The North-East today: Who is the indigenous Salesian Fr Justino?
I was born in a town called Onça Igarapé, located in the district of Pari Cachoeira (Alto Río Negro), Amazonia, Brazil. I was a student of the Pari Cachoeira internship from 1970 to 1979 and I started my vocation to Salesian life in the Salesian Vocational Center of Manaus. After my initial formation, I was ordained a priest on June 2, 1994, in the Salesian mission of Pari Cachoeira.
What were the locations of your pastoral work?
For a time I worked in the Salesian Mission of Iauaretê, in the region of Alto Río Negro, where I began to live my priestly life with the indigenous peoples of Tucano, Tariano, Tuiuca, Piratapuia, Dessano, Uianano, Cubeu and Rupita. With these populations I started to dream and to put into practice my desire to make the celebration of the Masses different, to create songs in the toucan language, to find biblical texts for the Eucharist. We, as indigenous peoples, have begun to introduce our symbols, musical instruments and rhythms. It was a very important moment for my priestly life.
Have you also worked with the Ianomami natives?
After I worked in Yauaretê, I was sent to the Salesian Mission of Marauiá, with the Ianomami people, where I helped with education, catechesis and the initiation of the sacraments.
How did you start participating in the Synod?
In February 2018, I received an invitation to be part of the group of experts and to start writing the first texts for the process of preparing the Synod for the Amazon. The missionary practice and the difficulties I encountered, the search for solutions and the challenges, persuaded the organizers to the possibility that I participate as a collaborator of the Synod.
What do the people of the Amazon expect from this Synod?
The Synod awakens in the Amazonian people expectations, new dreams and hopes, new commitments, new attention to the issues raised during the listening sessions. The Synod is a prophetic voice that says: the world needs our attention and greater commitment. In fact, we need to review some attitudes, see if they are in agreement with God's Plan. This Synod calls for the attention of the whole world, of States and of continents.
