Accompanied by the General Councilor and responsible for missions in the Order, Fr. Ismael Xuruc, this trip also coincided with the return of two bishops who participated in the Encounter of Augustinian Recollect Bishops in Rio de Janeiro: Bishop Santiago Sanchez, current bishop of the Prelature, and Bishop Jesus Moraza, bishop emeritus of Labrea.
Precisely, the first community visited by the Prior General in the Amazon was that of Labrea. Upon arrival, they attended the celebration of the Eucharist in the community of Our Lady of Fatima, where the remains of Sister Cleusa, an Augustinian Recollect missionary, who is in the process of beatification, are kept. The liturgy in this region is joyful, participatory and is always accompanied by songs.
The Eucharist, presided over by the Prior General, included a homily in which he invited the community to have families in the image of the Holy Trinity, and emphasized the importance of helping, forgiving and loving one another. He also emphasized the need to be reflections of the Father, being light and support for others: And we, when we see ourselves or see families, we may ask ourselves: Do they help each other? Do they forgive each other? Could it be that they love each other? Finally, he mentioned that just as Jesus told his disciples that he was the reflection of the Father, sotoo, we should all strive to be light, to be help, to be reflections of the Father.
From this day shared with the religious and both bishops, he highlighted the courage and commitment of those who dedicate themselves to missionary work in the Amazon region, and who face daily risks and challenges in their service to the communities. Indeed, Sister Cleusa’s story reflects the sacrifice and dedication of those who dedicate their lives to the service of others in the most remote and challenging regions of the world.
This visit to the Augustinian Recollect communities of the Amazon is intended to be a sign of closeness, fraternity and a renewed commitment of the Order to missionary work in one of the most challenging and significant regions of the world.
