2831 ITM-Indonesia Major superior leadership SDB and FMA
austraLasia #2831 Major Superiors ITM (CSM-TL): President SDB, Vice
President FMA
DILI: 28 March 2011 -- On Saturday, March 26 2011, Fr
Joao Aparicio, the Superior of ITM Vice Province, and Sr
Paola Battagiola, Provincial of the Salesian Sisters'
Province (TIN) were elected as the President and Vice
president respectively of the Conference of Religious Major
Superiors of Timor Leste (CSM-TL).
There are currently 47 Religious
Congregations in Timor Leste, and the Salesian Family is
certainly amongst the largest of these groups, something
clearly recognised in the recent elections. Fr Aparicio in
his inaugural address indicated, however, that it was an
unexpected election for him; he added that he is willing to
hold the task for the benefit of the conference.
The active role of Religious in Timor
Leste, a nation overwhelmingly Catholic in character, goes
back to the arrival of the Dominicans in the 16th century,
who accompanied the Portuguese traders of the time. Many
religious are working in fields such as
health, education, pastoral work, welfare and religious and
theological formation in the local churches, now spread over
three dioceses. The
most recent Diocese erected in TL is Maliana Diocese in the
far west, bordering on Indonesian West Timor. It was formed
in January 2010 from the Dili Archdiocese. The Salesian
presence is mainly in the country's eastern section in Bacau
Diocese, though the provincial centre, a parish, technical
school and postnovitate are to be found in Dili.
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