THE SUMMIT OF SVD-SSpS CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF MISSION IN TIMOR LESTE

The celebration of 40 Years SVD-SSpS in Timor Leste culminates on the 140th Foundation Day of SVD. The celebration took place on Tuesday, 8 September 2015 at St. James’ Parish in Hera-Dili, Timor Leste, at 4pm.

The event began with a welcoming ceremony and presenting a garland around the main celebrant, SVD’s and SSpS’ mission pioneers, as well as other special guests with a traditional welcoming dance called Bidu.

In addition, the Eucharistic celebration was also celebrating 40 Years of Fr. Lazarus Mau, SVD, in religious life, 25 Years of Sr. Imaculada de Almeida, SSpS, in religious life, and the solemn profession of three SSpS sisters: M. Anita, SSpS, Lucia Bata, SSpS dan Elsa P. Soares, SSpS.

The Eucharist was wonderfully participated by a choir group led by Fr. Yohanes Suban Gapun (Mission Secretary SVD-TLS), with Fr. Gabriel Suban Koten, SVD - Regional SVD Timor Leste - as the main celebrant, and around 80 religious and diocesan priests as co-celebrants. In his homily, Fr. Gabriel emphasised the main focus of the celebration was not to count our successes nor failures in our 40 years of mission, but rather, to thank God who has accompanied the journey of SVD-SSpS in these 40 years in Timor Leste.

There were 1000 guests attending the Eucharist from various parishes and community groups where SVD and SSpS are working in Timor Leste. Following the Eucharist, both of SVD and SSpS regional leaders, the mission pioneers from both congregations and other special guests, took the honour to cut the cake. The celebration was then concluded with a shared meal with all of the participants and a series of cultural performances which had been prepared by the committee. (Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD)

JOVEM VERBITA

One part of the events which were held due to the celebration of SVD-SSpS’ 40 Years of Mission in Timor Leste is a youth event called JOVEM VERBITA.

Jovem Verbita was held on 20-23 August 2015, at the Colegio Do Verbo Divino (CVD) Palaka. The participants were representatives of those parishes where SVD is working, namely Parishes Uatucarbau, Uatulari, Hera, ICR, Atabae, Balibo, St. Arnoldus Janssen’s Choir in Maliana, youth group from Palaka Station, and the host Colegio do verbo Divino. In total, there were 600 participants.

The event Jovem Verbita was formally opened by SVD Regional Leader, Fr. Gabriel Suban Koten, SVD, on the evening of Friday, 20 August 2015.

Jovem Verbita was divided into two categories: sports competition and conference. There were a futsal championship for male participants, and a volley ball championship for female participants.

In addition, there was also a vocal group competition in which each group presented one compulsory song and another song of their own choice. In order to improve their knowledge of the Scripture, the committee also organised some Biblical competitions, namely a Scripture Reading and Bible Quiz.

To provide more knowledge for the youth, the committee organised a conference about several topics which are related to the lives of the young people. All parts of the program went successfully and were fully participated.

Jovem Verbita was concluded by a Celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday, 23 August 2015, led by Fr. Regional. Other SVD and SSpS were also participating in the Eucharist, along with other people from the Colegio and surrounding area.

INTERCULTURAL LIFE AND MISSION A summary of the seminar

On 13 August 2015, SVD-SSpS Timor Leste held a One Day Seminar to celebrate 40 Years of SVD-SSpS’ Mission in Timor Leste, and to implement the 17th SVD General Chapter which focused on the theme of: Intercultural Life and Mission. The Seminar which was presented by Fr. John Prior, SVD was titled “Awake the world! Gratitude, Consecration, Hope in Intercultural Life and Mission.”

Quoting Pope Francis, Fr. John Prior invited SVD and SSpS to take a moment to reflect into the history of the congregations which includes some hardship. Particularly, Fr. John asked SVD and SSpS Timor Leste to recall the mission pioneers who first arrived in Timor Leste. The aim of this reflection is to know our identity and strengthen our bond as a congregation.

Fr. John rightly admits that we are living in a world of multiculturalism. We need to have a lot of creativity, a new imagination. For that purpose, we need to dwell deeper into the mystery of the Triune God: to live in unity in our world, Church and Congregations which are increasingly more diverse. The entire humanity is standing at a cross-road: to choose between going to Babel (Gen. 11:1-9) or experiencing Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13).  

According to Fr. John, we, as missionaries who live in a diversely-multiculutral world, need to have an Intercultural Competency. Such is a capacity for us to have the sensitivity towards, and to adapt to, similarities and differences (between cultures). This is a new way to experience, to communicate and to build relationships in a multi-cultural world. It is also a new way for us to learn how to shape a new cultural identity in our Congregations, in order to shape the same cultural identity in our society.

The Seminar was moderated by Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD. There were about 300 people from various groups, including members of religious communities, lay people, as well as selected students from the Tertiary Educational Institutes in Dili. The Seminar began at 8am and finished by 3:30pm in the afternoon. (Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD)