Baucau Salesian Family on the move

By Fr. Joao Boavida, SDB

Baucau, Timor Leste, 28 April 2018 -- Baucau is the second largest town in East Timor, with a population of about 50.000 people and the long standing Salesian presence since 1961 there are thousands of people educated and evangelized by the sons of Don Bosco. Last February 3, the Rector major stopped in Baucau just for one hour and the enthusiastic crowd of our students and Salesian family members were singing and dancing: 'Valdocco - Baucau!' and 'Baucau - Valdocco'.

St. Antonio Parish entrusted to the Salesians (one of two in Baucau town) has about 29.600 Catholics (only 3000-4000 of them are in the Church on ordinary Sunday), with a 1000+ student population in the Salesian schools, SDB community (Rector Fr. Agnelo) of 6 confreres, FMA community (Directress Sr. Sanzinha) of 6 sisters, large numbers of ADMA and Don Bosco Alumni members and also a small group of Salesian Cooperators Aspirants (started their formation in 1984, 1990, 2005, 2014 - but never made a promise).

Salesian family in their meeting on April 27 shared many joys and challenges: Strongest need is about formation of the SYM animators, youth group leaders and all Salesian Family groups. Only the ADMA is provided regularly with Tetun translations by their spiritual animator (FMA sister). Most of the adult or senior members of the SF realized the generation gap between the local youth and the SF members: 'The youth don't listen to us'

There is a large field of youth mission for the Salesian family in Baucau, especially due to a special situation of local 'underground - or illegal' youth martial art groups (youth gangs involved in night or even day fighting, in recent years with some fatal victims), out of school youth, out of the Church youth, lack of youth leader or animators formation (traditional Salesian sodalities are not any more attracting the youth) and almost absence of young people in all Salesian family groups. The Salesian find also very challenging the educative and Salesian formation of our teachers and pastoral agents, the practice of the preventive system of Don Bosco remains a huge challenge.

The SDB community of Baucau is entrusted with a parish, many schools (SDB and Catholic parish schools- 3000+ students), science teacher learning center, East Timor Roofing company (management is already under SDB responsibility) and variety of ministries to the religious congregations (Baucau diocese - 22 sisters congregation and 6 male congregations).

We pray that the whole Salesian family of Baucau will embrace the challenges like Don Bosco did in Turin some 180 years ago, starting from the listening to the youth and their patient accompaniment! The youth harvest is very large but the workers are rather few. We pray for another Don Bosco miracle to happen - also in Baucau - where the sheeps (young people) will be transformed into the shepherds (Salesian family members - like GEX: young Alumni of Don Bosco, young animators and leaders or young ADMA and Salesian cooperators)!

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