Brazil
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Population: 160.3 million
Life expectancy males/females: 64/70 years
Infant mortality rate: 44.4‰
Illiteracy: 17.6% |
Religions: Christian 106 million; Protestants
7.9%, Spiritists 1.5%; Oriental churches 03%; Jewish .1%.
Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
GDP per capita: US $3,590 (1995) |
District of Brazil Central
The confreres of the District of Brazil Central are practically
all involved in parochial ministry. These parishes were taken on
when the District was involved in the formation of Spiritans, the
reason for the foundation of the District in 1948. When in 1968,
all the students left, o Later on, the district began to collaborate
with formation again with a view to the Brazilian Province, from
the financial point of view as well as that of personnel, but without
direct responsibility for the houses. On many occasions the Province
has expressed its appreciation for this solidarity and how important
the witness and friendship of the elders are for the new generations.
District of Brazil Southeast
The district of Brazil Southeast is the most recently created district
in Brazil (1975). Because it did not receive any more first appointments
and by the fact that some of its members returned to Portugal or
went to other districts or even died, it is reduced to a small number
of confreres (9), who nevertheless keep the missionary flame alight,
with commitments in Baixada Fluminense, on the outskirts of the
city of Rio de Janeiro and in Catanduva in the interior of the State
of Sao Paulo. The general atmosphere and spirit of the group are
good. Spiritan friendship reigns among all and all help each other.
District of Brazil Southwest
The members of the District work mostly on the periphery of the
great cities, especially Sao Paulo, Rio and Recife, to which there
is a big migration from the Northeast of Brazil, devastated by drought.
Two of the confreres work in projects of the Brazilian Province,
one in the Brazilian north-east and another in a house of formation.
The confreres have taken up specific pastoral works such as Youth,
Favelas, Counselling, Retreats, Justice and Peace, Indians, etc.
All of these works are undertaken in dialogue with the district
and have the support of the group. Not wishing to be disconnected
from the work with base communities, all make an effort to be connected
with a little parish, with at least two or three small communities.
This combination is beneficial, not only for the confrere, but also
for the small community or the parish in question.
(Read a biography of George Boran
form the Brazil Southwest district)
District of Amazonia
The District of Amazonia is in fact an international group. In the
Prelature of Tefé there are 5 Dutch,
2 Brazilians, two French, one German,
one Portorican, and one Capeverdian.
Two of the Dutch live outside the area of the district, one in Belem
do Para and the other in Fortaleza, state of Ceara.
After a hundred years since the arrival of the Spiritans in Tefé
the district reaffirmed in chapter that the group is at the service
of the Prelature, and that this is its missionary commitment. The
priorities of the Church in Tefé are the priorities of the
district. Among these priorities, impressive in Tefé is what
has been invested and continues to be invested in the formation
of the lay people, side by side with an increasing engagement in
vocation animation and in the formation of a local clergy. All pastoral
action is marked by the justice and peace dimension, since the construction
of the Christian community is to form citizens who know how to fight
for their rights and above all, defend nature, which in the Amazon
is of particular exuberance, but constantly threatened.
Links:
Brazil Youth Centre
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