By Fr. Joao da Costa Boavida, SDB

Dili, Timor-Leste, 20August 2016 -- In the Post Novitiate Community more than a hundred members of the Salesian family, Novices, Aspirants, Salesians in initial formation and a group of young animators gathered together in order to participate in the Salesinan Missions Day (SMD). The event was organized by the mission Group of the Post Novitiate brothers under the guidance of Fr. Manuel Fraile, SDB, the provincial delegate for the Mission Animation and Fr. Agung Heribertus, SDB, the rector of the Post Novitiate Community. The provincial of FMA, Sr. Alma Castana and Fr. Apolinario Neto, SDB, the provincial of ITM Vice-Province were also present in this occasion.

The event began with the opening remarks from Fr. Apolinario and continued with the conferences on mission. Fr. Agustinho Soares, SDB who is currently the lecturer of Pastoral Theology in the diocesan seminary gave the first talk on the Church’s teaching on Mission. In his talk, he elaborated on the development of the understanding on mission according to Vatican II. The second speaker was Fr. Mouzinho Lopes, the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Timor-Leste. In his talk, he shared information about the nature and mission of Pontifical Mission Societies.

The purpose this seminar is to celebrate Province Mission Day, to raise awareness of different members of the Salesian Family, young people and young Salesians on mission and hoping to reawaken in them the passion for mission within the country as well as ad gentes. The seminar was concluded with the video on the Salesian mission in Oceania “Ajudemos o Oratório em Fiji.” As the practical outcome of this event, Fr. Manuel Fraile, SDB wrote a solicitation letter to the rectors and members of the Salesian Family to collect some love offering in the form of money in order to be sent to Fiji. He reminded the confreres that in 1990, the Salesian Mission in Venilale, Timor-Leste benefited from the same project. Hence, it is now time for us to participate in the Common Project of the Congregation.

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