Fifty Timorese novices and prenovices with Rector Major in Fatumaca

By Fr. José de Sá, SDB

Fatumaca, Timor Leste, 2 February 2018 -- The last encounter of the Rector Major in Fatumaca was with the 50 Timorese Novices and Prenovices. The 22 novices are being formed in the community of Fatumaca and 28 prenovices are being formed in the community of Los Palos. In the evening of 2nd February, the Day of Consecrated Life the Fatumaca Secondary Technical School Auditorium was the venue. Together with the young Salesians was present also Fr. Apolinario Neto, ITM provincial with some of his councilors and most of the formation equipes of both houses. The Delegate for Formation, Fr. Manuel Pinto continued to exercise his role of interpreter into Tetun language.

Father Angel first shared about the necessary attitudes of the Salesians in these two important stages of initial formation: "Your personal commitment in answer the call of God is the most important. It does mean look honestly for the clear and not mixed motivations to Salesian religious life. Not like want to study, want to have safe life, have more life opportunities or because my parents want me to be a priest of religious, but like want to help the young people on their life journey with full dedication."

Then the Rector Major shared his own vocation discernment story: "Even though I didn’t know completely what is the Salesian consecrated vocation about, I was clear to give everything for the young like the Salesians i get know."

Few concrete personalized advise were noted by the 16-24 years old Salesians in formation: " I’m asking you honest attitude and transparent with you rown self, with the formators, in the presence of God. This will help you to be really happy and joyful. But we can’t have Salesians, who are not giving themselves completely to the young.... our life is really full of self giving. And you need to feel in your heart that God takes his central place. If you don’t think like this, better to dedicate yourself to the social work. Yes, we are called in the novitiate to discover a life totally consecrated to God. And while you give yourself completely to the young people, you will be deeply happy. This is the experience of Don Bosco."

After the talk of the 10th successor of Don Bosco followed 3 questions from the novices and one questions from the prenovitiate: Why did you chosen to come for the animation visit to Timor this year?

Why are these two stages of initial formation so important? What are your main observations after 3 days in our country about the Salesian Vice-province? How was your novitiate?

And as a leitmotif of the talk came again and again the invitation to live the Salesian consecrated life with honesty, openess and apostolic passion!

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Salesian Family Gathering in Fatumaca

By Fr. José de Sá, SDB / Fr. Mota, SDB

Fatumaca, Timor Leste, 2 February 2018 -- On this day the Salesian Family especially in the Eastern zone gathered in Fatumaca to celebrate the Solemnity of St. John Bosco at the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. Before the celebration, there was an encounter between the Rector Major and the members of ADMA. Fr. Ángel presided over the Eucharistic celebration and he was concelebrated by numerous Salesian priests. His Excellency Bishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, SDB was there as well.

Fr. Ángel in his homily, he reminded the members of the Salesian Family that it is joyful to gather together as one Salesian Family but more joyous and blessed to gather as one in God’s family. Thus, imitating the life of the Blessed Mother and no matter how hard our lives to be, if we put trust in God’s hands as we offer our lives to God, there will come blessings from God.

Before the Mass ended, the ITM Provincial Superior, Fr. Apolinário Maria Ornai Neto, SDB thanked Fr. Ángel for visiting the Vice-Province as well as thanking the former Provincial, His Excellency Bishop Virgílio who asked the Rector Major to visit the ITM Vice-Province way back in the year 2015.

There were some families of Timorese missionary confreres gave their gifts to the Rector Major as well as from ADMA members. There was also few words from the Rector Major to thank our missionary confreres who were present there namely Fr. Locatelli, SDB, Dc. Baltasar, SDB, Fr. Jose San Juan, SDB and Fr. João de Deus Pires. The Rector Major gave each of them a token of appreciation.

After the Mass, the Rector Major had lunch with the confreres and members of the Salesian Family and guests. After lunch around 2.30 pm, Fr. Ángel was accompanied by the Superior Provincial and His Excellency Bishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, SDB and other confreres heading to Venilale to meet the FMA Sisters and SDB confreres in their respective communities.

“Don Bosco in our midst”

It was a joyous, cheerful and unforgettable event where the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernandez Artime, SDB paid a visit to the Colégio Beato Filipe Rinaldi as known as Pré-Aspirantado Beato Filipe Rinaldi Venilale since the 25th anniversary of its foundation. Fr. Ángel was accompanied by His Excellency Bishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, SDB, the Regional Councillor, Fr. Vaclav Klement, SDB, Fr. Horacio Lopez, SDB and the ITM Provincial Superior, Fr. Apolinário Maria Ornai Neto, SDB.

He was enthusiastically welcomed by hundred students from the schools managed by the Salesians. There were some members of the Salesian Family namely the Salesian Cooperators,the Past Pupils and ADMA joined together to welcome the Rector Major. Seeing the statue of the Blessed Philip Rinaldi, Fr. Ángel took a picture with some alumni of the Colégio then proceeded to the school compound where the students gathered. He was welcomed with a song and a dance performed by the students and gladly and attentively listened to the welcome remarks by the students’ representative.

Yes, it was the moment to feel the “living” Don Bosco and his spirit in their midst. After that, having taken pictures with the Salesians of Venilale community, with the students, the Rector Major delivered his last message to the students emphasizing the joy and happiness to be truly sons and daughters of the Father in the family of God as well as in the Salesian Family. We are one family. The students swarmed and bringing Fr. Ángel to the car as he left Venilale and going back to Fatumaca.

7 minutes with Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime

“The very brief visit of the Rector Major to Venilale was a great time of blessing and grace for all of us students of Beato Filipe Rinaldi School. The salesian who take care for us always talk Don Bosco to us especially about his ten successor Don Angel Fernandez. I thought I would not touch him even stand near by him. But things goes opposite. The way he engaged himself take picture with us, embrace us and touching us; the way he greets, smiles, sings, clapping hands and meet people, telling something more to all of us, says a student boy of Beato Filipi Rinaldi. I touch him twice; one in Fatumaca this morning and again now here in Venilale. I really love him. I hope he can come back and stay longer with us".

Precious moment….

A young FMA sister testified: “ It was a wonderful time, a precious moment for us FMA to share and to hear from Rector Major Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime. He comes to visit us means he considers us and love us. His enthusiasm and joy to see our dancing, to hear and sing together with us, to meet and to share his message with us showed that he really wanted to be here with us. He is Don Bosco indeed. I feel so happy in feeling his presence with us even in short time. He is our spiritual father and like Jesus he wants to give water to us to drink. 

Estou muito impressionado com Padre Angel.

An ADMA member testified: "I was very impressed with Fr Angel. His animation visit here in Timor Leste is very important to us ADMA. He personified Don Bosco completely. He goes first to greet person, to take picture with them. The way he meet and greets people is so lovely. He is really a man of prayer, a man like Don Bosco. His reflects and homilies quite clearly in liturgical moments as well as in his actions. He is genuine, open and honest person. He share the good things and the challenges of the ADMA rules in family and society. He just meets with us and he is happy when hear about our activities and our presence in in Timor Leste. He asked us to strengthen our ADMA identity and our commitment to share mission with SDB and FMA. Pe. Angel é verdadeiramente um homen de Deus, says a member of ADMA from Baucau."

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