Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

A spiritual adventure with sisters in E Timor

byStaff writers
19 September 2004
Reading Time: 4 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

TWO young idealists keen to help the poor of East Timor have found common ground with the Canossian Sisters, and have embarked on an adventure that has turned spiritual.

Dan Foster, 25, and Anastasia Guise, 23, left Australia last weekend to work as volunteers with the sisters for 12 months in one of the poorest parts of East Timor.

For Dan, a Catholic who ‘has not been to church in a few years’, and Anastasia who is ‘not committed to any particular faith’, this is not a scenario they could have imagined a year ago.

But they feel very comfortable with their partnership with the sisters, and definitely excited about the possibilities.

That includes their openness to explore questions of faith and spirituality.

The sisters have enlisted the two to use their horticultural expertise to steer the establishment of a community nursery and permaculture gardens project in Los Palos in the Lautem district, in the far eastern province of East Timor.

Dan, of Ashgrove in Brisbane, has a background in horticulture and nursery establishment, and Anastasia, of Lismore in northern NSW, has experience in permaculture and food gardens.

They say they have a passion for permaculture, regeneration and working with communities, and they both were interested in helping in East Timor in some way.

Dan met Canossian Sister Eufemia Lacerda da Costa, a former East Timorese sister living in Brisbane, through an East Timorese solidarity group, and because he had a plan to go to East Timor, he started receiving language lessons from her.

‘We started talking about the [Canossian Sisters’] volunteer program and my skills, and it just developed from there,’ Dan said.

Related Stories

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

When Sr Lacerda da Costa asked Dan if he had a friend with the necessary skills who might be interested in joining him on the Los Palos project, he immediately thought of Anastasia.

Anastasia had been wanting to help in a practical way in East Timor for some time and this project was perfect.

But, more than just being an avenue for fulfilling a dream, meeting Sr Lacerda da Costa and the other Canossians has touched Anastasia spiritually.

‘The contact with the Canossians has been amazing – very inspiring,’ she said. ‘The sisters I’ve met in Brisbane have been wonderful, especially the East Timorese sisters.

‘I’m astounded to meet people on this earth whose lives are so generously dedicated to spiritual service.

‘It’s kind of what I’ve been looking for. I have felt a bit odd because I couldn’t find other people, especially young people, who are interested in that sort of work.’

Anastasia said she felt ‘really protected’ by the sisters’ prayers.

‘I’m feeling connected through their spirituality.’

She said she had been brought up in a very spiritual household but one that was not ‘religious’.

The family’s principles were based on living an unselfish life, and Anastasia said she was dedicating her life to serving.

‘I’m trying not to do my will but the greater will.’

Sr Lacerda da Costa has been preparing Dan and Anastasia for about four months, teaching them about the Timorese culture and language, and about Canossian spirituality.

She explained that the Canossians were about making Jesus known and loved, and that they were working with the Church in East Timor.

‘I told them that if they were serving others in East Timor, you’re serving God.’

Sr Lacerda da Costa said they spoke about God and Jesus from a Catholic perspective. She said Anastasia spoke about God many times and said she wanted to do the will of God.

‘They were so happy with the prayer blessing [the sisters gave them before they left].

‘Their heart is there with God.’

Dan said he was looking forward to working as a volunteer with the sisters.

‘We’re all working towards the one goal which is for the benefit of the people of East Timor.

‘I’m looking forward to giving time in a community that has such strong faith. I’m looking forward to being immersed in that.

‘They’re pretty amazing. I find it inspiring to see people like the nuns – how they’ve basically devoted their lives to helping people.’

Dan and Anastasia will involve the community in establishing the nursery and permaculture gardens, and three local people will be employed to work with them.

As well as establishing the project, the two volunteers will train community members in horticulture and permaculture so the project is sustainable at the end of the 12 months. Another aim is to improve water resources.

The nursery will supply plants for the permaculture gardens as well as being a commercial supplier.

The project will be established on land owned by the Canossian Sisters.

Sr Lacerda da Costa said the project was supported by donations and more money was needed.

Anyone wanting to make a donation can phone Sr Lacerda da Costa or Sr Rosa Covino on (07) 3398 3345.

The sisters also welcome calls from others interested in the Canossian Volunteers service.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

SUDDENLY 30

Next Post

Welcoming people with disability

Staff writers

Related Posts

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day
Vatican

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

17 May 2022
Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

16 May 2022
Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport
QLD

Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

16 May 2022
Next Post

Welcoming people with disability

Cultivate peace

Arson attack on coastal church

Popular News

  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day
Vatican

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

by Guest Contributor
17 May 2022
0

By CNA POPE Emeritus Benedict XVI celebrated his 95th birthday on April 16 and received more than...

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

16 May 2022
Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

16 May 2022
The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

16 May 2022
Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation

Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation

15 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping