What is most impressive about Brazil is the immensity of its territory: three times bigger than Europe, it is difficult to imagine how many times bigger than Italy. 
Entering the country, I couldn't stop admiring both by air and by car, the tremendous beauty of its sights and its tropical forest that extends up to the horizon.
Another particularity of Brazil is the configuration of the land. Most of the territory is formed by little elevations. Because of this there are major problems in the streets which were constructed according to the malformation of the fields; the heavy stones which some times are out of place causes many dangerous maneuvers when you are driving ending in fatal accidents.
The state of Goias where the Marian Friary of our Mission is established is located in the heart of the country. It is not near the sea, but is in a high valley at approximately three thousand feet. During the year, long periods of rain alternates with hot period of dryness, combined with a very low percentage of humidity.
The area, in which the House of the Franciscans of the Immaculate is located, follows precisely this characteristic. I remember that in the suffocating August of that year, by the effect of the heat, my skin began to stretch itself and my mouth and eyes were more open than usual. But as compensation, my rheumatism and its side effects, disappatred surprisingly. For this reasons I think that the Brazilian climate is very healthy, good for everybody, including… mental illness.
A Marian presence in development  |
The Brazilian Mission of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, consists at the present time by three priest, two priests and one religious brother, and some young aspirants. Of the priests, one is from Italy (Fr. Domenico, who is the Superior of the Mission and the Parish Priest) and the other two are from Philippines (Fr. Emmanuel, Vicar of the Mission and Fr. Joseph who is the Director of the youth in formation).The only House of the Friars is situated in a high valley, around 19 miles from Anapolis City, which is one of the most important cities in the state of Goias. The friary has the structure of a monastery, which includes two major cloisters that invites one to prayer and recollection. It is truly the ideal place for religious life and formation. I can foresee, that our Brazilian Mission and this Friary will be blessed with many vocations; so numerous, that would be necessary to build another bigger than this one. Brazil is in need of many "laborers of our Lord", of many Franciscans of the Immaculate, carrying to all corners of the country a renewed Franciscan spirit, which is sadly ruined and distorted by the plague of the "theology of liberation", that made Brazil for many years a vanguard of theological errors.
The presence of the Sisters in this Mission is very precious. They arrived in Brazil on September the 14th of 1994. Today they have two separate communities: one located in Miranapolis, a town next to that of the Friars', and the other in the Parish of Anapolis. Mother M. Bernardina, small in stature, but wise in every way, has been entrusted the mission and the formation of vocations, with the help of the other five Sisters. The House of formation accommodates a good number of Brazilian girls, while others come periodically for the weekend or for some certain amount of time to have an experience of the life. For the Sisters too, I foresee a flowering of vocations without limits, essential premise for every other spiritual goods and for all apostolic works of the Mission. Pastoral Work Our Friars made their entry in 1992. Today, with the help of the Sisters of the Immaculate, they are involved in many different fields of the apostolate, and from a few years ago, they are in charge of the pastoral labor of the Anapolis Parish, which comprises of about 40,000 souls. The care of souls as the primary goal of the apostolate is a very difficult and delicate matter. But what really causes difficulty in the pastoral work of the Franciscans of the Immaculate is the strong presence of protestant churches. In fact, in the area of the Parish there are 25 chapels of protestant of various denominations. The presence of Protestants in Brazil is a reality that is sptreading rapidly through the passing of time. In the city of Brasilia only, there are about 100 churches of different denominations. You can see them in every corner. This tells something about people who are more attracted to the "sensational", to the "different" and "novelty". It is the "fever for the new", of which Saint Paul speaks of. Man having lost the concept and the sense of the true Faith, he goes in search of external signs, of extraordinary facts and miracles in order to believe. In this light, we can understand why we see spreading very fast, in the midst of the Catholic Church, a catholic movement called "Charismatics". You can see them normally in every parish. Even though they appear to orient the soul toward the true Faith and spiritual values, nonetheless they are incapable still of bringing the soul to its full spiritual development. The faithful remains in the spiritual infant state, and who inordinately attached to external form of prayer, songs and bodily movements which only fill the human feelings and providing a solid foundation in the true Faith. Many young people today, above all in those countries where this type of movement is developing, fail to respond to the call of vocation in the religious state, because when they experience the consecrated life, they miss that rhythm, that form of satisfying only the senses causing an impediment in a deeper spiritual growth of their souls.
Preferential Option Another reality of our Brazilian Mission, is that one which is the most beautiful of its apostolates: working for the poor. The preferential option made by the Franciscans of the Immaculate, the end of the beginning of the Mission, is to give priority to the poor, the ones who count nothing before human eyes.These poor ones represent a portion of the Parish, which we call "Green Arch" and are about 10,000 inhabitants. It is in this area, in the context of the marginalized and the poorest of the poor, that mission of the Franciscans of the Immaculate is focused.
In the near future it is planned to have the construction of a Chapel and the opening of a social work. The Chapel will be dedicated to "Bl. Pío of Pietrelcina", who was beatified and soon will be a canonized model of the Church. We will build it in the top of "Green Arch", like a lighthouse of light and hope for the poor people.This social work consists in the construction of a building (which is under construction, but was suspended for lack of financial means), for a little Catholic elementary school, a little gymnasium and a permanent ambulatory. Everything will be given to the free disposition of the little children. It's a beautiful work of charity. We invite you to support it and to sustain it.  Radio of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Another option made by the Franciscans of the Immaculate, the finality of the Brazilian Mission, was the acquisition of a radio station. Brazil is a country plagued by all sorts of religion. In practice, we can differentiate two blocks: one being the Catholic Church and the other group, the protestant, fundamentalist sects, the spiritists, and other local religions that combat furiously against the Catholic Church. In this battle field the media plays a principal role in the propagation and affirmation of the truth of the Catholic Faith.
It has been a great victory for the Franciscans of the Immaculate and for the local Catholic Church to have a radio station that helps Catholics preserve the faith and diffused the truth among those in error. The radio that the Friars direct has been transformed into a precious instrument of evangelization. It is the only Catholic radio station in the entire state of Goias. It transmits, during the whole day, programs exclusively of religious character. And it is without doubt the lighthouse that helps overcome error of all nature and a secure barrier against the advances of evil in all its forms. It is not a coincidence that the name of the radio station is "Voice of the Immaculate Heart of Mary". The battle to propagate the only truth established in Brazil and in many other parts of the world it is none other than the battle of the Immaculate. To her is given by God the power to destroy all enemies, all heresies of the world, to crush to head of the evil one. Even though our communication media cannot be compared to the powerful one of the enemies of the Church, we have the certainty that trusting above all in the victorious force of the Immaculate, we will win with Her all battles for God.
Let us do our little part in being "docile instruments" in Her Immaculate hands.
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