Golden Jubilee of the Parish of Suai: A Historical Overview and Tribute to Missionary Service

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the canonical erection of the Mission (Parish of Suai), based in Suai, that is, the Golden Jubilee of the Parish.

In fact, it was on March 22, 1960, that, during his pastoral visit to Suai, His Excellency, Dom Jaime Garcia Goulart, blessed the chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima, inaugurated the missionary residence and the school. That same day, the Christians gathered there asked the Bishop to place a priest with permanent residence in Suai. Responding to this request, Dom Jaime announced in a loud voice that the superior of the Mission was Father Manuel Silveira Luís. However, the Order of the erection of the new Mission, with its headquarters in Suai, would only come out on May 6, 1960 (Order No. 12).

Going back in history, we can say that before the Second World War (1939-1945), the kingdoms of Suai, Raimean, Camanasa, Maucatar, were visited by the missionary of Suro (Ainaro), the Reverend Father Norberto de Oliveira Barros. Before the Japanese occupation there were two schools: one in Debos and the other in Zumalai. There were two catechists, one posted in Suai and the other in Maucatar.

In 1949, the Cova-Lima Mission was opened, with its headquarters in Fohorem. The mission stations of Fohorem, Fatomeam, Fatolulic, Maucatar, Mape, Beco, Suai, Tilomar belonged to this mission. And the superior of the Mission was Father Carlos Rocha Pereira, a native of the Azores (Portugal).

In 1950, the Cova-Lima Mission had an area of approximately 2,145 km2, and a population of 37,361 inhabitants, of which 2,359 were Catholics.

Because of various circumstances, Father Carlos Rocha was transferred to the Mission of Soibada, and that old Mission was added to the new Mission of Bobonaro, and later called the Mission of Maliana. In 1960, Father Manuel Luís, who was superior of the Maliana Mission, was building a chapel, a masonry residence and a school in Suai (Debus).

Before the reopening of the Suai Mission (Debos), the old mission of Cova-Lima, added to that of Maliana, had, in 1960, 20,994 inhabitants, of which 4,601 were Catholics, 2,134 catechumens, 2 schools and 10 catechists.

The first superior of Suai in 1960 was, therefore, Father Manuel Silveira Luís. In 1963, he was replaced by Father Júlio Augusto Ferreira, who had as vicar the Goan Father Simplício Luizinho Pereira. In 1964, this was the situation of the new Suai Mission

1. The Mission Headquarters (Suai) had 2,160 Catholics and 508 catechumens;

2. Mission station of Fatolulic: 156 Catholics and 40 catechumens;

3. Mission station of Fatomean: 228 Catholics and 82 catechumens;

4. Fohorem mission station: 306 Catholics and 11 catechumens;

5. Mission station of Mape: 1,009 Catholics and 975 catechumens;

6. Mission station of Maucatar: 1,560 Catholics and 975 catechumens;

7. Tilomar mission station: 245 Catholics and 52 catechumens;         

8. Mission station of Zumalai: 1,160 Catholics and 481 catechumens.

On December 31, 1973, the Suai Mission had a population of 42,119, of which 15,336 were Catholics, 25,252  Gentiles (animists), 148 Buddhists (Chinas). In 1993, the Parish of Fohorem was erected, which encompassed the areas of Fohorem, Fatomean, Fatolulic and Tilomar, handed over to the Claretian Fathers.

In 1998, the parish of Suai, which included the “Kecamatan” of Suai (Debus) and Zumalai, had 34,233 Catholics. In 2000, the Quasi-Parish of Zumalai was erected, entrusted to the Carmelite Fathers (O.Carm).

In 1999, after the Popular Consultation, sad events occurred in the Suai Mission. Three priests died (Fr. Hilário, Fr. Francisco Soares and Fr. Dewanto, SJ) and of many catechists and Christians. The church and the residence were set on fire.

Today, the Suai Mission has been reduced to the air of the Sub-districts of Suai and Maucatar.
The priests who worked in the Mission of Cova-Lima and Suai:

Priest. Norberto Amaral, Fr. Jacinto António Campos. Pe. Carlos Rocha Pereira, Fr. Manuel Silveira Luís, Fr. Júlio Augusto Ferreira, Fr. Santana Roque Pereira, Fr. Simplício Luizinho Pereira, Fr. Reinaldo Cardoso, Fr. José Quintão dos Reis, Fr. Aúreo da Costa Gusmão, Fr. Mário do Carmo Belo, Fr. Francisco Tavares, Fr. Domingos da Silva Soares, Fr. Hilário Madeira, Fr. René, CMF, Fr. Manuel Barreto, Fr. Natalino Gama, Fr. Ernesto Barreto, Fr. Francisco Soares, Fr. Dewanto, S.J.,

For the establishment of the Kingdom of God in Suai, we would like to recall the sacrificial work of many Canossian Sisters who have passed through the House of Suai, of the Sisters of St Paul of Chartres and of hundreds of Teacher-Catechists, Permanent and Volunteer Catechists and Caretakers of the Apostleship of Prayer.

The Parish of Suai, which until 2010 was part of the Diocese of Dili, is now part of the Diocese of Maliana. This year the Timorese priests José de Deus Maia (Parish Priest) and Sebastião da Cruz Correia work in Suai.

Biography of Father Manuel Silveira Luís:

Father Manuel Silveira Luís in the parish of Pedro Miguel, on the island of Faial, Azores (Portugal), on June 23, 1907. As a teenager he went to the East, going to attend the Seminary of St. Joseph, in Macau. There he completed his studies in philosophy and theology, and was ordained a priest in 1935. At the same time, he left for Timor, where he was posted in Dili as Director of the School of Arts and Crafts. He was then transferred to the Central Mission of Soibada, where for five uninterrupted years, he held the position of teacher in the Pre-Seminary of Our Lady of Fatima and in the School of Preparation of Teachers-Catechists. With the invasion of Japanese troops, Father Manuel Luís, along with other priests, took refuge in Australia.

On December 7, 1945, he returned to Timor, being placed in the Ossu Mission, as Superior. There she founded two schools: the Colégio de Santa Teresinha de Menino Jesus (for boys) and the Colégio “Óscar Ruas” (for girls9. He built several chapels, one of which was made of masonry, the Cajularam Chapel. In 1956, he was transferred to the Malian Mission as Superior and Director of the “Infante Sagres” College. As we said above, in March 1960, he was appointed the first superior of the Suai Mission. Father Manuel Luís was a hardworking priest, of great apostolic zeal. He died in the Maliana Mission on July 5, 1965, at the age of 58 and with 30 years of missionary life in Timor.