Government of Timor-Leste

The new Prelate for the Prelature of Maliana, D. Norberto Amaral, presided over the mass of the investiture in Maliana on the 25th of April.

The Papal envoy, D. Leopoldo Gerely, in his speech, congratulated D. Norberto do Amaral and at the same time wished him success in this new mission assumed in favour of the Maliana Prelature.

“Be glad because today, Sunday of the Good Pastor, you can encounter a new pastor that the faithful have waited for a long time, and His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI took this necessity into consideration, on the 30th of January of 2010, and elected a priest, D. Norberto do Amaral, to become Bishop of the Maliana Diocese. I ask to the community’s faithful to collaborate with the Prelature with the aim of developing his capacity and for you the expansion of your faith in God. I thank the central and regional authorities for the collaboration given in the preparation of this Investiture ceremony”.

In his intervention, D. Norberto do Amaral confirmed that the “the Episcopal Consecration ministered by the Principal Consecrator Bishop, Nuncio Apostolic and by the remainder of the Asian Consecrator Bishops, is not conferred by the world, but by the grace of God Our Lord. This day represents the canonization of the new Diocese of Maliana destined to secure the terrestrial power in the quality of Pastor of the congregated faithful in this Maliana Diocese” and he demonsted his profound gratitude to the Bishop, to each one of the Congregation Priests and to the Government of Timor-Leste who provided the funds and a building to the Maliana Bishop for his temporary residence”.

The Vice-Prime-Minister, José Luís Guterres, in his speech referred: “in the name of the Government I thank the Bishops, our illustrious guests, foreigners, and all the faithful that came from the three Dioceses, and that reunited in this place. I received instructions from the Prime-Minister to contact the Maliana Diocese, and find out its needs so we can verify where the Government can help to supplant them. This Government, or any other that comes to substitute it, will always be united with the Church with the purpose of mutual help in whatever is fundamental to govern this Country in Peace, Agreement and Tranquillity. ”

In this investiture ceremony, D. Norberto Amaral, seated on the throne chair, welcomes the salutations presented by the Priests, Nuns from the Maliana Parish, followed by the local authorities represented by the District Administrator, Sub-District, in a gesture of obedience to the Bishop.

The Maliana Diocese covers an area of three districts, namely, Liquiçá, Bobonaro e Covalima, with the Maliana sub-district belonging to the Bobonaro District, that geographically borders, in its western side, with the Belu district, Nusa Tenggara Timur province (Indonesia).