Glória a Deus no high corn dos CEUS ground na Paz!
(Glory to God in heaven and on earth peace!)
Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
The message of Christmas that enlivens the hearts of many people throughout the world is on time to rekindle that desire for peace and goodness that is always present in the heart but at times waiting for an opportunity or someone to shine a light from above new and in new ways.
Living Christmas here in São Luis, Brazil, no snow, no cold, takes a different choreography but the spirit is the same, because people sharing the same humanity and the deep joy and hope are the same for everyone.
Peace that everyone dreams, as the Bible says, is the fruit of justice.
I live in a reality of the city where it is evident the difference between rich and poor, between blacks and whites, where the smell of garbage scattered all over the world is stronger than the scent of flowers, where family violence and the accompanying road lives of children, youth and adults where everyone knows where to get drugs, if you go to the hospital where the public must take many things from home (blankets, medicines, ..) and start to take account of infection, where a school teacher teaches 50 children, where the water there one day and not two, ...
But I live in a world where the smiles of children, the sense of celebration, a deep spirituality, dignity of many people and their commitment to the family, for society and for the parish, the beauty of nature ... are also present. Despite many difficulties even from the economic point of view things are improving and many houses made of mud will become the wall, some go so far as to make the tile floor. Here you live
Christmas, with households in the Novena, Mass, dinner and lunch, gifts, acts of solidarity ...
If peace is the fruit of justice more and more I realize that poverty It is unfortunate but not unjust, and therefore a lack of peace. Seeing so clearly the differences I would say that when wealth is not in the service of those most in need becomes "dirty money", a sign of sin against God who wants a decent life for all its children. To meet
Peace is not enough to remember the poor on some occasions or Christmas, but eliminate the causes of 'injustice with different lifestyles: moving away from a surface to a radical love love, deep love for each other to move from a selfless love ; go from one love to the people that we know a universal love.
Some may wonder whether the baby Jesus has to do with this conversation. I certainly do not think so foreign to me. The choice to be born poor in a small town in the midst of ordinary people and refused, is not to justify poverty, but to show us the way of "being in the middle" of "sharing" and "give themselves", the only road to justice and peace.
year here in Brazil, an ecumenical meeting of grassroots communities, in Porto Velho in the heart of the Amazon, echoed a phrase from an African proverb that fits the Christmas baby Jesus and the life of many people who seek the true meaning of Christmas, "simple people, making little things in unimportant places, can make extraordinary changes. " Greetings!
PASTORAL SUGGESTIONS:
Diocese of São Luis with its own bishop has set up 140 "Ministers of the Word", lay men and women, officially in charge of doing what has long did: animate the communities in various celebrations and especially on Sundays when the priest well in 70 percent of the community, can not celebrate Mass. A little sign of structural responsibility.
An initiative that works here: the Mass is celebrated weekdays (once a month) on the road (missa de rua) or in small guest houses families when it rains. It is a sign of closeness to people's lives and missionary of the Church.
in social projects are becoming increasingly important to support the figures as an educator, psychologist, teacher, expert in human rights: not just learn to do something but it is important to learn and be aware of the value of life.
NEWS:
In recent months we have gone from many friends from Italy, priests and laity. All our thanks. Of all remember the Bishop of Verona who is stopped by a week and we met the "fidei donum" Verona, priests and laity in Latin America.
year President Lula of Brazil has come 2 times in São Luis (he had never come as President): The first time he visited the interior of the state by helicopter to realize the disasters that had flooding in May, and the second time in November talking about the lack of sewers, has described the situation as "hunting" hoping for substantive changes in public policy. Who will survive, you will see!
I think of visiting Italy from mid May to late June 2010, to celebrate with my fellow priests and our families on the 25th anniversary of priesthood, Tuesday 25 May at 18.30 in the cathedral in Verona. From next February
WILL BE Verona, stay there for some years, a priest from Sao Luis, José Braulio Sousa Ayres, a professor of theology and for years a pastor in the National Shrine of Maranhão, São José de Ribamar. Thus was the "return" and effectively by a large official exchange between the Church of Verona and the Church of São Luis. A father Braulio a warm "Welcome to the Church of Verona"
Christmas with your family!: A special wish to my family Gabriella mother, brother and nephew Agostino Paola Jade and all relatives, and colleagues
mission Don Daniel, Luke and Don Don Orazio
with the family of Louise and Paul, with children Emma, \u200b\u200bAlexandra, Adele and Mario, who
creating a family atmosphere, helping me to feel at ease in any situation. However
a hug and a thanks to all!
Hello. Claudio Vallicella, fidei donum priest,
with the whole of the Holy Trinity Parish in São Luis.
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