A
dream come true: opening of Salesian Philosophical Institute,
East Timor, 24 January 2012
by Fr
Placido Teofilo Freitas sdb, sc delegate
DILI: 26
January 2012 --
The Feast of St Francis of Sales was occasion for great joy in
ITM,
East Timor: the inauguration of the Salesian Philosophical
Institute at
Comoro, Dili, by Fr João Paolino Aparício
Guterres, Superior of the ITM
Vice Province. Before the official opening, Fr João was
main celebrant
at the Mass celebrated in the post-novitiate chapel at Comoro.
Civil
authorities were represented by Dr. José Luis Guterres,
Deputy Prime
Minister, and Dr. João Cancio, Minister for Education.
The Salesian
Family was represented by the Vice Provincial of the Salesian
Sisters,
and the President of the Past Pupils of Don Bosco.
In
his address at the beginning of the ceremony, Fr Helio Cabral,
the
Rector of the new Institute, thanked the guests for taking
part and
thus sharing in the dream of the ITM Vice Province to have its
own
study centre in East Timor.
The inauguration of this centre means a new leaf has been
turned in
Salesian history in East Timor. After 64 years of presence
there,
Timorese Salesians can now achieve their intellectual
formation in
their own land and in a truly Salesian setting. There are
currently 25
Salesian clerical students at the Institute. The teaching
staff
comprises ten Salesians and one Salesian Sister.
Fr
Paolino recalled the need and importance of having our own
study centre
which could dialogue with local culture, especially with the
culture of
the young. The Institute aims to form Salesians deeply imbued
with the
spirit of Don Bosco, and who are at the same time radically
Timorese.
He also indicated that the Institute would bear the name of St
Francis
of Sales and be thereby inspired by his great ideal: Christian
humanism.
On
behalf of the Government, the Deputy Prime Minister thanked
the
Salesians for their contribution in building up the nation. He
expressed the view that cooperation between Church and State
was a
guarantee of stability in the country. The new Institute would
certainly contribute constructively to the country. The
Minister for
Education offered the Government's support for the new
Institute and
the Salesians. He had expressly requested the Salesians to
begin a
process of accreditation that would see the Institute formally
recognised by the Government and thus able to enjoy the
privileges that
would follow from such recognition.
The guests were then invited to visit the Institute's library,
'aula magna' and other lecture halls, and the audio-visual
room.
