Sunday, April 21st, was a party day at Jardim das Pastorinhas, in São Paulo. Feast of the Church, IV Sunday of Easter, when the Feast of Jesus the Good Shepherd and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations are traditionally celebrated, and Feast of the Pauline Family, which came together to joyfully celebrate the Pastoral Charisma, legacy of the Blessed Tiago Alberione to all the Institutes of the Family he founded.
The Eucharistic Celebration was presided over by Father Francisco Galvão, ssp, with the presence of numerous Paulines – priests, brothers and seminarians – as well as representatives of the Paulines, Pious Disciples of the Divine Master, Cooperators, lay men and women friends of the Little Shepherds who wanted to celebrate with us this important Festival. It was a prayerful and very fraternal celebration, where we were able to share the joy of the fraternal communion that unites us.
Like the Good Shepherd, who gives his life for the sheep, we too, as the Pauline Family, consecrate ourselves to give our lives in service to the Kingdom of God, in the different charisms that Alberione thought for the Church, always with the pastoral spirit as its hallmark.
The theme of the 61st World Day of Prayer for Vocations was: “Called to sow hope and build peace”. A great appeal from Pope Francis, at a time when disillusionment and war seem to be something almost “normal”. We pray together for vocations, so that as consecrated men and women through baptism, we can be instruments of the true peace that comes from the Resurrected Christ!
Sr. Cristiane Ribeiro, sjbp
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