A 10-day pilgrimage to Timor-Leste was a chance for students and staff from three Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) schools to embark on an extraordinary immersion experience.
The pilgrimage provided opportunities for participants to connect with local communities through meaningful activities such as teaching English, sharing stories and learning from the lived experiences of the Timorese people. It was a journey marked by encounter and one grounded in hospitality, faith, joy and deep resilience.
Located on the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago, Timor-Leste is a nation shaped by a complex history of occupation and struggle. Students and staff from Santa Sophia Catholic College Gables, St Andrews College Marayong and Marian Catholic College Kenthurst engaged in heartfelt conversations and witnessed the strength and hope that continues to flourish in classrooms and villages.
Students from Santa Sophia Catholic College Gables during an immersion experience in Timor-Leste. Image: Santa Sophia Catholic College/Supplied.
“Before the trip, I didn’t even know where the country was located,” said St Andrews student Khloe. “Being there in person, I began to learn more and more about the harsh conditions the Timorese people endured during occupation. To this day, I still think about seeing the houses that are still damaged from those times.”
The cultural immersion also provided participants with an opportunity for spiritual reflection and the chance to enhance their individual faith journeys.
“By experiencing Catholic Mass in a different culture and foreign language, and being warmly welcomed by the people of Timor, I was able to reflect deeply and strengthen both my connection with God and my sense of community,” said Santa Sophia student, Natalia.
Students from Santa Sophia Catholic College Gables during an immersion experience in Timor-Leste. Image: Santa Sophia Catholic College/Supplied.
Grounded in the Gospel values of compassion, justice and human dignity, for many the experience was both humbling and transformative.
“Seeing the insurmountable challenges faced by the Timorese, it has made me firmly resolve to ‘not sweat the small stuff’,” said Meg Thomas, Social Justice Leader and English Teacher at Marian. “Everything that happens to me now, I will try to experience through the lens of gratefulness.”
“The best way to understand is to sign up and go on a pilgrimage yourself,” said Patrick, a Year 12 student at Marian. “Describing it can only do so much. When you see it with your own eyes, it is infinitely more impactful.”
Students from Santa Sophia Catholic College Gables during an immersion experience in Timor-Leste. Image: Santa Sophia Catholic College/Supplied.
Santa Sophia teacher Ralph San Pedro-Loyola said anyone thinking of this kind of immersion should ‘say yes’.
“Say yes to encountering others. Say yes to listening, learning and loving in places far from home. This journey reminds us that peace, justice and dignity are not distant ideals, but everyday decisions.”
Immersion experiences like these are a shining example of the transformative power of community outreach fostered in our schools across cultures and borders.
Sabrina De La Motte is the Social Media Officer at Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese.
This article was originally published in the 2025 Season of Creation | Spring edition of the Catholic Outlook Magazine. You can read the digital version here or pick up a copy in your local parish.
