São Paulo, Brazil. During a Mass held on March 19, 2024, which was dedicated to Saint Joseph, Fr. José Heitor Vasconcelos de Menezes, CMF, the Prefect of Apostolate of the Claretian Province of Brasil, blessed the images of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These images will be sent to nine units of the Claretian Education Network, the Claret Institute, the Provincial Curia, the interprovincial missionary community of Mozambique, and five other Claretian communities in Brazil.
The celebration took place at Our Lady of the Rosary church in Campinas, São Paulo. The ceremony was presided over by Fr. Hector de Menezes, who was delegated by the Provincial Superior Fr. Eguione Nogueira Ricardo, CMF, as he couldn’t be present. During his homily, Fr. Hector spoke about how the Claretians took on their mission in that place and how their efforts bore fruit. He compared their work to the educational processes carried out by colleges, university centers, and social institutions in the Province.
“Education is about planting seeds of values in people’s hearts, which will fruit one day and benefit others without us even knowing,” he reflected
Father Hector emphasized the significance of devotion to the Heart of Mary for the Claretian Congregation. He explained that the Heart of Mary is not just a title, but it represents Mary’s very identity. It is the essence of who Mary is. Father Hector urged the educators to display the image of the Heart of Mary in a prominent place where everyone can see it. Through the image, people can see the door to heaven. For Mary’s heart became the dwelling place of God, as she did the will of the Father.
“Mary’s heart is no longer hers. Everything in Mary belongs to God and to the Christ she has begotten in her being. So Mary does not belong to herself, and her heart is the door to heaven,” he said.
The Sistina Arte Sacra factory in Brazil created seventeen religious images, which were painted by artist Igor Guilherme. The image that will go to Mozambique received colors and prints of African culture, allowing the faithful to recognize themselves in the Heart of Mary.
Text: Suzana Costa Coutinho – Fotos: Gabriel Coutinho de Oliveira Junior
