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| by Xavier Xu OFM (General Definitor for Asia and Oceania) As we already know, East Timor, after voting for independence and the consequent political turmoil in September, 1999, now having been separated from the sovereignty of Indonesia, is under United Nations Transitional Administration for East Timor(Untaet). The majority of people in East Timor is Catholic, and the spiritual influence of the Catholic Church on the people is very strong. Now there are two dioceses in the country, and, Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, SDB, the winner of Nobel Peace Prize, is Bishop of Dili. The Province of Indonesia sent our friars to East Timor in 1988 to found a new mission, when our Friar Michael Ankur, Bishop of Bogor, was the Minister Provincial. The first group of friars which was sent in 1988 was three. Now two friars continue to live here ( one of them was transferred to Jayapura, Irian Jaya). Our friars settled down in Wekiar, a very isolated region near the sea, about 180 km south of Dili, capital city of East Timor. They began pastoral work at Parish Church of Alas, about 40 Km from Wekiar toward inland, even more isolated area than Wekiar. Later on, they assumed another Parish Church in Wekiar. Now in order to reach this place we have to drive the car almost 7 hours from Dili through the narrow, poor and very high mountain road. Later on four more friars joined this mission, and, at present there are 6 solemnly professed Indonesian friars ( four priest friars and two lay friars). Our friars, while caring for two parish churches, are teaching at the secondary school and doing various social works for the poor and are joining in the restoration projects for the schools and houses which were burnt by the outgoing Indonesian soldiers. Besides these works they are also doing the reconcilatory services quietly for the returning ex- militia members. During the dangerous situation in September, 1999, all the friars stayed with the people sharing the sufferings. During the past 12 years, our mission in East Timor has received 3 solemnly professed East Timorian friars, and two of them are to be ordained to the priesthood very soon. There are 5 East Timorian candidates who will enter the postulancy soon. Due to a sudden political change, it became very difficult to send candidates to Indonesia for an initial formation. For example, in order to be received as postulants, the East Timorian candidates need to obatin a long term Indonesian visa, valid at least 6 months, but it is very very difficult to obtain such a long term Indonesian visa. This situation urgently made the Indonesian Province open the formation house in East Timor. This political change also suddenly gave the Indonesian friars the status of foreign missionaries. Therefore, it is believed that the presence of our friars in East Timor will become a kind of foriegn mission belonging to the Indonesian Province in the near future, and in the long run will become an independent entity of the Order. Some Photographs:
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