After a second week of getting to know the community of PauiniThe Prior General, Br. Miguel Angel Hernandez, has visited the missions of the Marajó Region, a coastal island located at the mouth of the Amazon River.
On the evening of June 10, 2010, Fr. Miguel Ángel arrived in Belém do Pará accompanied by the General Counsel, Fr. Ismael Xurucjoined by Fr. Jaazeal Jakosalemanother of the general counselors. The next day, together with Fr. Danilo SouzaThe participants, from the community of Belém, began their tour at the Basilica of Our Lady of Belém, patron saint of the Pará Region.
After asking for the Virgin’s intercession, they visited the cathedral and the “Ver-o-Peso” market, known for its varied offer of local products such as river fish, açaí, cardboard and Amazonian chestnuts.
In the afternoon, they took the ship “Bom Jesus” to the Amazonian city of Breves, where they arrived after a journey of more than 15 hours.
Visit to Breves and Meeting with the Community
On the following day, Wednesday, June 12, Friar. Miguel Angel arrived at the port of Breves, where they were received by the prior of the local community and responsible for the missions of the province, Fr. Tiago. In this Amazon city, the religious community is made up of Pedro Santos da Silva, Tiago Alves Coelho, José Manuel Fernández and Cleto Millán García.
Fr. Tiago accompanied the Prior General on a tour of the city, including visits to the chapels of the parish area: St. Ezekiel Moreno, Our Lady of Consolation, St. Rita of Cascia, St. Monica, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Anthony, among others. It should be noted that St. Ann Parish, which the friars serve, has 99 riverine communities and that some require trips of more than 15 hours on the river to visit.
That night, the parish priest, Fr. Pedro organized a meeting with the pastoral agents of the parish. During the meeting, the Prior General held a fraternal dialogue, answered questions about the organization and current situation of the Order, the permanence of the Order in Marajo and the promotion of vocations. He reiterated that mission territories would be the last thing to be abandoned in the event of ministry closures, and spoke about ARCORES, the Order’s solidarity network, and its commitment to the protection of minors and vulnerable people.
Visit to Santa Monica School
On the following day, the Prior General, accompanied by the Director Fr. José Manuelvisited the Santa Monica School. This educational center, founded in 2006, currently serves more than 1,400 students in elementary education and 400 in kindergarten.
The School stands out for its attention to children with varying degrees of autism and provides spaces and programs that are continuously evaluated to improve their situation. During the visit, Fr. Miguel Ángel spoke with the teaching staff, who expressed their strengthened commitment thanks to the meetings of the EDUCAR program, the network of educational centers of the Augustinian Recollect Family.
In the afternoon, the Prior General and the Councilors, led by Friar Marco and Fr. Tiago, they set sail for a riverside community. After a journey of more than three hours on the Aturiá River, they arrived at the community of “Bom Jesus”, where they were greeted with songs and a warm welcome by the local inhabitants. The visit included a moment of Eucharistic adoration and a Mass presided over by Fr. Michelangelo.
The day concluded with a fraternal dinner hosted by the family of the community coordinator. After the time sharing, they returned to the boat and spent the night in hammocks. An experience that, as they explain, reflected the daily conditions and challenges of the missionaries in these remote communities.
