomas Carvalho (Rector) with the whole community of five Priests, one Salesian Brother and two practical trainees is now praying for their confessor, Fr Rolando who is now recovered with a heart problem in the Zatti clinic in Manila, FIN province. To accompany young people in the first stage of Salesian initial formation is always a great adventure, gift and responsibility. The community of Lospalos prenovitiate ask your prayers!
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