2004 ITM Priests, religious in Church seminar on family
austraLasia #2004

Priests, Religious from East Timor's two dioceses gather for ongoing formation

DILI: 11th December 2007 -- The two bishops of East Timor, Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva of Dili and Bishop Basilio do Nascimento of Bacau gathered many of the priests and Religious from their respective dioceses for an inter-diocesan ongoing formation meeting in the capital, Dili, on 5-6 December.  The meeting, which was held at the Salesian Sisters' John Paul II Hall in Dili, covered a wide range of pastoral issues facing clergy and religious in East Timor.  Four canonists from the two dioceses offered the substance of the formation, much of which concerned pastoral care in relation to marriage and family.
    As East Timor takes its place in a rapidly-changing world, it too notes the pressures now being placed on family relationships.  The Dili meeting was an effort to prepare those responsible for pastoral care of families to adopt common approaches.  Three issues stood out: The question of annulments, Barlake (Bride price or dowry - it is not unusual for some families to take the better part of a lifetime to settle the dowry), and the nature of the Sacrament of Matrimony.
    Participants proposed to adopt marriage preparation procedures that will be common across the two diocese, to visit families and encourage couples to celebrate their wedding anniversaries, and to give proper formation to those who wish to marry foreigners.  They also tackled the problem of the increasing tendency to divorce, and in particular agreed to undertake a proper dialogue with the Government to prevent the establishment of laws which permit divorce and also abortion.  They will also work with Government to help people live in harmony.

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