Br Agedo Bento will make his Solemn Vows (life commitment) in the Carmelites during Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Middle Park on Saturday 16 July (the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel).
You are warmly invited to share this special occasion with Agedo, his fellow-Carmelites and members of the Carmelite Family.
Br Agedo Bento comes from the village of Uma-Tolu, Laekita, in Viqueque district, Timor-Leste. His mother Marianna and father Bernardo are subsistence farmers and have 10 children in their family, five boys and five girls. Agedo is the middle child.
During the resistance Agedo’s family hid in the mountains from 1975 to 1981. They had very little food and a number of family members died from malnutrition. Many of his extended family were killed in the mountains by militias.
Agedo was born in 1981 after the family returned from the mountains and attended the local primary school. To help Agedo finish his high school education his sisters and the extended family helped out with his school fees. Agedo also cut trees, sold the wood and petrol and worked on building projects to fund his education.
Initi
ally, his dream was to become a doctor and he tried to get a government scholarship to go to Cuba to study medicine. He did the exam but in 2006 there was a crisis in Timor and because of the civil unrest which followed he could not continue with that course of action.
One day in 2006 he went to church in Maubara where he had done his secondary schooling. He met with some of the Carmelites Sisters there and formed a good relationship with them. One of the sisters, Sr Maria Mendes, asked Agedo to think about becoming a priest. He was worried because he had no money and knew he could not pay for anything. After passing his entrance exam, however, Agedo joined the Carmelites in 2007.
After completing his postulancy and Novitiate he studied at the seminary of St Peter and St Paul, Fatumeta, before coming to Australia to complete his studies in 2013. Since then he has been studying at the University of Divinity, Melbourne.
As part of his formation Agedo has been working with refugee families in Dandenong, visiting families and delivering food parcels. This year Agedo has been working at Whitefriars College learning about Educational Administration and helping out in the classroom.
Last December he returned to Timor-Leste to see his family and prepare for Solemn Profession.
‘One thing that I will not forget in all of my life was the welcome I received. When I arrived, my mum and all my family members and other relatives were there waiting to welcome me. I was amazed to see so many people in the house. I asked my mum why today so many of our family come together here? She replied “All the family members gather here today to welcoming you because you have been away so long. We all missed you so much.”’
During that time Agedo celebrated the Liturgy of the Word and took Communion to 2 remote villages on Christmas Day. He also led a pre-Christmas retreat for young people in Lacluta.
‘I returned to Australia with wonderful and joyful memories. I also feel refreshed and very enthusiastic on my journey in Carmel. I thank all those people to have helped and continue to help and support me on my journey.’
You are warmly invited to share Agedo’s Solemn Profession with him on Saturday 16 July at 10.00.am at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, cnr Richardson & Wright Streets, Middle Park VIC 3206. Please join us afterwards for some light refreshments.
RSVP: Cynthia Neville (03) 9699 1922 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
