First assembly of the new Province of Brazil

Concerning the unification of the provinces of Brazil, we read in the July/August 2013 of Familia Comboniana #710: “After various consultations at the level of provincial councils and of all the confreres of the two provinces of Brazil and having seen the favorable opinion of the majority, the General Council has reached the decision to proceed to the unification of the two provinces of Brazil. The decree of unification was approved on June 24, 2013, feast of St. John the Baptist. We wish all good things to the new circumscription and we hope that it will mark the beginning of a new era for our mission and for the Comboni presence in Brazil.”

On September 11-17, Fr. Villarino, representing the GC, took part in the first assembly of the new circumscription which is 75 members strong: 63 of them were present at the assembly.

“This assembly – commented Fr. Wellington Alves de Sousa – was a moment of grace for all of us who are missionaries in Brazil. We perceived the presence of the Spirit of God, who has accompanied us during 60 years of Comboni presence in this country. Looking at what has been accomplished, we believe that it has been a positive and prophetic presence.”

During the assembly, the missionaries endeavored to share ideas, aspirations and challenges for the future of the province. The activities and the strategies related to the various provincial sectors were defined, based on the experience of the past 60 years. In particular: mission and vocation promotion, evangelization among the Afro and the indigenous people, pastoral commitments in the urban slums and in other movements of the Brazilian Church, and promotion of social and environmental justice.

At the conclusion of the assembly, Fr. Wellington said: “The challenges facing us are many, but we are encouraged and we are certain that in this moment the Spirit of God enlightens us and accompanies us. For this reason we entrust to the Lord of the harvest the future of this new province of Brazil, convinced that we will continue to be under the protection of Mary, mother of Jesus and our mother, of St. Daniel Comboni, our father and founder, and of Our Lady of Aparecida, the patroness of Brazil.”

Fr. Antonio Villarino will return to Rome at the end of the month, on September 30, after having visited the circumscriptions of Central America (July 10-August 6), of  Peru/Chile (August 7- September 9) and of Brazil (September 10-30).