Daniele Comboni
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Cinfães honours the Comboni missionary Fr. José da Silva Vieira
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
I confess that I am averse to this type of events. When it was proposed to me, I thought twice, three times! I accepted this tribute on behalf of the faith of the people of Cinfães, with whom I learned the life and faith I share through my twelve years of missionary service with the Gujis in southern Ethiopia, plus seven years with the South Sudanese and a brief nine months in Mexico.
I am a humble witness to the Gospel of God’s grace. I do it in your name and with the strength of your supportive friendship. Missionary service is a unique privilege and a source of joy and vitality. It is a unique human experience to share life with people I did not even know they existed and who welcomed me as one of their own.
José Tolentino de Mendonça, the cardinal-beacon of contemporary literature and spirituality, wrote: “When I give my life as a gift, it multiplies. When I abandon myself, I find myself. When I say ‘my life is yours’, it truly belongs to me. Life will be a fruitful adventure if we are sure of that love”. Mission makes me live this reality every day!
I am a son of Cinfães and I am immensely proud of my roots. Even in my accent! When I lived in Lisbon, many people commented: “Father, you are from the North!”. I am from Cinfães with great pride and conviction. And also, with responsibility. I am your ambassador in the seven corners of the world!
Many of my generation and others are in the diaspora due to professional, family or – like me – vocational reasons. We left Cinfães, but Cinfães did not let us go. The call of the cradle that welcomed us at birth, a magical land nestled between the river and the mountains, shaped our character. We are resilient and strong like the Montemuro’s granite. We are calm – I would dare to say contemplative poets – like the calm Douro waters that flow at our feet.
Cinfães is more than a place lost on the map of difficult accesses; it is an identity that shapes us, an indelible mark that accompanies us, a sign of belonging, of personal and community identification.
I am deeply grateful for this recognition to God in whom we move, breathe and exist. I would also like to thank Dr. Serafim Rodrigues, acting mayor, especially for the friendship that has bound us together for many years. And to each and every one of you, for your closeness.
May the Lord of Life and Mission bless us all.
Father José da Silva Vieira, mccj
Cinfães, June 10, 2025