By our own correspondent

       Dili, Timor Leste, February 2021 -- As one of the largest ADMA presences in the whole of the EAO region, the Timor Leste (TLS) Viceprovince of St Callisto Caravario is well animated, as you can feel from their 5 year strategic plan. The 1029 ADMA members - 892 women and 137 men (on 3 January 2020) of RDTL are organised into 37 local groups around most of the SDB-FMA communities, e.g. Maliana, Dili-Balide, Venilale, Fuiloro, Laga, Baucau and Fatumaca with their charismatic point of reference in the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians.

       With two national spiritual animators - Fr Manuel da Silva Ximenes, SDB and Sr Brigida Sousa, FMA, the National ADMA Council (President Ms. Maria Fatima Belo) and dozens of local spiritual animators (both SDB and FMA) the Association is animating 39 local ADMA groups. ADMA and the 'Antigos Alumnos Dom Bosco' (DB Past Pupils) are the two largest groups of Salesian Family in this strongly Catholic country, with a growing number of Salesian Cooperators.

       With the clear VISION - MISSION of the 5 year strategic plan (2020-2024) ADMA Timor Leste presents a very mature and balanced 4-tier (dimensions) plan along the following axes:

(1) Kerygma (Proclamation): to strengthen the relationship with Jesus Christ (Lectio Divina, Youth seminar, Recollections, Aspirants formation

(2) Koinonia (Fellowship): fostering the fraternity among the numerous ADMA members, establish the ADMA Bulletin (TLS)

(3) Liturgy: Marian devotion strengthens the encounter with Jesus Christ (Sunday Eucharist animation, Pilgrimage, Novena, Family visits

(4) Diakonia (Service): Promoting the respect to human dignity in each Catholic community (belonging to the Church, Solidarity, Volunteering)

       We are glad to see the Timor Leste ADMA in the frontline of animating the incoming EAO regional ADMA Congress (online - hopefully in September 2021). The joint animation by Timorese SDB and FMA, including also translations of 'ADMA ONLINE' (monthly formation bulletin from the Center in Turin, Valdocco) in Tetun, is a guarantee of solid preparation for this important regional occasion. So far the first EAO ADMA Congress was held in Manila-Paranaque (FIN) in October 2010 with mostly Filipino ADMA members, joined by a few other participants from Japan and Papua New Guinea with the presence of the World ADMA President and World Spiritual Animator of the time, Fr. Pier Luigi Cameroni.

       Mary, Help of Christians, Pray for Us!

       Related news articles:

• AustraLasia 4203: National Assembly ADMA Timor Leste (2016)
• AustraLasia 5275 (IV) Mary Help of Christian Association (ADMA) celebrates 150th in TLS
• AustraLasia 5091 (III) Mary Calls Us! (new ADMA members in TLS)

• ADMA resources in view of EAO Congress 2021

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