Visitation of the Province of Rio de Janeiro – Javier Álvarez, CM, Vicar-General reports on his visitation of th Province of Rio de Janeiro.
During the time of March 14-April 29 I visited all the local communities of the Province of Rio de Janeiro and shared life with the Missionaries. The visit took place in the midst of a somewhat unique political situation, debates concerning the impeachment of the President, Ms. Dilma. This is a very delicate matter that could easily divide the country … and with such divisions would come further confrontations.
Let me therefore refer to some events of the past. The Province of Rio traces its origin to the year 1820 when the first Missionaries arrived in order to preach missions in Mato Grosso. Soon thereafter missions were preached in Carça, Diamantina, Campina Verde… At the same time the Congregation became noteworthy as a result of its ministry in diocesan seminaries: Mariana, Salvador/Bahia, Fortaleza/Ceará, Ciamantina, Rio de Janeiro, Cuibá, Sâo Luis/Maranhâo, Curitba/Paraná, Botucatu/Sâo Paolo, Aparecido. Many priests and bishops of a certain age were formed by the Missionaries of the Congregation. As a result of that ministry the Congregation is highly esteemed and loved by many members of the clergy. It should also be mentioned here that many of our ancestors ministered in various schools, for example, in Caraça, Campina Verde, Iratí, San Vicente de Paul … All those Missionaries who ministered in these various works brought great prestige upon the Congregation in Brazil, a prestige that continues to the present time.
At this time there are 65 Missionaries in this province, 11 canonical houses, 4 ad instar domus communities and 20 young men in various stages of formation. Several local communities are concentrated in the area of Belo Horizone (the State of Minas Gerais) but there is also the Provincial House located in Rio de Janeiro and another house in Itapuâ de Oeste (the State of Rodonia – 3,000 km from the Provincial House). Despite these large distances between houses, the confreres are faithful to participating in the various provincial meetings that are outlined in our Constitutions. The result of all of this a strong sense of belonging to the province.
The most important ministry of the province, at least from the perspective of numbers, is parish ministry. The majority of these are missionary parishes located in places where there is a lack of clergy and the majority of the laity are poor men and women. In these areas there are also many social conflicts. The pastoral ministry in these parishes involves sacramental ministry as well as evangelization activity that involves a commitment to action with regard to specific social problems. The pastoral ministry also involves caring for the members of established parish groups. The commitment of the laity in the midst of this very diverse ministry provides the parishes with a lively dynamic. It is hoped that the Missionaries will never be lacking in their passion and creativity … both of which flow from our charism of service. The social and religious context of
Brazil facilitates this ministry and it is also clear that the people are receptive and disposed to collaborate. The priest is listened to and the Church has a great social prestige.
Something very Vincentian that should be highlighted are the 17 social projects that the Province is developing in almost all the parishes and that are outlined in the document, The Social Action Plan of the Province. These various projects are well-planned and are based on real needs. We must not forget that one of the characteristics that identifies us as Vincentian Missionaries revolves around those matters related to charity (and charity is also one of the most energetic and biblical manners in which we are able to evangelize).
I would like to say something here about the Shrine in Caraça. At one time there had been a minor seminary located here (until the end of the 1960’s). At this time, however, the Shrine is located in the midst of a very special ecological system which attracts people involved in ecological studies, people who are curious, and believes who are seeking serenity and/or who are restless in their search for God. As the years pass the number of pilgrims increases. Caraça is a place of evangelization, but evangelization that is different from which occurs in the parishes … an evangelization that results from the attention and the outreach of the Missionaries and from the beauty of nature in the midst of which this Shrine is located. At the same time, the openness of the people who travel there to see and to listen and to observe all that that is offered and said … that openness is the door that provides for the possibility of evangelization. Anyone who visits the Province of Rio must certainly visit the shrine in Caraça.
It is also clear that the Missionaries in this province esteem and accept one another … and this esteem and acceptance is also extended to the infirm and elderly Missionaries. The words of Saint Vincent (they are our treasure) become a reality in the houses in which these confreres live. That, however, is not the only positive sign in the province
. There are also many other hopeful signs and surely one of those signs has to be the number of vocations (some 20 young men information). It is hoped that this number will increase as a result of a well-organized vocational promotion ministry. There is also much concern and interest in the ministry of forming those seeking membership in our Congregation.
I want to thank the members of this Province for their reception and hospitality and spirit of collaboration. I also want to thank the Visitor and the members of his council for the planning that went into this visitation. May God bless all the members of this Province.
Translated: Charles T. Plock, CM
