By SC TLS

Lospalos, Timor-Leste, 4 May 2024 -- After some days in Dili, Fr. Joan Lluis Plays, SDB, and Brother Dominic Nam Nguyen, SDB, continued their animation visit to the eastern side of Timor. After some hours of traveling from Dili to Lospalos with the challenging road to the countryside of Timor, both delegates of the Salesian Family and the Salesian Cooperators and Don Bosco, Past Pupils, stopped over in Don Bosco Fuiloro for lunch. During lunch, there was some time to share with the Salesian Confreres in Fuiloro.

After lunch, both delegates proceeded with their visit to the Salesian Community of Lospalos, where the Salesian Family meeting will be held. The meeting began with a prayer led by Fr. Nelson Gonsalves, SDB. After the prayer, Fr. Nelson, being the delegate of the Salesian Family in the TLS Vice/Province, gave his introduction remarks. In his remarks, he said that there are 32 groups in the Salesian Family, and among them, there are seven groups already in Timor.

The meeting with the Salesian Family started with a short introduction on the document on the charismatic identity on the Salesian Family and a short video featuring the 32 groups of the Salesian Family that depicts each one of their uniqueness in this vast movement of the Salesian Family. After the short video, Fr. Joan started his talk by giving a chance to the audience for sharing, dialogue, and appreciation for the video.

To mention some in the sharing and dialogue, the Salesian Family has a lot of branches and it has been present in a lot of countries in the world. Although it has different names but we belong to one single family and we are guided by one single Spirit towards a single destiny, which is heaven.

Then Fr. Joan also questioned the audience, “What is the strongest expression of the Salesian Spirituality in Timor-Leste? Most of the answered repeatedly saying that the Salesian Spirituality is strongly presented in the area of Evangelization and Education. They are like two wings of the same bird where you cannot have one without the other.

Then, the talk was proceeded with the presentation of Brother Dominic where talked a little bit about the Strenna of the Rector Major for 2024. He said that all of us are the result of the dream of Don Bosco. We are so special in the dream of Don Bosco and Don Bosco invited us to dream like him. Then Brother Nguyen challenged each group of the Salesian family to strive in whatever possible way to realize what Don Bosco has in the dream “a heart that transforms wolves into lambs.” We all share in this single mission in these trying and challenging times to help and guide young people in their ups and downs moments, hopes and dreams, successes and failures. Brother Nam proposed three practical attitudes in order to help the young people in order to transform them:

1. We must be joyful and share this joy to others

2. Do our duty to happiness and love

3. Do good to others.

The meeting concluded with substantial snacks prepared by the Salesian Community at Don Bosco Lospalos. Among those who present, there were: SDB of Lospalos and Fuiloro, FMA, ADMA of Lospalos and Fuiloro, Don Bosco Past Pupils of Lospalos and Fuiloro, Salesian Youth Movement, the Salesian Pre-Novices, and the Salesian Orphanage of Don Bosco Lospalos.

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