Fifteen years ago today the Australian Carmelites took responsibility for the Carmelite Mission in Timor-Leste.

The mission was founded in January 1999 by the Indonesian Carmelites. In August 1999 the Timorese people voted for self-determination. On 20 October the Indonesian legislature ratified the vote, allowing East Timor to officially be an independent nation.

In late 1999 the administration of East Timor was taken over by the United Nations in response to an increasing wave of violence led by pro-integration militia with the support of the Indonesian Army.

In 2000 the Indonesian Provincial Chapter felt that, given the changing political climate in East Timor, it would be better to ask the Australian Province to take responsibility for the East Timor mission and the Timorese Carmelites.

On Tuesday 8 May 2001 the 26 members of the Provincial Chapter voted unanimously to accept responsibility for the East Timor Mission.

In August that year Wayne Stanhope (Prior Provincial) and David Hofman (Provincial Councillor) travelled to East Timor. They were joined by Heribertus Purwanto (Provincial, Indonesia).

Late in the afternoon of August 15 2001 an open-air Mass was celebrated in Zumalai during which Fr Heribertus formally entrusted the East Timor Mission to the care of the Australian Province. On behalf of the Australia Province, Wayne Stanhope formally accepted this responsibility.

At that time there were 3 Solemnly Professed (1 priest & 2 deacons), 6 brothers in temporary profession, 2 novices and 10 candidates.

Today there are 17 Solemnly Professed (11 priests, 1 deacon, 2 brothers & 3 students), 16 brothers in temporary profession, 9 Novices and 9 Second Year pre-novices in Timor-Leste.

The 2004 Provincial Chapter voted to change the name of the Province to become the ‘Province of Our Lady, Help of Christians, Australia and Timor-Leste’.

The 2007 Chapter formalised East Timor as a ‘region’ of the Province, a structure of governance for the Region (Regional Prior and Regional Council) and approved limited representation of Timorese brothers at the Provincial Chapter.

The 2015 Provincial Assembly voted to ask the General Council for permission for all Solemnly Professed Timorese brothers to attend and vote at the 2016 Provincial Chapter. The Assembly recognised the growing need for the interdependence of Australia and Timor-Leste for the Order to flourish in both countries.

The 2016 Provincial Chapter celebrated that, for the first time since Australia took responsibility for the East Timor Mission in 2001, all Solemnly Professed brothers of the Province were able to attend and vote at the Provincial Chapter. Fourteen of the sixteen Solemnly Professed Timorese Carmelites attended the Chapter. The Chapter removed all restrictions on brothers from Timor-Leste attending future Provincial Chapters. It spent some time considering the implications of the emerging reality of the Province. The Chapter also elected the first Timorese, Fr Aniceto Maia da Costa, to the Provincial Council.

Writing in the June issue of Carmel Contact this year, Fr Paul Cahill (Prior Provincial) said, “…my vision is to facilitate the development of the Province of Australia and Timor-Leste into a strong, vibrant and united province that finds new and relevant ways of serving people”.

Fr Paul expressed well the hope of us all as we celebrate this anniversary, give thanks for the growth of Carmel in Timor-Leste and look to the future with great hope.

David Hofman, O.Carm.