Annual Gathering of the Missionary Brothers of Brasil Province
Oct 12, 2019 | Brasil, Brothers
Rio Claro, Brazil. From October 4 to 6, 2019, mandated by the Provincial Program of the Province of Brasil, the Missionary Brothers of the Organism gathered together in Rio Claro, São Paulo for their on-going formation.
Present were: Bros. Afonso de Marco and Cícero José Teodósio Junior, CMFF (of the Batatais Community); Bros. Hely Vaz Diniz, CMF (from Rio Claro); Bro. Antonio de Oliveira Santos Filho, CMF (from Londrina); Bro. Eduardo Henrique de Souza Rodrigues, CMF (from Clevelândia). The Brothers in Formation also participated: Sch. Bruno da Silva Galdiano, CMF (Student of Theology in Curitiba); Schs. Samuel Marques Mingote and Saulo de Araújo Barbosa de Almeida, CMFF (Philosophy Students in Contagem). Bro. José Maria Sala de Rondônia was not able to join them.
The meeting began on October 4 with a dinner with the community in Rio Claro, with the presence of Fr. Marcos A. Loro, CMF (Provincial Superior), Fr. Antonio Carlos Ferreira, CMF (Provincial Prefect of Formation), Fr. Ronaldo Mazula, CMF (Prefect of Apostolate), Fr. Almir Roberto Borges, CMF (animator of the Provinciall Biblical Ministry), and the members of the local community: Fr. Jorge Luiz Cardoso Pinheiro, CMF (Superior), Frs. João Carlos Santim and Fr. Mauro Zequin Custódio, CMFF.
The next day, Fr. Ronaldo Mazula,CMF gave a talk on the “Religious Life consecrated in the transformation process”, based on the book of Fr. Luiz Carlos Susin. The Brothers were able to share their reflections, which greatly enriched the information given. Fr. Marcos A. Loro, CMF gave them a session on the “Spirituality of Following Jesus” which they also used for meditation afterwards.
In the afternoon, the group visited the facilities of the Claretiano University Center of Rio Claro, as well as TV Claret and Radio Claretiana FM. On that same afternoon, Fr. Antonio Carlos Ferreira gave a training conference. A quick evaluation of the gathering was carried out and the next one was scheduled on October 2 to 4, 2020 in Batatais.
At the end of the afternoon, the Brothers participated in the Eucharist of the community of Our Lady of the Rosary, in the Nova Rio Claro neighborhood of the San Pedro and San Pablo Parish, which is under the pastoral care of the Claretian Missionaries. After Mass and celebrations in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, they participated in the community party.
On Sunday morning, October 6, after the prayer in the community chapel, the reflection left by the Provincial Superior was read and they reflected on it. At 9:30 they attended the Eucharist presided by Fr. Antonio Carlos Ferreira, CMF in the Santa Edwiges community of the Bom Sucesso Neighborhood, also belonging to the Parish of San Pedro and San Pablo. After Mass, the group returned for lunch and bade each other goodbye.
Although the meeting was brief and the group was reduced in number, everything was full of content. The Brothers were able to review the importance of spiritual life, prayer, and were able to share faith, fraternal life, their itinerary, their hopes and joys amid the challenges of current reality. Living together was a very joyful, fraternal experience, and reinforced all their commitment to missionary life as lay consecrated people in the service of the Congregation and of the Church.
