Subject: 'austraLasia' #242

RECENT KILLING OF SISTERS ON MERCY MISSION - TIMOR

Julian Fox

>From Reuters, but now also confirmed in an email from the Canossian Sisters'

Provincial Headquarters, we now have news that two Sisters, Sr. Erminia

Cazzaniga (69 years old) and Sister Celeste de Carvalho Pinto 48 years old),

superiors of the communities of Manatuto and Baucau respectively, were

killed by unknown gunmen last Saturday, while on a mission of mercy to bring

food to people in Los Palos a little further to the East of Baucau. Also

killed with them were two deacons, the driver and a number of other people.

In all, nine were killed and their bodies dumped in the river. it would

appear (Reuters) that the head of Caritas in Baucau was amongst those

killed.

In her letter, Sr. Haydee has this to say:

"Dear Fr. Julian - We continue to pray...we continue to let the world know".

Quoting from the fax indicating confirmation of the deaths, Sr. Haydee says:

"The Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ accompanies us and has visited us today

in a particular manner. Sr. Iolando Vezzoli, Provincial Superior of the

Province of St. Joseph, Timor, has just informed me that tswo of our Sisters

(as named above) together with two deacons and some Lay Persons have

encountered Sister Death throught he hands of some unknown soldiers. In an

exquisite gesture of charity they were going from Baucau with some

provisions for the refugees still on the mountains of Los Palos."

Regarding our own Salesian conferes in that area, all efforts to contact

them so far have failed. Bro. Ephrem, who went to Dili in search of the

confreres there, ha d this to say: "We have not yet heard from Fr. Jose

Vattaparambil. We are a bit disappointedbecause the means of communication

seems to be non existent. We think that with him are other priests like Fr.

Manuel Fraile, Fr. Apolinario Neto, Fr. Aderito, Fr. Manuel Ximenes and

other clerics. Fr. Aguedo Palomo, Fr. Ramoncito Padilla, have also been

silent these past days. We are trying to contact them. There are reports

that they have stayed in the salesian houses of Venilale and Fatumaca.

There is a plan for some salesians to go into Dili and Baucau from West

Timor or from Jakarta."

I have some photos of the Salesians and the refugees in West Timor (Kupang),

but these are rather large. I am happy to send them on request rather than

attach them for general transmission. In the meantime I will seek to reduce

them somehow for easier transmission.

Note - sorry about the numbering system goin haywire! You have received two

#240 - call the last one #241 if you are keeping them all!

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