Where Rivers Become Roads…
Brazil
Originally Published on OMIWORLD.ORG
Click here to see the Article en Español
By Jorge ALBERGATI, OMI, General Councilor for Latin America
October is approaching, a month known as Missionary Month because World Mission Sunday is celebrated in many places. This special day unites Catholics around the world in prayer, solidarity, and support for the Church’s missionary efforts. This year, Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the words of the Gospel: “Go out and invite everyone to the banquet… Go out to the crossroads and invite all you find.”For those of us who are part of the Oblate charismatic family, these words resonate deeply, reminding us of the missionaries across five continents who respond to the call from Luke 4:16-18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; He has sent me to proclaim good news to the poor.” We feel called not only to pray for them but also to stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable Churches in need.
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Brazilian Amazon, specifically Manaus and its surrounding areas. In the heart of the jungle, I encountered a vibrant Church, with laypeople committed to various ministries and young people dedicated to the mission. In this region, where there are almost no roads, the rivers are literally the streets, as one local resident told me. If the rains fail and the rivers recede, life stops: people cannot work, study, access healthcare, or receive food. The rivers are the lifeblood of these communities.
As “Pilgrims of Hope,” the missionaries strive to reach these remote areas at least once a month. These visits are moments of fraternity, where they meet with young people, catechists, and community leaders, visit the sick, and celebrate the sacraments. In these places, “going out to the crossroads,” as the Gospel says, means navigating the rivers where life flows with great energy—always with a deep respect, aware that we are the strangers in these lands.
This October, may we all renew our missionary vocation, open to new possibilities and attentive to the Holy Spirit, who continues to invite us to go out to the crossroads and rivers of the world. Let us accept life as it comes and invite others to join in the banquet that awaits us.
J