Post-novitiate Annual retreat in Maubara
Maubara, Timor-Leste, 3 September 2016 -- On august 28, 2016, the Post-novitiate community did the annual retreat in Maubara, a sub-district of Liquiça, located in the west of Dili, at a retreat house that belongs to the Carmelite sisters. The retreat was preached by fr. Acácio,sdb who is a Timorese from Post-novitiate community. The participants are the formandi of Post-novitiate and some priests from other communities in east Timor, together with Fr. Apolinário, our Provincial. The activities of the week were: conference, adoration, Mass, personal reflection, sharing in group and good-night talk. On September 2 during the lunch, we did a thankful ceremony with the sisters and at 14.30 had Confessions. On September 3, the last day of the retreat, at 6.00, there was Holy Mass together with the sisters and at that time we renewed our vows. After breakfast we went to Tibalau beach to have a brief evaluation of the retreat.
During the week, Fr. Acácio talked about ‘ walking with the saints in the way of mercy’. In his presentation he tried to share God’s mercy through the life of the saints. He focused principally on God’s merciful intervention in the saints life especially in their vocation. This sharing helps us feel deeply our vocation as God’s grace. We are thankful to God for this retreat. At the same time we would like to thank Fr. Acácio for his sharing, experience and all his efforts in guiding us. This retreat has helped us a lot. May the good Lord bless us all and help us to be the instruments of God’s mercy for all those we are called to serve, especially young people.
