Since 1899, the Order has expanded and grown exponentially, spreading love, solidarity, compassion and the word of God throughout Brazil, with a special focus on the Island of Marajó. Created in April 1928, the Prelature of Marajó, headquartered in Soure, passed into the hands of the Augustinian Recollects in October 1930. This assignment followed the foundation of the Prelature of Labrea, in the Amazon, in 1926, demonstrating the growing involvement of the Order with the evangelization of remote regions of Brazil. The experience in Marajó marked the beginning of a period of great challenges, marked by confrontations and new discoveries, in the midst of the cultural diversity of the local populations.
“We’re in places no one wants to be.”
René González, coordinator of the projects in Brazil, a native of Valladolid who has been in the country for five years, describes the mission with deep conviction: “We are in places where nobody wants to be. They look very nice on television, but in real life they are difficult to live in. There are situations of great vulnerability, many dangers for the children, who have no horizon. But, on the part of the missionaries and all the people involved in the projects, we see a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of joy and a lot of effort“.
Marajó, where the Amazon meets the sea, is the largest archipelago of fresh and salt water on the planet! With 16 cities and more than 500 thousand inhabitants, who carry in their veins the strength of indigenous and African people, in addition to other stories, Marajó is a mosaic of fields, forests, beaches and rivers. This giant land, with almost 50 thousand km², is a labyrinth of roads, where cities, towns and farms are scattered between rivers and jungles. “In this rich and challenging place, the history of the missions intertwined with the lives of the people, trying to alleviate the many difficulties they faced,” adds René.
It is important to remember the fundamental role of the Augustinian Recollect bishops Dom Gregorio Alonso, Dom Alquílio Álvarez and Dom José Luis Azcona in the Prelature of Marajó: “They demonstrated a Church committed to evangelization and sensitive to the needs of the people. They built a solid structure that supports education, health and human promotion. In addition, they fought for fundamental rights such as education, health and work, which were often neglected by local governments,” the coordinator emphasizes.
“It is succeeding in leaving a footprint and nurturing hope.”
On the island of Marajó, the Order carries out evangelizing and transforming work in society through a wide range of projects. Initiatives such as the “Brinquedoteca e o Restaurante da Criança” in Portel, the “Centro Social frei Zacarías” in Salvaterra and the projects “Amanhecer Feliz” and “Jiu-Jitsu” in Breves are tangible testimonies of this commitment. These spaces, based on the pillars of Augustinian education and cultural promotion, offer socio-educational activities, pedagogical support, evangelization, in addition to promoting socialization, psychosocial care, professional training and family strengthening.
René, who lives in Rio de Janeiro, emphasizes how little even many Brazilians know about the reality of these interior territories: “They don’t know it and they don’t know how difficult life is in these places as well. Access to education is difficult, poverty, human trafficking, episodes of abuse, violence… These are projects that try to give a little hope, especially to families and children. After 125 years we are managing to leave a mark and nourish the hope that there is life, that it can be improved and that reality can really change”.
“We know that together we can achieve great changes.”
Since March 2022, the “Brinquedoteca e o Restaurante da Criança” ( Portel) project has been operating at full capacity, benefiting 250 children and adolescents from Portel. In addition to guaranteeing a delicious meal every day, the project offers a lot of fun activities, such as school reinforcement, music classes, dance, theater and sports. The idea is to help these children grow up happy and healthy, learning new things and having lots of fun. “The school and the family are also actively involved in this project, because we know that together we can achieve great changes,” explained René.
The “Frei Zacarias Social Center”, located in Salvaterra, is being renovated and reorganized during the years 2023 and 2024. This center serves children and adolescents from the neighborhoods of Salvaterra who are in situations of economic, social and educational vulnerability. The Frei Zacarias Social Center has three main projects:
- Proyecto Bien Educar: With a focus on strengthening math and Portuguese skills, this project supports 80 children between the ages of 7 and 14. In addition to traditional classes, music and computer workshops are offered. The main purpose is to help students achieve better school performance and overcome the obstacles they face in primary education.
- Digital Inclusion Project: This project, aimed at 114 students of different ages, seeks to familiarize them with digital tools. Digital inclusion is key to their personal and professional development.
- Musical Project “Tocando un Sueño”: With the objective of promoting music as an integral part of our culture, this project offers flute, guitar and keyboard lessons to 120 children, adolescents and young adults.
“To promote and accompany the missionary spirit of the Order”.
The Parish of Santa Ana, located in Breves, plays a fundamental role in the lives of a large number of people. It has several innovative projects, including “Amanhecer Feliz”, which supports more than 130 children through school reinforcement, sports activities and catechesis. At the Santa Monica school, children learn Jiu-Jitsu and cultivate values such as respect and collaboration.
The projects have become key instruments to combat illiteracy, sexual exploitation, child labor and social inequality. These social projects are a privileged space to put into practice the Augustinian Recollect mission and charism: “ARCORES, as a Solidarity Network of the Augustinian Recollect Family, is proud to promote and accompany the missionary spirit of the Order”.
