Brazil - "Scattered blood continues to give life in God": Rector Major in land of martyrs

26 April 2019

(ANS – Meruri) - The Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, continues his visit of animation in the Salesian Province of Campo Grande - Salesian Mission of Mato Grosso. From 23 to 27 April, he visited the cities and mission areas. In fact, on 24 and 25 April he was in the indigenous community of Meruri. He was received by the Bororo with the "Oiego" dance, which expresses welcome, and the "Jure" dance, which shows the joy that people live in receiving him in their lands.

The X Successor of Don Bosco arrived accompanied by his secretary, Fr Horacio Lopez, and by the Regional Councilor of America South Cone, Fr Natale Vitali. Later the Bororo, as per their customs, painted the faces of the visitors.

The Cacique de Meruri, José Mário, declared: "It is an honor to receive the X successor of Don Bosco. I think Don Bosco lives with us in this indigenous community. For us it is a dream that his children generate this seed of peace. At the height of the process for the martyrdom of Father Rodolfo and Simão Bororo there is an alliance between the indigenous and the Salesians, men and women religious, in this work of missionary itinerancy and I believe that the visit to our people is a cause for great celebration and joy, of feelings that weave Salesian life with our life."

The first stage of the visit to the missionary land ended with a prayer in the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with the presence of the Salesian director of San Marcos and Meruri, Father Andelson de Oliveira, volunteers, indigenous leaders, young people on a vocational journey, of the Lauritas Sisters and of the Salesians who work in the missions. "The spilled blood continues to produce lives in God", was the message left by the tenth successor of Don Bosco

During the dialogue with the Salesians, Fr Á. F. Artime said: "More than knowing these places, I want to touch the land of our martyrs and live the culture of peoples. I was able to visit parishes, schools and have the opportunity to meet sisters and brothers who live, work and give life in these communities. In the Vatican we are seen as a Missionary Congregation. The Salesian charism is truly missionary, pastoral and educational. We have more or less 3,000 Salesian missionaries working in mission areas. In the history of the Congregation it is possible to calculate an average of 14,000 missionaries who have dedicated their lives in mission lands. I am convinced that we Salesians of Don Bosco, with the help of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and the Laurite Sisters, must think of the poorest on the peripheries of the world."

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