Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
foto Luis Miguel Modino
Cachoeira (Agenzia Fides) - Saturday 17 March was a historic day of profound joy in the Brazilian diocese of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, for the priestly ordination of Fr. Geraldo Trindade Montenegro, first priest of the Baniwa people, one of the 23 indigenous peoples present in the diocese. The event was prepared with care by the entire diocesan community, some traveled several days to participate in the celebration, which was presided by the Bishop, Mgr. Monseñor Edson Damian. In the liturgy, lived with great emotion and participation by all, some elements of indigenous spirituality were included, deeply linked to Christian life.
The new priest, Fr. Geraldo, was born in the community of Araripirá Cachoeira, on the Ayarí river, a border region between Brazil and Colombia. After his formation at the inter-diocesan Seminary of Manaus, he worked as a deacon for just over a year in his parish of origin, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción del Río Içana, where he will now continue his mission as a parish priest.
In a conversation with Agenzia Fides, Fr. Geraldo confides that he decided to become a priest as "an answer to a need of our region, where there is a lack of priests. At the beginning I felt called by this, but with time I discovered that being a priest is much more. To be a priest is to become the presence of Jesus in the daily world".
The same Fr. Geraldo asked the Bishop to work in his region, despite the initial fear of not being accepted in his land. In fact, "if they welcomed me" he added, "I think it will be easier for me to talk with my people and show them that a priest is another member of the community and not one who decides and commands or responds to everything, which unfortunately was very present in our Catholic evangelization".
The Baniwa people are living this moment with great joy and hope, as many catechists have told Fides. Many people in the region have difficulty understanding Portuguese and expressing themselves in this language, so they cannot understand the depth and meaning of what they pray or hear in the biblical text. For this reason, the arrival of someone who expresses himself in their language, is a sign of hope for a region where the presence of priests has been sporadic and transitory for a long time.
The diocese of São Gabriel de Cachoeira, on the border between Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, is the diocese with the highest percentage of the indigenous population, which exceeds 90%. It has an area of 293,000 square kilometers and 23 indigenous peoples who speak 18 languages live there, three of which are official in the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Tukano, Baniwa and Nheengatú. (LMM) (Agenzia Fides, 21/03/2018)
