East Timor - Don Bosco Past Pupils in East Timor, getting ready with the Chapel Project

18 July 2022
East Timor - Don Bosco Past Pupils in East Timor, getting ready with the Chapel Project

(ANS – Dili) –The project launched by the Don Past Pupils of East Timor, is close to its completion. It was in July 2020, the Past Pupils received the request of the Community of Uai-Mori, Viqueque Municipality to build a new chapel through Fr. Eligio Locatelli. It's rather rare, that the Don Bosco Past Pupils venture to build a chapel, but with the approaching Centenary of Don Bosco’s presence in East Timor (2027), the Federation of Past Pupils enthusiastically took up this project to build a memorial chapel in a very meaningful place at the heartland of East Timor.

The Uai-Mori community and the Salesian Family agreed that Salesian Saint Martyr Callisto Caravario be the protector of the Uai-Mori Community to remember the first arrival of the Salesians and St Callistus Caravario in East Timor from 1927 to 1929. This was welcomed very enthusiastically by the past pupils and they decided to build a new church in the same style as an old Church in Dili used by the first Salesian community (1927-1929) which had been destroyed during the Second World War.

Thus, on 27 September 2020, the late Bishop of the Baucau Diocese, Don Basilio do Nascimento blessed the foundation of this chapel. The site of the chapel, located in Uaimori Tula, was chosen by Fr Eligio Locatelli, SDB - one of the Salesian pioneers. Indeed Uaimori has its own history during the long struggle for East Timor independence. 

Since then, the Past pupils have raised funds and enthusiastically contributed for the construction of this new chapel, and the estimated budget was about USD 100,000.00. The work is still under the responsibility of the Construction Committee of St Callisto Caravario of Uaimori, who on the day of inauguration will hand over to the Uaimori Catholic community through the Viqueque Catholic parish.

This project is another concrete expression of reviving the enthusiasm and Salesian charism, as it is slowly approaches the Centenary celebration of Salesians arrival to East Timor (1927-2027), since this young Italian missionary cleric, Callisto Caravario, was part of the first SDB community in East Timor (1927-1929).

A word of appreciation to the East Timor’s Past Pupils  'Antigos Alumnos' for their dynamic growth, planning, commitment and collaboration. They have been well motivated and enthused by the looming Centenary of Don Bosco's presence in their country (1927-2027) and by close accompaniment of so many charismatic Salesian missionaries and Timorese Salesians, since the early days of St Callistus Caravario until now!

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.infoans.org/en/component/k2/item/15826-east-timor-don-bosco-past-pupils-in-east-timor-getting-ready-with-the-chapel-project#sigProIdee5ca58608

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