The Vatican Press Office has announced the appointment of Fr. Pedro Alexandre Simões Gouveia Fernandes, C.S.Sp., of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), as Bishop of the Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco, Portugal.
All the roads of young Catholics have come to Portugal. The World Youth Days bring together more than a million young people, many of whom have travelled thousands of kilometres to get here. You can see the dark circles under their eyes from the tiredness and sleep they have accumulated. We hear voices speaking languages…
Our confreres in Europe are being faithful to our Spiritan charism as they put themselves at the service of the refugees knowing that they are helping them to survive and sort out their lives.
The 150th anniversary of the Spiritan presence in Portugal was an occasion to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion and to look at the future with hope. “Joyful in hope” (Rom 12,12) was the motto chosen for the anniversary.
The Spiritans in Portugal have just published a new issue of “Missão Espiritana” dedicated to the late Fr. José Manuel Sabença.