Approximately 1,000 people attended the ordinations of Deacon Silvestre Alves O.Carm. to the priesthood and Brother Agostinho Dos Santos O.Carm. to the diaconate on Saturday 9 November in St Tiago Parish church, Hera. The Archbishop of Archdiocese of Dili, Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva SDB, led the ordinations, and he was assisted by the Bishop of the Diocese of Baucau, Bishop Leandro Maria Alves, an uncle of Silvestre.

Approximately 60 priests and six deacons participated in the Ordination mass along with many religious women and men and seminarians.

As both Silvestre and Agostinho come from the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, Ermera, many members of their families attended as well as many parishioners from there.

There were also groups from the Carmelite parish of Zumalai where Silvestre has been ministering, as well as many from the quasi-parish of Guisarudo where Agostinho has been ministering.

The St Cecilia Choir led the singing beautifully, directed by Brother Fernando Gusmao. This choir is made up of our neighbours who sing in the local chapel as well as the local parish of Hera.

After the long mass, the reception took place in the grounds of the Carmelite community of Saint Elias Hera, under tents and the shade of our trees.

Following the cutting of the cake there was lunch for all, prepared all through the night by Sister Mariazinha H.Carm. with other Carmelite sisters and brothers, many Lay Carmelites as well as neighbours and youth from the Carmelite Youth group.

Father Silvestre with little encouragement came to the stage and sang a song, after which he invited Bishop Leandro and some priests to join him in another song. Then, not to be out done, all the priests and sisters from Ermera, of which there was quite a number, came to the stage and sang and danced.

Temporary accommodation had been built in our grounds by the government to house people coming to Dili for Pope Francis’ visit to Timor-Leste last September. This provided simple accommodation for the many people who came a few days early from the families and from Zumalai, many of whom stayed on till Sunday and assisted in the clean-up.

This Friday, Fr Silvestre will celebrate his “first mass” in his parish church of Ermera, this will be followed on Saturday with a mass in the chapel in Guisarudo, which then will be followed by a Thanksgiving Mass close to his village in Poerema.  So  lots of celebrations to come.

More photos below.