Our experience from Brasil
Fr. Jose Valluran
We are happy to write some thing about our diocese and our pastoral
activities here. Fr.Chalackal and myself came to this diocese after three months´ Portuguese language course in Brasilia,
the capital of Brazil, in November 2003.in Brasilia ,there were 31 missionaries and out them 10 were from India. of
which 3 fathers and three sisters were from Kerala. Now we are working in the diocese of Jales in the state of Sao Paulo.
It situates some 600.km, north -west of Sao Paulo and shares borders with the states mato grosso do sul and minas gerais.
The bishop is Dom demetrio, 64 and he is here for the
last 22 years. Here we have 24 priests including us. Of which 2 are Italians. There 16 Rev.sisters also. But all of them except
one are over 60.
Here all the fathers have many parishes and chapels to
attend to. As a result had to travel much to celebrate the holy mass. Chalackal has to travel at times 80 km for
mass and I have to travel 40 km.
I am now staying in fernandopolis with 4 other fathers
and Chalackal at auriflama with a father. The people here are more welcoming and do like the priests. The participation in
the church is almost satisfactory.
Now 2 fathers from Irinjalakuda--Fr.Kudiyirikkal and Fr.Davis
Thatil too had come here to work in this diocese.
After the easter we had a get together of the Indian priests working in Sao Paulo and in the near by states
and 22 of us participated in it.
So far our experiences here are good and hope we will have the same in the future
too.
