Cinfães honours Combonian missionary Father José da Silva Vieira

Father José da Silva Vieira, on holiday from his mission in Ethiopia, is one of the nine people chosen by the mayor of his municipality, Cinfães, located in the district of Viseu, to be honoured during the official ceremony held in the Cinfães cultural centre.

On this occasion, Mayor Serafim Rodrigues explained the reason for this homage to Father José Vieira, emphasising “the exceptional path the missionary has travelled, always at the service of others, especially in the missions he went to, spreading the Gospel message in the most diverse ways and making his own life, totally spent for others, a clear message of peace and communion.” He added, addressing Father Vieira directly: “But there is also another reason: your deep love for the land of Cinfães. For this reason, dear Father José, the Municipality is grateful that one of its sons carries around the world not only the message of faith, but also the name of the land that saw him born.”

At first, Father José Vieira was inclined to refuse the invitation, but then he accepted. And it also fell to him to address the many people present. Here is his very short speech.

Thank you

“I confess that I am against receiving this kind of honour. When it was proposed to me, I thought about it two or three times! Then I accepted for one simple reason: I am here on behalf of the faith of the people of Cinfães, where I was born and grew up, learning what life is all about and absorbing the Christian faith, which I then tried to share with the Guji ethnic group, from southern Ethiopia, for twelve years, with the South Sudanese for another seven years, and with the Mexicans for just over nine months.

In all honesty, I feel like a humble witness to the gospel of God’s grace. I carry out the ministry of proclaiming the gospel on your behalf and with the strength of your friendship. Missionary service is a unique privilege and a source of joy and vitality. It is a unique human experience to be able to share life with people I did not even know existed and who have welcomed me as one of their own.

José Tolentino de Mendonça, a great beacon of contemporary literature and spirituality, wrote: ‘When I give my life, it multiplies. When I surrender myself to others, I find myself. When I say to someone ‘my life is yours’, it belongs to me for real. Life will be a fruitful adventure if we can count on this kind of love’. The mission I am carrying out makes me live this reality every day!

I am a native of Cinfães and immensely proud of my roots. Even of my accent! When I lived in Lisbon, many people who heard me speak would say, ‘You, Father, are from the North, aren’t you?’ I am from Cinfães, and that makes me proud. Even more: I feel responsible for this, because I am your ambassador in all corners of the world!

Many of my generation live in the diaspora for work or family reasons, or to follow a vocation, like me. We left Cinfães, but Cinfães did not let us go. The call of the cradle that welcomed us at birth and of this magical land nestled between the river and the mountains, forged our character. We are resilient and strong like the granite of Montemuro. We are calm - dare I say ‘contemplative poets’ – like the calm waters of the Douro river that flow at our feet.

Cinfães is more than a place lost on a map and difficult to reach: it is an identity that shapes us, an indelible mark that accompanies us always, a sign of belonging, of personal and community identification.

I am deeply grateful for this recognition: grateful above all to God in whom we move, breathe and exist.

I would also like to thank Dr Serafim Rodrigues, the current mayor, especially for the friendship that has bound us together for many years. And I say thank you to each 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