By: Fr. Raimundo Nonato Rocha dos Santos, mccj
The Comboni missionaries arrived in Manaus, Amazonia, Brazil, in 2006, and the Archdiocese of Manaus, on December 13 of that year, entrusted them with the pastoral care of a peripheral mission area in the city neighbourhood of Monte das Oliveiras.
In Brazil, mission areas differ from parishes both in the missionary spirit that animates them and in their organisation. A mission area does not have a ‘mother church’, being composed of autonomous communities that live in communion. The Monte das Oliveiras community brings together fifteen communities and is known by the name of the neighbourhood.
Earlier this year, the fifteen communities, gathered in a council, began a decision-making process aimed at gathering information, evaluating alternatives and making a final choice in order to make the best possible decision on who could be the ‘Patron Saint’ of their mission area. On August 26, most of the communities chose St. Daniel Comboni, and the Auxiliary Bishop of Manaus, Mgr. Zenildo Lima da Silva validated the choice.
The communities are now preparing to celebrate the first feast of their Patron Saint, on October 10, the liturgical memorial (for them the ‘feast’) of St. Daniel Comboni. Today in Brazil there are three parishes (Guriri, in the State of Espírito Santo; Salvador, in the State of Bahia; São Luís, in the State of Maranhão) and a missionary area that have St. Daniel Comboni as their patron. There are also many Christian communities that proudly bear the name of this saint and missionary prophet.
We believe that through the intercession of St. Daniel Comboni, our missionary service rendered to these communities will be able to grow in fidelity to the charism of the Founder for the good of the people of this region, entrusted to the pastoral care of our Institute.
