Ministries

Pastoral Ministries

Throughout the last thirty years all of the sisters have been accompanying Basic Christian Communities (CEB’S). These communities do not have resident priests. Pastoral work usually involves the formation and support of lay leaders in catechism, liturgical celebrations, sacramental preparations, home visits, Bible courses, etc. As has been the practice since we began missionary work here in Brazil, we help in the formation of the laity so that they eventually assume pastoral leadership in their respective communities.  

Currently Sisters Margie Buttitta, Elenice Natal de Lima and Maura Clerkin accompany small church communities in a large network of 24+ communities in the periphery of Trindade, on the outskirts of Goiânia in the state of Goiás.  They participate in pastoral councils, liturgy preparations, leadership formation of the laity, home visits, etc.

 Sister Katey Dougan has also accompanied several church communities in the relatively new state of Tocantins.  On December 4, 2004, encouraged by the call of the Conference of Religious, Sister Katey, Margaret Noser (a Franciscan Sister of Mary Immaculate), and an Irish lay person, Geraldine Cahir began an experience in intercongregational living. They initiated their pastoral ministries in P.A. Manchete, which is one of the largest home settlements in the rural interior with a population of 385 families. They visit several other settlements in other rural areas and accompany their communities in religious studies/catechism; liturgy celebrations, etc.

 Sister Helen Regan, who lives in a slum community in the periphery of São Paulo, also engages in pastoral activities besides directing the project “Bem Me Quer” (Wish Me Well) for HIV/AIDS carriers.

 Margaret Hosty, along with her work in AAVE for HIV/AIDS carriers, is the Center West Regional Coordinator of the “Pastoral da Aids” which is  a Catholic Church national project for awareness, prevention and empowering of others in education about HIV/ AIDS and sexually transmitted infections.  Sister Suely Marinho de Sousa carries out AIDS pastoral activities in the Archdiocese of Goiânia.  

 Pastoral Ministries – Response to Social Realities

All of the sisters in Brazil work in Pastoral Ministries, which have a social dimension and address social problems. Thus they strive to bring about a World Healed, Unified and Transformed (Abbot Bautain).

 AIDS

The “AAVE” Group – AIDS, SUPPORT, LIFE, HOPE – was founded in Goiânia, Goiás, at the end of 1995, when a small group of people with a similar vision, joined Sister Margaret Hosty to respond to the pleas and cries of carriers of the HIV virus and people living with AIDS. Grupo AAVE is a registered not-for-profit, non-governmental organization. The members of the group are religious and laity. Some of the members are carriers of the HIV virus and all are men and women in solidarity with those who are living with HIV/AIDS.  The AAVE Group offers services, courses, opportunities and activities to carriers of the virus so as to build their self-esteem and enable them to become self-sustaining.  Sister Suely Marinho de Sousa works full time and Sister Margie Buttitta offers arts and crafts classes and helps with the AAVE Recycling Project as a part time volunteer.

 Helen Regan has been living and working in São Paulo among those affected by HIV and AIDS since 1993. She is now in Perus (São Paulo) which is surrounded by shanty towns.  Many people there were dying of Aids in complete abandonment. Helen invited some people to begin helping those infected. Thus began the Bem-Me-Quer-Project (Wish Me Well) on December 1, 1996.  The project is a civil, non-profit, philanthropic entity, based on an ecumenical spirituality and directed toward people with HIV/AIDS. The project includes social work, home and hospital visits, building and repairing houses, prevention, orientation regarding taking medication, yoga, individual massage, psychological and educational workshops for children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as professional courses on arts and crafts, bakery, hairdressing and computers.

 Counseling and Prison Ministy

Sister Maura Clerkin works as a councilor in the community and also does counseling in a nearby recovery farm for drug/alcohol users.  She also is involved in prison ministry which entails visits with prisoners and their families and promotion and defense of prisoners’ rights.

 Education

Many of the sisters in our Brazilian Region taught in municipal and state schools especially in the early years. They took on classes in English, Art Education and Religion. Our Brazilian sister Elenice Natal de Lima, however, has been working in the public education network for over 25years. She began in 1979 in a rural municipal school teaching students of the 1^st to the 4^th grades together in a small grass shack in the interior of Colméia, Goiás. Since then she has taught several grades in other schools. She is currently teaching a 4^th grade in the afternoons and English to high school teenagers and adults.

 Primary Health Care

Sister Katey Dougan has been working in the National Project of Primary Health Care (Pastoral da Criança) for mothers and young children. The project trains leaders to visit, accompany and educate groups of mothers.  Katey and her community leaders also work with the elderly.

 Women

Sister Margie Buttitta has been working with woman’s groups since 1992. She believes that woman, especially housewives and those who do not have full time employment, are enhanced in their self esteem etc. by belonging to a group where they can better learn health of body, mind and spirit. She currently accompanies a group in her neighborhood, which meets at least once a week.  The women are encouraged to form new friendships, strengthen their leadership qualities, learn arts and crafts skills as well as other projects within the group and participate in community and or church activities.  They bring their young children, who are cared for during the session in a separate space so the women can better avail of their special time. She also accompanies an Alcoholics Anonymous group.