Opening of the Hermitage House for young Brothers in Bacau

On Saturday 29th January, Fr Avelino, a local diocesan priest, officiated at the official opening and blessing of the House of Studies in Bacau, Timor Leste. After a discernment process, the brothers of Bacau decided to call “Hermitage” to their community. The name is related to the Institute’s mother house, but also connecting to the fact that a scholasticate was built on the Hermitage in the beginning of the Institute’s history.

The formation house has 7 brothers, among them 6 are temporary professed brothers, who are following the formation period after the novitiate. They will follow their journey guided by Brother Robert Speare.

Besides the 6 brothers in formation, Timor has 8 novices, who will travel in March to Sri Lanka, where they will continue the formation period of this stage. Another 5 young postulants are preparing to enter the novitiate.

The brothers working in Timor, besides the young brothers of the country, are from Australia (6) and Brazil (1). There are three houses of formation (postulancy, novitiate and scholasticate, with 1 brother formator at each community) and another community that has 3 brothers working in the Catholic Institute of Teacher Training.