Dili, September 1, 2026 (Media Democracia) – The body of Friar Aventino Alves Gusmão, OFMCap, who died in a traffic accident in Baucau, has arrived at the Convent of São Francisco de Assis, Tibar.*
Friar Izodorus Yoceph Jawa said that Friar Aventino was a Franciscan Capuchin religious who carried out his mission in Cape Verde and had just returned to Timor-Leste on August 11, 2026, to spend vacation with family and to celebrate his first Mass in the Parish of Ossu, Viqueque.
According to Friar Izodorus Yoceph Jawa, the body of Friar Aventino Gusmão, which has just arrived at the Convent of São Francisco de Assis Tibar, belonged to a Franciscan Capuchin Friar. He lived doing mission work in Cape Verde. He came back to Timor two weeks ago to celebrate his first Mass in the Parish of Ossu.
“Friar Aventino came to Timor to spend vacation with his family. Before this, he came on holiday to Timor in 2019. Two weeks ago, he returned to Timor on August 11. On August 15, he celebrated his first Mass in Ossu, Viqueque. Afterwards, according to the plan, he was going to take part in the Sunday Mass on August 30 at the Parish of Laleia. But on the way, an accident happened,” said Friar Izodorus Yoceph Jawa, at the Convent of São Francisco de Assis, Tibar, August 31, 2026.
After the accident occurred, Friar Aventino’s body stayed for two nights in Ossu, Viqueque, so that family and close people could pay their respects and say a final farewell. On August 31, the body was brought from Viqueque to the Convent of São Francisco de Assis, Tibar.
Friar Izodorus said that the funeral process for Friar Aventino will begin on September 1, because they are still waiting for the person in charge from the Franciscan Capuchins in Cape Verde who will arrive in Dili in the afternoon.
“The funeral for Friar Aventino will begin tomorrow. We will wait for the person in charge from Cape Verde who will arrive in Dili tomorrow afternoon. He will be the one to preside over the funeral for Friar Aventino Gusmão. Because of that, the funeral will be held at the Convent of São Francisco de Assis, Tibar,” he said.
He added that the final requiem Mass will be held in the morning at 09:00, and in the afternoon the funeral process will be held, to be presided over by Friar Jinson, who came from Cape Verde. This process will be the final service from the Franciscan Capuchins for their member who will now go to his final rest.
Friar Izodorus said that he has known Friar Aventino since 2010, when they were together during their novitiate in Laleia.
“I knew the deceased in 2010, during the novitiate in Laleia. Now, the late priest was a disciplined person, had artistic talent, liked to play music and had a vocation to live as a religious. He joined the Franciscan Capuchins and until today lived as a religious,” he said.
Friar Izodorus also said that Friar Aventino pursued his studies and mission abroad. Since 2012, he went to Portugal to continue his studies in the Franciscan Capuchin Order, and after Portugal he went to Cape Verde, where he received priestly ordination in May 2025.
Family representative, Floriano Guterres da Silva, recounted that Friar Aventino went to Portugal in 2012 to study in the Franciscan Capuchin Order, and then carried out his mission in Cape Verde, where he received priestly ordination in May 2025, in Santiago, Cape Verde.
“We as a family feel the loss of a good son. We have entrusted him to God and we accompanied him at his ordination and first Mass. But this death makes the family feel a great loss. Yesterday we accompanied him in Ossu, and today we brought him here,” said Floriano.
He said that Friar Aventino returned to Timor-Leste on August 11, 2026 and on August 14 went to Ossu. On August 15, he celebrated his first Mass at the Parish of Ossu, Viqueque.
According to the family, Friar Aventino also had plans to celebrate a thanksgiving Mass for the Catholic community in Laleia. But while he was on the road near Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, Baucau, he encountered a pickup truck from Ilomar, Lospalos, that was coming from Dili, and a traffic accident occurred on August 29, around 16:30 in the afternoon.
After the accident, families from both sides and the family from Ilomar, Lospalos, accompanied the process and held a farewell for the victims.
Floriano considers this event to be a disaster that God permitted to happen, and the family accepts it with patience.
“As a priest, we see this as God’s destiny. Everyone lives in this world, and it is God’s destiny that decides,” he said.
Friar Aventino Gusmão was the first son of Cornelio Gusmão and Vitoria da Correia, one of four siblings, two boys and two girls. He was born on April 20, 1985 and died on August 29, 2026, at the age of 41.
Reporting: Tomás dos Santos
Photo: Tomás dos Santos