In addition to the Rector Major, the Symposium was also attended by the Superior of the Salesian Mission of Mato Grosso, Fr Ricardo Carlos, and the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuiabá, Archbishop Mário Antônio da Silva, as well as missionaries working in Mato Grosso and the Amazon, who presented the various aspects of missionary life in the 21st century.

After listening to the testimonies of Salesians and lay people working in the missionary programs related to Salesian houses, the Cardinal reflected on his own journey and expressed gratitude for having had experiences that he would never have imagined. "The important thing is to trust in God and be open to the surprises that life holds for us. My appointment as Rector Major and also as Cardinal was something unexpected and also a vivid testimony of the constant presence of God in my life" he said.

Addressing the young people present, the Rector Major encouraged them to have God at the centre of their lives. “God's presence guarantees true happiness, even in the face of life's uncertainties and challenges. Therefore, trust in Divine Providence and serve with joy and dedication" he said.

During the symposium, the Provincial of BCG, his Vice-Provincial, Fr Ademir Oliveira, the Provincial Economer, Fr Erondi Tamandaré, the Provincial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of Belo Horizonte Brazil, Sister Teresinha Ambrosim, the Archbishop of Cuiabá, and the former students of UniSALESIANO, Letícia Baraúna da Silva and Guilherme Ribeiro Bassan, who participated in the missionary volunteer program of UniSALESIANO in 2022, also took the floor.

In the afternoon, the Cardinal concluded his visit to the BCG Province with a solemn celebration in the Cathedral Basilica of the Bom Jesus in Cuiabá. The Mass, concelebrated by the Metropolitan Archbishop, was attended by a large number of ecclesiastical and civil authorities, as well as the faithful of various parishes in the region.

Before the start of the Mass, the 10th Successor of Don Bosco, together with the other concelebrants, went to the Crypt of the Cathedral for a moment of prayer at the tombs of important religious figures in local history, including Archbishops Carlos Luiz D’Amour and Francisco de Aquino Corrêa.

The Holy Mass then began with the hymn "March of the Church", which brought together seminarians, Salesian brothers and sisters and lay faithful from various parishes. Civil authorities were also present, including the Governor of Mato Grosso, Mauro Mendes, along with other deputies and senators.

In his homily, the Rector Major expressed his gratitude for the welcome and stressed the importance of the Salesian presence in Mato Grosso in all these 130 years of history. He then invoked God's blessing so that this mission can continue to carry out a path of witness and service in the region and especially thanked the laity for their role in evangelisation and social services for the most needy.

The Mass ended with the solemn coronation of the statue of Our Lady by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime.

Monique Bueno and Euclid Brites

Source: BCG Province

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