On the occasion of the closing of the Ignatian Year, the Jesuits in Timor-Leste celebrated the ordination to the priesthood of Deacons Calisto Seco Colo SJ and Marito Monteiro SJ. The Archbishop of Dili, Most Rev Virgilio do Carmo da Silva SDB, presided over the liturgy at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception of Mary in Dili on 30 July.
Families, friends, religious priests and sisters, Jesuits, and colleagues of the two deacons came to witness their ordination. Fr Greg Soetomo SJ was also present to represent the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific.
In his homily, Archbishop da Silva expressed his gratitude and congratulations to the two new priests and the Society of Jesus in Timor while remembering the 500 years of the conversion of St Ignatius.
“Congratulations to us all us particularly to the Jesuits in Timor-Leste. We thank God for the greatest present we receive and celebrate today as the fruit of the charisma of St Ignatius of Loyola. This is also a special moment for us to remember the 500 years of the conversion of St Ignatius. This is a sign of God’s love to the Church and the congregation, and God continues to work for our salvation through the calling of young men to participate in the mission of salvation. We are grateful for these two young men who have been generous in saying ‘yes’ to God’s call,” said the Archbishop.
“Come and See” (John 1:39) was the theme of the ordination. Fr Monteiro, speaking for both himself and Fr Colo, thanked their parents, families, friends, benefactors, and the formation houses of the Society of Jesus around the world who have supported them and helped them to respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come and you will see”.
“Our heartfelt gratitude for your love and sacrifice, and especially for the liberty that you have given us to follow and see Christ as Jesuit priests,” he said.
The newly ordained priests come from two places that are significant in the history of the Church in Timor. Fr Colo’s district of Oecusse is where the first Catholic missionaries arrived in Timor-Leste. Meanwhile, Lacluta, where Fr Monteiro is from, was the starting point of the journey of Fr Sebastião Maria Aparicio da Silva SJ, one of the first Jesuit missionaries in Timor, who crossed several rivers from Lacluta to reach Soibada, where he started a Jesuit school.
Fr Joaquim Sarmento SJ, the Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Timor, pointed out how meaningful it was for the newly ordained to begin their ministry as priests towards the end of the Ignatian Year. “This day is not the end of your journey, but the start of your priestly lives,” he said. “Your priesthood will be the sign of the paternity and mercy of God to Timor and in wherever you will serve.”
Fr Monteiro will celebrate his first Mass in his hometown of Lacluta on 14 August, while Fr Colo will celebrate his in Oecusse on 25 August. Both will be serving in the missions of the Jesuits in Timor. [Silvino Alves/ETR Communications]