Strengthening the Mission in Northern Brazil: Visit of Sisters Dolores and Cristina

SISTERS DOLORES AND CRISTINA VISIT NORTHERN BRAZIL

From February 10 to March 1, the Superior General, Sr. Dolores Lahr, and the General Councilor, Sr. Maria Cristina Gavazzi, visited several communities of the Province of Brazil in the cities of Manaus (AM), Pacaraima (RR), and Marituba (PA), with a stop in São Paulo (SP). The purpose of the visit was to strengthen the bonds of communion and closeness with the communities.

During this time, the Sisters experienced moments of grace and deep meaning, marked by attentive listening, fraternal sharing, and a concrete experience of missionary life in the heart of the Amazon.

In Manaus, they were able to encounter the “sacred ground” of the East Zone, especially the Ternura de Deus Mission Area, where the São José Community is located. They also visited the Novo Horizonte occupation and met with Indigenous, Venezuelan, and Haitian communities, as well as some riverine communities.

The journey across the Negro and Solimões rivers, made by ferry and boat, provided an opportunity to closely contemplate the beauty, cultural richness, and at the same time, the challenges that shape the Amazonian reality.

The Sisters’ presence was further enriched by the fraternal partnership and friendship of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, as well as by the local community leaders, who welcomed everyone with great generosity.

We thank God for these meaningful days, which renewed our hope, strengthened our communion, and reaffirmed our commitment to the mission among the different communities and the peoples of the Amazon.

Sr. Rosa Maria Porangaba