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Diocese of Viseu may have two future priests who, last weekend, became acolytes. Alexandre Ribeiro and Eduardo Abrantes received the ministry in the parishes of Rio de Loba (Viseu) and Junqueira (Vale de Cambra)
At a time when the Catholic Church is experiencing several challenges, the Diocese of Viseu may have two future priests who, last weekend, became acolytes.
The young interns Alexandre Ribeiro and Eduardo Abrantes received the ministry in the parishes of Rio de Loba (Viseu) and Junqueira (Vale de Cambra), respectively, in what is another step on the path for young people to “become future priests” of the Diocese from Viseu.
Quoted in a note from the Diocese, Alexandre Ribeiro and Eduardo Abrantes say that they are “following their path” to become “priests close to people, with openness, presence and listening to bring Jesus to everyone”.
The two young people, who completed their Master’s degree in Theology in Braga, lived at the Interdiocesan Seminary of São José, in Braga, and are facing ordination as a deacon and, later, a priest. They also want to be “committed to their communities, contributing to a living Church open to all”.
The bishop of Viseu, D. António Luciano, said that young people now have the responsibility of “helping priests and deacons in carrying out their functions and distributing holy communion to the faithful, including the sick, as an extraordinary minister.” .
Alexandre Ribeiro, 28 years old, is from Destriz, in the municipality of Oliveira de Frades, and is now doing his pastoral internship in Rio de Loba (Viseu). Since he was little, he remembers enjoying going to mass and Sunday school. But it was through the São Paulo Group, which brings together young people and adults over 18 years old, that he approached the path of seminary student.
In September 2017, Alexandre Ribeiro entered the Interdiocesan Seminary of São José, in Braga. Now, he says he is having “an interesting experience, in contact with communities”.
Eduardo Abrantes, 25 years old and born in Cunha Baixa (municipality of Mangualde), also says that he always went to mass “with pleasure”. However, he admits that the “awakening to the priestly vocation” happened when there was a change of parish priest.
“We had a very elderly priest and then another arrived, just ordained, and the whole parish flourished”, he says. In 2009, Eduardo began participating in Pre-Seminary meetings and, in 2014, he entered the Seminary, where he studied Theology. Since September last year, he has been doing an internship in nine parishes in the municipalities of Vale de Cambra and São Pedro do Sul.
“It’s been a very good experience. I help with the celebration of the Eucharist, being an acolyte at Mass, I accompany the catechists and I am responsible for the youth group in the Parish of Junqueira”, he says, highlighting the good reception he received from both the parishioners and the priests who accompany him.
Regarding the challenges that the Catholic Church faces today, the future priests highlight the need to involve more young people and involve families, taking into account the social unrest that they consider to be “an obstacle to creating bonds with the community itself”.
And they advise other young people “not to be afraid to follow their own path and vocation and to take risks”.
