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This is the Theme of the last Fraternity Campaign that
was realised by the Church in the whole of Brazil, to
make known its great wealth and to better respond to the
challenges of Evangelisation in Brazilian Amazonia. The
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary have been sharing the
life and mission in this land since1925.
Since several years, the parish of San Antonio in Manaus,
has been carrying out a missionary work together with
the four local communities on the banks of the River
Negro, an hour and a half by launch. Sister Conceiçao
Mendonça is part of the Missionary Team together with a
priest and several lay people from the parish. She
related to us the last visit to these communities that
took place in November.
“Once more the missionaries set out for Rio Negro with
the aim of bringing the Good News to the occupants of
the river bank. On arriving at the place, the Team
divided up among various communities to prepare the
faithful for the Sacraments, having also the Celebration
of the Word that day. In one of the communities there
was a disagreement among the inhabitants, for whom,
therefore, our mission was also to be agents of peace
and reconciliation. This time we had no priest with us
for he had taken on the pastoral ministry for a few
months in a neighbouring diocese which lacked priests.
At this period of drought the water level in the rivers
is greatly diminished and in some places boats cannot
reach the Community, so that means a lot of walking is
necessary; climbing up and down was an exercise that was
not lacking, but the desire to meet our brothers and
sisters was more than our fatigue. We arrived in the
Community, dialogued together, reflected and prayed.
This missionary work will continue and we hope that the
Reign of God will spread among these people, that the
Lord will act in every heart and will cause all desire
for vengeance that is shown in those involved in
conflicts to disappear.
“the
harvest is great but the labourers are few”
Conceiçao Mendonça, fmm
Description of the photos
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The missionary team travelling
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A canoe, the most common means of transport through
the Amazonian rivers
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Sr. Conceiçao with the Team, using life belts and
disembarking on the bank of the River Negro
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Climbing and descending the ravines in order to
reach the town
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Visiting the Community’s neighbours
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The missionary Team gathers the Community together
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A moment of prayer in the chapel built by the people
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Sr. Conceiçao proclaims the Gospel during a
Celebration of the Word
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The missionaries and the Community meet to reflect
on the Word.
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