The Church in Brazil celebrates, this year 2023, the III Vocation Year, with the theme: “people of the called”.
In Carnaubeira da Penha, State of Pernambuco, there are several activities related to this event, promoted by the parish, to which the Vedruna Community belongs. Sister Maria del Socorro Vieira, a juniora from this area, will make her perpetual vows in this parish at the end of August. There is already a whole preparation oriented towards this profession, integrating this event with the activities that are ordinarily developed in the parish and communities.
There are about eighty organized Christian communities, distributed in 10 sectors. Most of them are native peoples: indigenous people and “kilombolas” (a term used to refer to people of African descent who live in the quilombos). Youth is abundant and eager to know, to know Jesus and to follow in his footsteps in the various vocations that exist in the Church. Workers and evangelizers are needed, because “the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few”. How can we not work on the vocational theme in this auspicious year?
We highlight the vocational meeting on June 4, which brought together almost two hundred young people who had received the Sacrament of Confirmation on May 28, the day of Pentecost. The meeting was held in the city of Floresta, seat of the Diocese, where we spent almost the whole day together. The theme for reflection was vocation in the Bible, followed by workshops that led the young people to reflect on the various commitments that the Sacrament of Confirmation brings with it. A very profitable day that will be followed by several meetings of biblical reflection.
On Sunday, June 11, we had another meeting, this time in the city of Carnaubeira da Penha, with the theme “vocation in the family”. A significant group of people from the communities that make up the sectors (around 50 coordinators and community leaders) participated in the event. A couple of consultants guided the reflection and, with various dynamics, made the meeting very pleasant. It was clear that “the family is the first cradle where vocations are cultivated”.
At the end of the meeting, the “team of parish advisors” discussed and organized a continuing biblical formation, which will be accompanied by the Sisters of the community. Together we agreed on some dates in June, July and August.
These meetings and the biblical formation are the mature fruit of the vocational journey that we wish to continue and intensify.
Sr. Virma Barion CCV
