The three first-year novices, Armando Smith, Gemito de Jesus and Luis Perreira, began the Spiritual Exercises on November 1 under the tutelage of Fr Joaquim Sarmento at the Carmelite Retreat House in Maubara. Fr Dibya (IDO) remains at the Manresa Novitiate to watch and pray.

Australian novice Alan Wong returned to Sydney on October 26 after spending over six weeks living with our novices. His presence allowed for more day-to-day practice of English. Perhaps the most memorable event of his stay was his return bus trip from Suai. It took about 20 hours and included two break downs and especially having no one to whom he could ask what was happening. A mini-pilgrimage!

Frs Jose Martins and Joao Felgueiras returned on October 22 after more than a five months’ stay in Portugal.

Fr John Mace (KOR) traveled to Thailand on October 24 – November 1, to help with their yearly Regional Meeting. This allowed him to try out the new connection East Timor has with the outside world: a twice-weekly round-trip Singapore-Dili flight on Silk Air, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. Dili to Singapore in three hours and 45 minutes!

(Contributor: Fr John Mace)