Parish and School News

A little for some is a lot for others

Thursday 14 June 2012

By Chris Hansen, Christ the King School, Geelong
Kairos Catholic Journal

ST MARY OF THE ANGELS PARISH in Geelong established a formal partnership with Mary Immaculate Parish in the district of Viqueque, East Timor, in 2009. Three years later, the implications of this ‘twinning’ are being felt in our two countries.

In the early stages of this relationship, the parish priest of Mary Immaculate, Viqueque, Fr Dionisio da Silva Sarmento (Fr Divo), visited Geelong. He made an instant and positive impression on all who met him.

My colleague, Karyn Phillips, and I met Fr Divo when he visited Christ the King School in 2009. Fr Divo concelebrated Mass with our parish priest, Fr Dillon, for the school community, and after Mass he visited our students in their classrooms and mixed with them in the playground.

Our Year 5 and 6 students already knew a lot about East Timor. We had seen photos of Viqueque and had begun to learn about the tragic history of this small and desperately poor country. Now we had met Fr Divo, our commitment to Viqueque and Mary Immaculate was cemented.

A young, tall and inspiring priest, Fr Divo is truly a ‘man for all seasons’. The second youngest of 18 children, Fr Divo is a humble and spiritual man. Like all East Timorese, Fr Divo is in love with his country but struggles at times with its history of death and destruction, which is still being played out in the lives of his people, who live in isolated corners of the country.

To spend time with Fr Divo in his community is to witness the breadth of his priesthood. He is ‘padre’ to his people but also a community leader who regularly consults with government officials and private companies for the economic development of his district. Fr Divo is a man of hope. At times, he is mediating between tribal chiefs and at other times representing his diocese at meetings in places as far afield as Indonesia. At all times, he conducts himself with the spirit, compassion and love of Jesus. The Eucharist is his lifeblood.

Karyn and I first visited Mary Immaculate in July 2010, and we arrived back from our second trip to East Timor seven months ago. After 15 months, we observed many changes in Fr Divo and his community. Climate, water and electricity supplies are priorities in the lives of the East Timorese. From a raging torrent in 2010, the river through Viqueque was reduced to a trickle. It is October and the temperature and humidity are rising.

The wet season is eagerly anticipated. Food and access in and out of the Viqueque region depend on the weather and in particular the rainfall. The roads have received a little attention and the church has been painted. There is more access to electricity and an internet cafe has introduced many locals to Facebook and other cyber wonders. But a lack of trained teachers in his schools is still a huge concern for Fr Divo.

Looking back on my visits to Viqueque, my impressions are complex. Mary Immaculate is a deeply religious community with daily and sometimes hourly devotions. This is no longer the way things are in Australia. In Fr Divo’s parish, bells ring to announce a new day, Mass begins, school starts, the students pray, singing echoes from the church on and off all day, the siesta unrolls and hundreds of young children gather in the evening for the Rosary. It is peaceful, friendly, warm, familiar and alluring. Faith is a way of life.

On our recent trip, it was wonderful to pick up friendships where we left off—Jacinta and Anna in the kitchen, Joachim who now works in the 24-hour internet cafe, the bell ringer and catechist ‘Pat’, Justinio (the father of Dillon and Diva), the beautiful madres who work in the kindergarten and the orphanage, Salvadore, Maria, who looks after the presbytery grounds, Lucia, Philomena and the teachers in the schools, and the children!

Fr Divo joins his hands and bows his head at the name of St Mary of the Angels Parish. He is sometimes mystified but always extremely grateful for our support and tells me again that he prays for our community every day.

Fr Divo and Viqueque have changed our lives forever. I have seen the difference in my students. We have a reason to be better people because we know, in Fr Divo’s words, a “little for some is a lot for others”.

Chris Hansen is the Learning and Teaching Leader at Christ the King School, Geelong.