22 july, 2009
August’s International Pilgrimage will be presided over by the Most Rev. Alessandro Carmelo Ruffinoni, Auxiliary Bishop of Porto Alegre, Brazil, who is in charge of the Pastoral Ministry for Brazilians living abroad. Regarding his second visit to Portugal and Fatima, Bishop Riffinoni speaks to the Shrine of Fatima about the invitation to preside over this pilgrimage and announces the special prayer intentions he brings with him as pilgrim to this shrine: “I’m going to Fatima to be near the Portuguese emigrants spread throughout the entire world, to meet the considerable community of Brazilians residing in Portugal, and also to take with me the sentiments of love towards Our Mother, Mary Most Holy. I have much to thank Mary for and also to ask Her intercession for our Archdiocese of Porto Alegre, which will soon begin - in the month of August - the celebration of its centennial. I bring with me the Vicariate of Gravataí, where I reside, together its people, partially made up of laborers and internal migrants, to ask Our Lady to bless us and grants us the grace to be a good shepherd, as Her Son Jesus was”. As the person in charge of the pastoral ministry for migrants in Brazil, Bishop Ruffinoni explains the phenomenon, focusing specially in Portugal and Brazil, and dares to deal with the most problematical questions posed by the migratory phenomena: “The migrant shouldn’t be looked upon as a problem by both the Church and the State. In the Church there are no foreigners. She is like a mother who welcomes, loves and values everyone, because they are all her sons and daughters. The father of migrants, John Baptist Scalabrini used to say: “…man migrates, guided by Providence…” The migrants are often an occasion for communion, dialogue, integration. They not only need to be welcomed and given work, but, in turn, they bring with them a riches of faith, culture and traditions that enrich the people who receive them”. At the end of the short interview, done through the Internet, Bishop Ruffinoni leaves a greeting and grants a blessing to all Brazilians residing in Portugal. |
