5225(II)_Prenovices and healthy religious life - Los Palos

5225(II)_Prenovices and healthy religious life - Los Palos

October 13, 2019

By Fr. Thomas Carvalho, SDB


Los Palos, Timor Leste, 13 October 2019 --The most eastern community of Timor Leste - Los Palos (Oratory, Youth Center, Orphanage, Parish and Prenovitiate) is also this year accompanying another 20 prenovices on their vocation journey. They reached our community from two Aspirantates (Dili - Comoro, CENTEC and Fatumaca ASSALES) 15 and 5 respectively. The youngest is 19 and the most senior (from Los Palos) is already 29 years old. They are accompanied by an experienced formation team of three priests and one practical trainee. Three of them are seriously discerning their vocation as a Salesian Brother and some are interested also in a missionary vocation.


The community is happy to journey with Xavier, the second Cagliero volunteer from Australia (Past Pupil) who is assisting and teaching English, while also improving his Tetum!


What is important for growth in a healthy Salesian religious life? During an interactive conference on the evening of 12 October, the twenty novices coming from all parts of the DRTL (Democratic Republic of Timor Leste) have been sharing the following insights:

  • Happy and joyful life of service
  • Silence for prayer
  • Trust in God
  • To do the best in my duties
  • Good relationship with God and formators
  • Confession
  • Daily practice of the Preventive system of Don Bosco
  • Living together for the young.
  • Love everybody around me
  • Good meditation and openness to God!

During the extraordinary missionary month - October 2019 - they carry on their daily commitment to studies, experience of apostolate in the Oratories, in assisting the boys in the orphanage, in community building and in exploring the beauty of Salesian apostolic consecrated life.