By Our Own Correspondent

Rome, 19 June 2016 -- After the appointment of Fr Virgilio da Silva as Bishop of Dili (ITM Superior from January 2015 until January 2016) and after the consultation conducted on May 21-29, 2016 the Rector Major with the consent of his council has appointed Fr Apolinario Ornai Maria Ornai NETO as the 5th Superior of the Indonesia-Timor Vice-province for the period of 6 years (2016-2022).

Fr Apolinario was born in Bui Bau (Timor Leste) on September 19, 1968 and made his first profession in Fatumaca on May 20,1990 and the perpetual profession on March 23, 1996. He was ordained in 1998, after completing his philosophy and theology studies in the Philippines (Canlubang and Parañaque: FIN). Moreover he attended the following ongoing formation courses: in Manila (Salesianity,2001 and Salesian spirituality,2004) and Religious leadership training and spirituality in Malang – Indonesia, 2012). He speaks Tetum, Bahasa Indonesia, English and Portuguese.

After returning to the vice-province in 1998 he spent six years as Vicar and Economer in Los Palos (Parish, Orphanage and Oratory). From 2004 until now Don Bosco Comoro (Dili) became his place of residence: first as Rector of Centro Tecnico (Vocation Training Center), then since 2005 as Rector of Comoro, Provincial House until now. During past 11 years he was assigned to the following ministries: Provincial secretary, Parish priest, Delegate to the Salesian Cooperators and ADMA, Delegate for the Salesian Family and finally from 2010 also as the ITM Vice-provincial.

During past 4 years he put a lot of energy to the animation of the whole Salesian Family with a special focus on the accompaniment of the growing centers of Salesian Cooperators and ADMA, always in communion with the FMA sisters.

The young and promising Vice-province of ITM (Indonesia-Timor Leste, Patron St Callistus Caravario) was canonically established by Fr Juan E. Vecchi on June 29, 1998, almost 60 years after arrival of the first Salesian missionaries to Timor in 1927.

Presently, the Vice-province has 198 confreres (27 Salesian Brothers, 82 Salesian Priests, 1 Deacon, 88 candidates to the priesthood) and 15 novices; average age of the Salesians is 36. One Vice-province of two countries has 7 Salesian presences in Indonesia and 11 in Timor Leste. Almost one third of the confreres are from Indonesia. At present there are almost 30 confreres studying abroad (Philippines, Portugal, Rome, Belgium and Jerusalem) and almost 20 ITM missionaries working in all five continents!

We congratulate the St Callistus Caravario Vice-province confreres to their newly appointed Superior and promise our prayers and communion. The installation of the 5th Superior ITM is scheduled for July 11th in Dili - Comoro, Timor Leste.

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