By Bro. Amilcar D’Silva, SDB

Dili, Timor-Leste 10 February 2017 -- Father Guilhermo Basañes SDB, the General Councillor for the Missions, was on his animation visit to the Salesians in Timor Leste, 4-11 February. This animation visit was a very meaningful one to us, as we have witnessed ourselves the real person of Fr. Basañes SDB, as the Councillor for the Missions, as well as a great and an experienced missionary, zeal for the missionary services. His presence in our midst was very friendly and fatherly indeed; with his loving kindness and smiling face in communicating with the Salesians and the young people. He touched the hearts of the Salesians and the young people by his talks, his fluency in Portuguese and most importantly his invitation to sanctity.

Fr. Basañes SDB, accompanied by the Provincial, Fr. Apolinario Neto SDB, managed to visit all the salesian communities in Timor Leste and hold a special meeting with the salesians in each community, the pre-novices in Lospalos, the Novices in Fatumaca, the Post-Novices in Dili, the rectors of the community and the council members of the Provincial.

In his special meeting with the 15 novices in Fatumaca on 9th February; with whom he spent more than one hour by listening to each one of them sharing their thoughts and life experience in the novitiate, based on the question he posed to them: "How are your novitiate going?" (Como vão o teu noviciado?) and he encouraged them to love Jesus and bring Jesus to others.

In the evening of the same day, he met with the members of a group of missionary (grupo missionaria) consist of the aspirants, novices and the young salesians in practical training. To this group, he also highlighted that, the secret of being a missionary is first and foremost: Love Jesus (Amor por Jesus) and secondly bring Jesus to others (Levar Jesus a todos). He encouraged members of this group to pray fervently for the intention of the missionaries in their Rosary, to have a regular Eucharistic adoration, to read the news on missionary services especially the Cagliero 11 and to catechize others.

On 10th February, before his last day of the animation visit, he held a meeting with the rectors of all the communities and the Provincial council members respectively.

Thank you very much dear Fr. Basañes SDB for being with us and meeting us friendly in these days. We assure you with our fervent prayers.

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