FATUMACA and FUILORO: 4 December 2011 -- "Here we were again gathered either in Fuiloro (November 20 – 26) or Fatumaca (November 27 – December 3) for our annual retreat. As usual, laughter, stories and jokes were in the air. Maybe a touch of anxiety about new obediences as the new school year approaches in January.
    This year, the Salesians in ITM were privileged to have Father John Ty SDB to be their facilitator in the annual retreat. Fr. John Ty is no stranger in the Region, would no longer be ‘incognito’. He guided the delegation of Vietnam up to its promotion as a province for a period of 22 years. What a record!
    Father John Ty's sharing could have no better aim than to preserve the spirit of the Salesian charism in Timor Leste, a war-torn country which in many ways finds a similarity with Vietnam, particularly given the 'difficult times'  (from 1975 – 1991) as they were referred to by Father John Ty.
    The Salesians in Vietnam are now on firmer ground since 1991 and are known for the extraordinary growth of the Salesian vocation and their rate of perseverance in this province.  For the preacher this recent phenomenon was best described by the words of the psalmist: “They go out, they go out, full of tears, carrying seeds for the sowing; they come back, they come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves.” (126, 5-6)
    In terms of numbers, Timor Leste is also doing well. It comes after Vietnam Province in terms of sheer numbers. Is it the turbulent and difficult (political and economical) condition of the country which these two countries have shared that has become fertile ground for vocations? The preacher did not actually affirm that this might be the case. Yet, he seemed sure that in those terrible moments, the Salesians showed a resilience which came from a deep conviction of their vocation. They were passionate about their vocation. The harsh times and iron fist of no regime could extinguish the fire of their apostolic zeal.
    Witnessing the vitality of the Salesian Charism in Vietnam, Fr John Ty is convinced of the intervention of Divine Providence. He believes that an institutionalized type of mentality could suffocate the spirit at the end. Our works might be getting more sophisticated and complicated, yet the Salesian vision of Da Mihi Animas Caetara Tolle can also be endangered.
    Of course, the preacher was not promoting an anti-institutional movement. He just wanted to share a precious insight gained from those terrible moments which the Catholic Church experienced under an autocrat regime where almost all their properties were confiscated. Yet, they survived and to their surprise they earned more respect from the government and love from their fellow Catholics. The preacher seemed to be saying that though the administration stuff slips from our hands, we are brought down to the earth, our hearts are bound tightly with the real concerns of our poor and abandoned youth  touching their lives to give them hope. To these young people, Salesians have made a daring visibility in their lives".