Friends and Partners with East Timor

ABOUT FRIENDS AND PARTNERS WITH EAST TIMOR

Our Vision

An ever growing mutual relationship between FPET members and supporters in Australia and the people of the western border region of East Timor that bears witness to Christian love by each group being sensitive, understanding and responsive to the needs of each other.

In his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love), Pope Benedict XVI calls the whole Catholic Church to a deeper understanding of love by exploring the connection between human love, divine love and Christian charity.

Pope Benedict places charity and love at the heart of the Church's activities and provides clear guidance for all involved in charitable works. The encyclical sets out the ideal for members of Catholic charitable organisations and individual Catholics, religious and lay, regarding charitable works.

Section 33 which is quoted below sets out clearly and precisely the attitude and motivation to which FPET aspires.

With regard to the personnel who carry out the Church's charitable activity on the practical level, the essential has already been said: they must not be inspired by ideologies aimed at improving the world, but should rather be guided by the faith which works through love (cf. Gal 5:6).

Consequently, more than anything, they must be persons moved by Christ's love, persons whose hearts Christ has conquered with his love, awakening within them a love of neighbour.

The criterion inspiring their activity should be Saint Paul's statement in the Second Letter to the Corinthians: 'the love of Christ urges us on' (5:14).

The consciousness that, in Christ, God has given himself for us, even unto death, must inspire us to live no longer for ourselves but for him, and, with him, for others.

The above quote can be better understood by study of the whole of this very timely encyclical which speaks clearly on human love, love of God and love of neighbour. The encyclical can be viewed in separate window by clicking this link.

Overview

FPET is a Brisbane based non-profit organisation working in partnership with others in Australia and East Timor but especially with the people of Atabae Parish to re-establish self-sustaining communities in the Atabae subdistrict. This subdistrict is part of the Bobonaro district which abuts the border of Indonesian West Timor. FPET members mainly come from the Brisbane Catholic parishes of St. Johns Wood - The Gap and Bardon. Others come from the parishes of Bracken Ridge, Dorrington, Enoggera and Enoggera Army Barracks.

FPET collaborates with Kedron parish and Sunnybank parish which have partnerships with Balibo and Maliana parishes respectively. Balibo and Maliana parishes adjoin Atabae parish in the Bobonaro district. Support is also received from other Catholic and Christian communities and individuals who are committed to helping the East Timorese people rebuild their communities.

The organisation started informally in 2000. It was incorporated in 2001 and provision made through PALMS Australia to handle tax deductible donations for the Atabae community. Click on the "Funding" button above for details of funding.

Newsletters

Links to our newsletters have been moved. They are now located in our Newsletter, Story and News Archive Index.

Meetings

FPET now meets in the Mater Dei Church meeting room, Philomene Drive, Ashgrove West, at 7:30 pm on the first Monday of each month except January. These meetings currently alternate between general and committee meetings but all members and visitors are equally welcome at either type of meeting.

Membership

You are most welcome to come as a visitor to one of our meetings (details on this page) if you are in Brisbane and have an interest in our activities. You may then also wish to consider applying for membership of our organisation.

Applications for membership (currently $25 per year) may be made through current members or by contacting us through the e-mail link below or by writing to the FPET Secretary, PO Box 191, THE GAP, QLD 4061.

Some members of FPET pictured with Jane and Nick Eager (seated front centre) as Jane and Nick were planning for their move to Atabae as volunteers.

Our Mission

To promote and support enduring friendships and partnerships between parishes, communities and people in the western border region of East Timor and the Catholic parishes, communities and people of Brisbane.
To facilitate the mutual sharing of gifts, skills and resources so as to nourish the spiritual development and well being of the participating parishes, communities and people.
Bear witness to, and live out, Christ's command to love one another.

You can e-mail Friends and Partners with East Timor for any reason at

This page was last modified on 12 May 2008

Return to top of this page