The Society of Jesus in Timor-Leste celebrated the ordination to the priesthood of Deacon Domingos Manuel Moreira SJ at the Cathedral of Dili on 3 June. The ordination was presided over by Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva SDB accompanied by the newly elected Bishop of Baucau Diocese, Msgr Leandro Maria Alves, and the representative of the Holy See, Msgr Marco Sprizzi. The event was attended by Jesuits, clergy, other religious, as well as family, relatives, and friends of the newly ordained.
Fr Moreira hails from Quelicai, a small town situated at the foot of Matebian mountain, the third highest peak in Timor-Leste. He completed his high school education in 1998 at Colégio de São José, then a Jesuit-run school in Dili. He joined a one year preparatory programme at the diocesan minor seminary and started his philosophy studies at the diocesan major seminary in Fatumeta.
After two years of philosophy studies, he made the decision to join the Society of Jesus. He started his pre-novitiate in 2003 but was given an opportunity to pursue a scholarship from Jesuit Mission Australia to study Secondary Education major in Physics at Ateneo de Naga University in the Philippines.
Following his studies in the Philippines in 2013, he returned to Timor to enter the novitiate in Dili and begin his formation as a Jesuit. He was then sent to Sri Lanka for his Juniorate, followed by philosophy studies in Chennai, and theology studies in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He was ordained a deacon in the chapel of São Tadeu on 3 December 2022 by Msgr Julio Cesar Gomes Moreira, Bishop of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte.
It has been a long road for Fr Moreira in his formation as a Jesuit priest, but he is truly grateful that he has not been alone in his journey. He thanked the Society of Jesus, his family, formators, professors, friends, and donors, who have accompanied him until the very day of his ordination. He also expressed his gratitude to God for having called him to the vocation of the priesthood. “I, who am small and poor, surrender myself to serve God in his greater mission,” he said.
Cardinal Virgilio in his homily reminded Fr Moreira of the importance of humility in becoming God’s servant. “Jesus, despite being a God and a teacher, chose to wash the feet of his disciples,” reminded Cardinal Virgilio, adding that humility is God’s nature and lives deeply within our hearts. “As priests, our primary task is to strive to be an instrument of God in serving others with humility,” he said.
The family of Fr Moreira, including his widowed mother, shared in the joy of his ordination. Speaking on behalf of the family, Inácio Moreira, Fr Moreira’s cousin, expressed their gratitude to God for calling Fr Moreira to religious life, and to the Society of Jesus for accepting Fr Moreira as a Jesuit.
Fr Joaquim Sarmento SJ, the Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Timor, warmly welcomed Fr Moreira to his new mission. He will be serving in the parish in Railaco, where he will assist in the mission and apostolates for the communities in the remote villages. [Jesuits in Timor-Leste]
