Dili, Timor Leste, 11 July 2016 -- During the installation day of the new Superior of the ITM Viceprovince, Fr. Apolinario Ornai Maria NETO in Dili - RDTL, was convoked for the first time after the establishment of the Indonesia Delegation in 2010, the joint council meeting of two countries - ITM provincial council and Indonesia delegation council in the provincial house in Don Bosco Comoro.
Missing was only one Indonesian confrere, secretary and YM delegate, Fr. Vincentius Prastowo due to his MA degree thesis consultation. With the EAO regional councilor as the moderator - animator of the meeting, ten participants (9 Priests and one Brother) after a short introduction of Fr. Klement shared for 3 hours about common vision of the whole Vice-province, the most numerous in the whole Salesian Congregation.
Six years after an establishment of the Indonesia Delegation of the ITM Viceprovince in 2010, the first historical joint coucil meeting of the ITM provincial council (Superior Fr. Apolinario Neto) and the Indonesia delegation council (Delegate Fr. Lino Belo) was a fruitful venue of sharing about the vision and road map of the whole Viceprovince composed of two countries, with 200 SDB and 16 novices, 11 canonical communities in Timor Leste and 4 canonical communities in Indonesia.
Roughly about 1/3 of the 200+ Salesians is living and working in Indonesia. The concentration of 2/3 of the confreres and established works in Timor Leste, and the large geographical distances among the works in Indonesia do not facilitate the smooth and efficient interaction, communion and communication among the confreres living in two completely different cultural, religious and social environments.
Members of both councils shared with passion and honesty the necessary steps how to strengthen the autonomy in communion necessary for the growth of the weakest part of the province - the Delegation of Indonesia. As working tool they used the proposal for the Road Map of the Rector Major (2016-2018) with the focus on - strengthening of local community consistency, rethinking of the initial formation, qualification of the confreres.
They acknowledge a commonly felt need for more interaction among the two councils, among the rectors and more regular and integral communications among the confreres of both countries. With the necessary discernment for the re-shaping of the Salesian presences requested by the Provincial chapter 2016 both councils agreed to work (until next May 2017) on the longer term vision of exchange, cooperation and mutual help as close Salesian neighbors. Joint rectors meeting, joint provincial and delegation council meeting, possible mutual help in vocations, formation and charismatic resources were considered.
We wish the two councils a fruitful joint journey for the benefit of the Salesian Charism and confreres in Indonesia and Timor Leste!
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