From May 23 to June 10, 2018, Sr. Maria Landsberger (delegate of the Provincial Superior Sr. Helga Weidemann SAC) and Sr. Ingrid Schuler (mission procurator of the German Province) visited the two communities of our Sisters in the North East of Brazil, in Codó and Timbiras. They are a small group of 6 native Sisters. Two novices are actually in the international Novitiate in Tanzania. The Sisters stayed for several days in each of the two communities, visiting their places of apostolate and having meetings with the Sisters, with the Pallottine Fathers and with the Bishop Dom Sebastião Bandeira Coelho.
The Sisters work in three parishes, two of them are Pallottine. They are engaged in the coordination of the Parish catechesis, in pastoral ministry of the elderly and mourning care; they participate in the UAC groups of the parishes and represent our Congregation in the National Coordination Council of the UAC. One sister is committed giving courses for catechists and community leaders in the distant Christian communities in the villages, travelling on difficult roads on every kind of transport. Besides the pastoral work they are responsible for two Pallottine social projects with adolescents and youth in the periphery of Codó and Teresina, where unemployment and drugs threaten the society. To cover their cost of living two of the Sisters work as teachers, and one of them in the ambulant municipal health service.
In general, life is hard for people in the State of Maranhão, considered as one of the poorest in Brazil. Political corruption and violence (mostly caused by drug addiction) go hand-in-hand with the hospitable, open-hearted and simple culture of the joyful people.
The Brazilian Church is very active in promoting the laity, as missionary disciples. This year of 2018 is dedicated to the theme: Christian laity, men and women, protagonists of a “Church which goes forth” in service of the Kingdom of God – “Laity, salt of the earth and light of the world”! – (It seems that St. Vincent Pallotti has whispered into the ears of the Brazilian Bishops!)
We ask for your prayers, that our Brazilian Sisters can continue to faithfully fulfill their missionary call in this region, as consecrated women among the people of God.
Sr. Maria Landsberger SAC
