By Fr. Jolino Vieira, SDB

       Comoro Don Bosco - Dili, Timor Leste, 21 November 2021 -- The second largest Salesian Post Novitiate in the EAO Region, community of Blessed Artemides Zatti have just finished their annual Retreat. This time the Retreat was held in the Carmelite Sisters Retreat Center-Maubara, Liquiça Municipality.

       Their resource person for this year’s Retreat was Fr. Manuel Ximenes, one of the senior Timorese Salesians, currently assigned as parish priest in Baucau. The whole formation team of the Postnovitiate took part in this retreat as well.

       In his talks, the preacher focused on Saint Joseph and Mamma Mary. Fr Manuel he based his reflections in the Scriptures and Apostolic letter Patris Corde of Pope Francis (for St Joseph) and about Mary he based his conferences on the Sacred Scriptures and Church heritage in Mariology. So the Postnovices were inspired in their formation with consistent reference to the Sacred Scriptures, Salesian Constitutions and Regulations, Documents of Vatican II and other Magisterium documents of the Popes, especially Pope Francis.

       The postnovices are encouraged on their initial formation journey to follow the footsteps of St. Joseph and Mary: Imitating their faith journey, their good examples and asking their intercessions young Salesians are helped to grow deeply in their Salesian vocation and life attitudes.

       Joseph and Mary do not speak much in the Sacred Scriptures but they contemplate and do exactly as the Lord told and guide them. They are faithful in their vocation in carrying and teaching Jesus throughout their life. They nurtured their family life based on God’s love where Peace and harmony are always leading them in and out of season.

       Each Formator took turns in celebrating daily Mass and giving the Good Night Talk. The Retreat was started with a Solemn Vespers led by Fr. Anacleto Pires, Rector of this formation house. In his opening remarks, he encouraged the participants to let themselves be guided by the Holy Spirit and themselves to be energized by God in their daily encounter with God in all activities of the Retreat.

       The Retreat concluded with a Solemn Mass celebrated by the TLS Vice-provincial, Fr. Manuel Pinto. During the final Eucharist was the Renewal of Religious Vows. In his homily, Fr Manuel encouraged the young Salesians to be faithful in their following of Christ (Sequela Christi) and to imitate and share Jesus whom they have encountered during the Retreat. Imitating Christ in the complete observance of the religious vows since our first profession will make us great Salesians in the contemporary world.

       There are 42 TLS Post Novices at present in Dili and 13 of them are preparing to start their practical Training next year 2022.

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