In Mozambique I found the face of Christ
and my own happiness!
I was born in East Timor. My missionary vocation is the result of a Christian
experience rooted in my family, where I have received a great example of
love for God and faith in Him. I also had a great admiration for Fr. Alfonso
Maria Nacher who was a missionary in East Timor, and my spiritual director. On
May 24, 1992, the feast of Mary Help of Christians, he was celebrating his 60th
anniversary of Salesian consecrated life. This coincided with the visit of Fr.
Luciano Odorico, then Councillor for the Missions. On that occasion I had the
intuition to offer myself for the mission ad exteros, ad vitam as a beautiful gift
to my spiritual director who had a great devotion to Mary Help of Christians.
Hence, during the offertory, I brought to the altar my letter to the Rec-
tor Major asking him to send me as a missionary. I tried to nourish this
missionary desire during the following years of my initial formation
through prayer and discernment. In 1995, after the post-novitiate, I re-
turned to East Timor for my first year of practical training, and the
next year I received the missionary cross from the Rector Major, Fr.
Juan Vecchi, as a member of the 126th missionary expedition, destined
to Mozambique.
Of course, the needs of the Salesians in East Timor are great.
However, the Salesian charism is already sufficiently rooted and incul-
turated there. We have received so many missionaries, so it is also im-
perative that we, who are the fruit of the labours of these missionaries,
also offer ourselves for the missionary needs of the Congregation. I also
realised that I received my Salesian vocation as a free gift from God, hence I try to live it with joy and
share it with others.
I am a missionary in Mozambique for 18 years now. I did 2 years of practical training in a parish
here. After my ordination I have always worked in vocational schools where I am daily in the midst of
young people who made me understand their thirst and hunger for the meaning in life and for God. In
their midst I found the face of Christ and my happiness. I always try to give my best and serve them
with a Salesian heart. But I also sincerely say: "We are merely servants: we have done no more than
our duty." (Lk 17, 10)!
To the Salesians who are discerning their Salesian missionary vocation, I would like to offer three
words: freedom, availability and courage to go where God wants to send you!
Fr. Adolfo de Jesus Sarmento
East Timorese, missionary in Mozambique
Salesian Missionary Intention
For the Evangelisation of China in the Context of the East Asia - Oceania Region
May Mary, model and Mother of all disciples, accompany the Church
in China
Despite problems within and beyond Christian Churches in China over the past
60 years, we thank God for the great growth amongst Christian communities.
Before 1949 there were just one million Protestants and around 3 million
Catholics, while now official statistics speak of 20 million Protestants and 5
million Catholics. There are also a further 50 million Christians belonging to
‘non official’ Churches – those not registered with the Chinese authorities.
There are many seminarians, religious, Chinese priests studying abroad in the East Asia-Oceania Region,
in Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. It is important for the particular Churches of the region to
remain close to them and assist in the formation of their Chinese brothers and sisters helping them per-
severe in the faith, and recognising the spiritual and cultural patrimony of this great people.
All previous issues of "Cagliero 11" are available at purl.org/sdb/sdl/Cagliero
