5 - Ministério Universidades Renovadas

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Author
Ivna Sá dos Santos, 38, married, is the mother of two daughters, and lives in Belo
Horizonte, Brazil. She was one of the pioneers of the Renewed Universities Ministry,
when it was still called "CCR and the University". She participated in a retreat that
represented the beginning of MUR at the Federal University of Viçosa in February 1994.
In 2004, at the 10th anniversary of the Renewed Universities, she launched the first
edition of the book "You Give Them Something to Eat", which gained immediate success
among university students and professionals from University Prayer Teams. She is
known as the "dreamer par excellence" for her charisma and for being someone who
truly believed in the dream of "filling the universities of the doctrine of Jesus." Ivna Sá
has a degree in Journalism, with Communication and Pastoral Specialization from the
Latin American Episcopal Council. She is also specialized in Marketing Strategy
Management, and has a Master's Degree in Media and Education from PUC-Minas. She
is a family photographer and a professor at undergraduate and graduate courses.
Nevertheless, her résumé would be worthless if God hadn't granted her the unique,
special gift of making people dream. This is the great synthesis of her life and of her
book.
Translators
Veridiana Lima Nilson is a teacher of Geography, having worked both in private and
state schools in São Paulo, Brazil. She has a degree in Geography from the State
University of Maringa, and a master degree from UNICAMP (Campinas State University)
where she is enrolled as a PhD candidate. Veridiana has been a member of RCC
Renewed Universities Ministry since 2000. She currently lives in Texas / USA. Her first
experience of translation was the book "You Give Them Something to Eat.”
Liège Frainer Barbosa is a language teacher (English and French) and a translator. She
has a degree in Language-Literature from PUC-RS, Brazil, a specialization in Higher
Education from ULBRA (Lutheran University of Brazil), and Translation Specialization
from the University Gama Filho, Rio de Janeiro. She has done editing work for the
Norwegian Journal of Philosophy, Tromso University, Norway, and is currently working
for Elsevier-Pharma as a translator. "You Give Them Something to Eat" is her second
book translated into English.
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Copyright © 2012 by Ivna Sá dos Santos
Cover photo: Fernanda Costa and Samantha Brettas
Book Cover Design: Samantha Brettas and Ivna Sá
Book Design: Lívia Duarte
Photos inside the book: Renewed Universities Files – Brazil
Photo of Ivna and her family: Eliane Samuel
Luquinha’s Art/ The Little Prince: Roberto Kintzel
Acknowledgements on the second edition: Fernanda Costa, Samantha Brettas, Rosiane
Souto, Elen Resende, Ierecê Gilberto, Felippe Nery, Veridiana Nilson, Liege Frainer
Barbosa, Roberto Kintzel, and Witamar Agostinho.
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Collaboration: Andiara Lino and Pollyanna Lara (Chapter 2), Brune Montalvão
(Chapter 18), Élen Resende and Fernando Galvani (Chapter 22), Ierecê Gilberto
(Chapter 22 and Appendix 5), Veridiana Nilson and Liege Frainer Barbosa
Theological revision: Antônio Jacaúna
Text editing (Portuguese edition): Éber Assis dos Santos and Vânia Maria Costa Sá
dos Santos
SANTOS, Ivna Sá. You Give Them Something to Eat: A Testimonial Historic Book of the
Renewed Universities. Belo Horizonte: 2012, 2nd edition.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.
Order: www.livroparasonhar.com.br
Contact: ivnasasantos@gmail.com.br
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A man from the village of Neguá, on the Colombian coast, could climb into the
skies. On his return, he described his trip. He told how he had contemplated human
life from up there. He said we look like a sea of tiny flames.“The world,” he revealed,
“is a heap of people, a sea of tiny flames.” Each person shines with his or her own light.
No two flames are alike.
There are big flames and little flames, flames of every color. Some people’s flames are
so still they don’t even flicker in the wind, while others have wild flames that fill the air
with sparks. Some foolish flames neither burn nor shed light, but others blaze with life
so fiercely that you can’t look at them without blinking, and if you approach them, you
shine in fire.
Eduardo Galeano
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“Since the results cannot be
measured in the short term, there could be an impression of failure and inefficiency.
However, this should not diminish the hope and commitment of Christians who work
in the university field, because, despite the difficulties, they are collaborating in the
evangelizing mission of the Church”.
Document of the Conference of Puebla, Chapter III, Means for Communion and
Participation.
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Acknowledgements
On the second edition of this book, I am deeply thankful to
- my Lord, Father, Teacher and Sanctifier. Words will never be enough to thank You,
just the silence of a happy, dreamy and eternally grateful heart!
- my parents Vanya and Eber for my Christian heritage: the greatest treasure!
- my beloved Toninho and our precious daughters Maria Clara and Amanda Luisa!
- aunt Vanya Amorim and Mrs. Cícera Emidio (in memoriam). They left us during the
preparation of this second edition. They left a life lesson of struggle and dreams!
- my dear friends Veridiana Nilson and Liège Frainer Barbosa for their devoted efforts
to translate the book into English!
- the Renewed Universities Ministry for its 18th anniversary!
- the Catholic Charismatic Renewal for its 45th anniversary!
- all Christians, men and women of good will, that make their lives a living testimony of
what true love is capable of doing!
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“Faith and reason (fides et ratio) are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to
the contemplation of truth. And God has placed in the human heart a desire to know
the truth – in a word to know himself - so that, by knowing and loving God, men and
women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves. “
Encyclical letter of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II to Latin American Bishops
on the relationship between faith and reason, 1998.
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Contents
Presentation to the 2nd Edition…………………………………………………………………….……….12
Foreword ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..19
Preface………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….24
Pray with me! ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….28
Chapter 1
The Madness of YES………………………………………………………………….…….29
Chapter 2
A Return to the Origins………………………………………………………..………….34
Chapter 3
It Took a Fertile Ground…………………………………………………………………..48
Chapter 4
The Dream…………………………………………………………………………….…………56
Chapter 5
The Time Has Come………………………………………………………………………….61
Chapter 6
You Give Them Something to Eat……………………………………………………..71
Chapter 7
God? Now what? ……………………………………………………………………………..78
Chapter 8
God Wanted Me There……………………………………………………………………..82
Chapter 9
It Is the Holy Spirit Who Will Speak for You……………………………………….90
Chapter 10
PUR Begins to Grow…………………………………………………………………………..95
Chapter 11
From the Searas to ENUCCS…………………………………………………….……….104
Chapter 12
The Boundaries Have Expanded…………………………………………..…….…….111
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Chapter 13
Preparing for the Great Jubilee………………………………………………………...117
Chapter 14
A Holy Year in Pain and Joy…………………………………………………….……..…129
Chapter 15
The Jubilee of a God Who Does the Impossible…………………………..….142
Chapter 16
We Must Definitely Continue………………………………………………………….148
Chapter 17
Growth and Recognition………………………………………………………………….156
Chapter 18
Professionals of the Kingdom………………………………………………….………173
Chapter 19
Tomorrow…………………………………………………………..…………………………..186
Chapter 20
I Could Feel the Mighty Hand of God Again……………………..………………194
Chapter 21
To Be Encouragement and Strength to Students:
a Word to Professors……………………………………………………………………………………………….197
Chapter 22
A Vision for the Ministry………………………………………………………………….204
Chapter 23
You Can Write Your Own History……………………………………………………..214
Appendix 1
And They Collected More Than Twelve Full Baskets…………………………215
Appendix 2
Edith Stein: the Science of the Cross………………………………………………..222
Appendix 3
Quotes on the Existence of God……….................................................225
Appendix 4
Important Data………………………………………………………………………………..226
Appendix 5
MUR from 2004 to 2012………………………………………………………………….230
Acronyms
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..239
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Second Edition Presentation
"It is the time you have spent on your rose that makes your rose so important"
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
February 21, 2012, Mardi-gras. I started the great adventure of writing the first edition
of this book exactly eight years and twenty days ago. Those who have read it know the
story very well; those who haven’t yet will learn about it on the very first pages. It is
with great joy that I start these lines as the year 2012 has a very special meaning,
especially during carnival days. At this time, twenty years ago, I was attending my first
meeting along with a great number of young people at the Federal University of Viçosa
/ MG. I was 16 years old then, full of energy, vigor and thirsty for God. Looking back
now I realize how great the Lord is, how great His promises are. "Lord, to whom shall
we go? You have the words of eternal life."(Jn 6, 68). I think about the so many
beautiful things I have lived and have allowed others to live as well since the moment I
found the greatest love of my life: Jesus of Nazareth.
Besides this, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal celebrates its 45th anniversary in the
world this February 2012, and it is also the 18th anniversary of the Renewed
Universities Ministry. This means that we have reached adulthood and, therefore, our
responsibility toward the Church and the society has increased. It also means that
students now entering university were born when we started to dream of renewed
universities back in 1994, a hallmark in the beginning of the Renewed Universities
Ministry (MUR). What can I say then to Jesus, but to thank Him, exalt Him and praise
Him for such fidelity? "For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes;
therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. Now He who
establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave
us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.."(2 Cor 20-22).
I have always been certain that God has beautiful plans reserved for each of us despite
the times of drought and desert where nothing seemed to make sense. Throughout
these eight years since the book launch at MUR’s 10th anniversary in Maringá, some
things have changed in our form of organization; our name, for example, is one of
them. Instead of Renewed Universities Ministry (MUR), you will read the term
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Renewed Universities Project (PUR)1 throughout the entire book. As a matter of
historical fidelity, I found it important to maintain the term/acronym PUR until the
moment it was changed.
During this time, a lot has also happened to the author that is writing to you. I already
have two daughters: Maria Clara is nearly 7 years old, and Amanda Luisa, almost 3. The
arrival of my two princesses has changed many things in my life, especially as far as my
missionary availability is concerned. That Ivna who used to travel throughout Brazil
always presenting the dream of evangelizing universities, or who was always on the email distribution lists with a word of motivation needed to "die". I say to die because,
when we lose something that has cost us a lifetime, or when we stop doing something
that used to make us fulfilled, it is as if we have died. There is this feeling of emptiness,
and it is a space that must be filled up. Of course, the newness of motherhood with its
challenges occupied a large space in my life in the first years, but a tinge of emptiness
was there waiting to be filled up.
I needed to find a place where I could serve my Lord together with my husband and
my daughters. It would be totally pointless to follow firmly and actively in the
Renewed Universities and leave my family behind. After some comings and goings, we
finally joined the Villaregia Missionary Community (CMV) with a clear Christian
commitment. There, my husband and I work as volunteers in various activities while
our girls run across the garden, participate in activities with other children, and feel
part of the Church. That was our major concern: they needed to grow up with the
feeling of belonging to the house of God. They needed to grow with other children
who are raised under the same principles with which we try to raise them. Besides this
activity, we also participate in marriage preparation courses for engaged couples at my
parents’ parish, among other demands that arise here and there.
It was by going through the experience of the desert that I discovered what a vocation
truly is. I found out that I can be in many places and always display the same
motivational, convening power, but nowhere else do I feel so fulfilled as when I am at
the service of the Renewed Universities Ministry. The feeling of death was stronger
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In October 2004, the National Council of CCR meeting in Sorocaba, Brazil, taking CNBB’s document
62 "Mission and Ministries Christian laymen and laywomen," understood that their services performed
for the growth of the Church, were also lay ministries. Hence, the nomenclature Renewed Universities
Project / Secretary Lucas came to be called the Renewed Universities Ministry.
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when, at times, I thought my mission at MUR was over, that it had been only a
beautiful page in my youth. I thought about it and cried close to Jesus, "Lord, but it was
all so intense, so true, so eternal!" I have been away from MUR for eight years. Many
people had been asking me to launch the book again, and I had always answered, "Yes,
we will launch it..." The answer was on the tip of my tongue, but it had not reached my
heart. I lacked the authority to update the second edition. How could I do that? A new
call of the Lord was needed, one that could answer my worries, anxieties and make me
revive! And I was finally reborn, with the grace of the One who has always stood by
me.
This renaissance began to be conceived in Maceió / AL, during the celebration of the
Renewed Universities Ministry’s fifteenth anniversary in the Northeast in June 2011.
Witamar Augustine (a great friend of mine and MUR servant in the Northeast) invited
me to the event, and I accepted the invitation with great joy, doing my best to be
there. On the eve of the trip, Maria Clara, my six-year-old daughter, said, "Mommy, I
wish you would not accept ..." I asked, "Accept what?" She replied, "Preaching". I
asked, "But why?". She said, "Because it divides the family ..." I smiled and said,
"Sweetie, when you grow up a little, you’ll understand that the Renewed Universities
Ministry comes in second place after your Dad, you and your sister, our home, our
living together. But your mom is happy there". Maria Clara’s question, however, did
not bother me at all because after becoming a mother, I had traveled very rarely on
mission.
Well, on my way to Maceió, I felt like reading the book "The Little Prince." Amidst so
much beauty in it, my attention was specially drawn to the part where the prince
comes to Earth, after visiting various places and talking to different people. During his
visits to other planets, he was always concerned about his rose, a very special rose that
he had left in his little world. He believed that his rose was unique, that there would
not be any other rose like that anywhere in the world. But when he reached the Earth,
the fox, who became a good friend of his later on, took him to a place full of roses
exactly like his rose. Then he got sad and frustrated. That ROSE, that single, precious
rose was just another rose. That's when the fox said, "It is the time you have spent on
your rose that makes your rose so important”.
While reading this part of the book, a tear drop stood in my eyes. It wanted to come
out but something was holding it. I thought about my history, that 18-year-old Ivna,
capable of so much for the Kingdom. I remembered all of the friends that the Lord had
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given me during those eighteen years. I remembered the deep, rich, meaningful
experiences that I lived during the time that I dedicated to that ROSE, so fragrant, so
beautiful, formed by petals of different shades (hence the sense of its beauty). I
searched for so many memories, and the more I remembered, the happier I became
because the place and time that I could entirely give myself away were approaching.
And I would do that not as in the good old days, but in a new way, with the vision and
understanding that motherhood had given me, with the wisdom that my 36 years of
age could offer. And more than that, with the same feeling as the little prince: I had
seen many roses, each with its beauty, some very similar to the rose of the Renewed
Universities, but none had the value of that ROSE with which I had "lost" my youth.
What a beautiful loss, a life that was worth losing! Here, I mean the loss taught by
Jesus. "Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matt. 10. 39). And I have found
it...
With such feelings, I arrived in Alagoas on Friday, June 24, 2011, coming back home on
Sunday night. I was very happy to meet so many new faces, the new generation of 17,
18, 19 years old, and be able to talk to them as a mother. On Saturday morning, the
time to devote my life to such a beautiful ROSE had arrived. Barely had I started talking
and I saw many fiery faces, piercing eyes that were thirsty to hear the message that
the Lord had entrusted me. When I started speaking, many were already crying.
Talking about things that are so vivid within us is truly like shooting an arrow at the
right target. My talk theme was basically the gospel of the loaves. What to say except
that donating five loaves and two fish is the same as donating our dreams, our sense of
life, our possibilities so that Jesus can multiply them, and the miracle can happen? In
order to make our dreams come true, we do not need structures, power or
hierarchies. We need only hearts in love with Jesus. Perhaps the greatest danger of
growth is precisely the excess of structures. If we are not careful, that excess can steal
the essence of what the Lord has entrusted to us. I finished that beautiful moment
with the song "Search Me" recorded by the singer Aline Barros. The lyrics are as
follows: "Use me, Lord, like a beacon that shines at night, as a bridge over the water, as
a shelter in the desert, as the arrow that hits the target. I want to be used as it pleases
you, at any time and anywhere. Here is my life, use me." It was a moment of great
anointing and spiritual renewal. I also feel that it was a moment of healing for the
hearts of the old members present there. They, just like me, had also found in the
Renewed Universities Ministry their rose of an unmatched value.
On Saturday afternoon, Fernando Galvani (he is the one chosen by God to give the first
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impulse to the dream of the Renewed Universities Project. You will still read a lot
about him in this book) spoke about our dream focusing on the statement: "If you are
what you ought to be, you will set the whole world afire." I would like to talk about a
small detail that, at least for older MUR members, is deeply meaningful. Professor
Heloísa Helena, a Brazilian former senator and presidential candidate, was there
among us. She attended Fernando Galvani’s preaching from the beginning to the end.
She was not there just because a group of students was gathering in that place, but
because they represented some kind of force. Her presence meant a lot. Back in 1997,
at the second national meeting, held in Belo Horizonte / MG, we had dreamed of
seeing our thoughts and ideals illuminating the thinking of those who represented and
ruled our country.
While Fernando was asking each of us (he had asked everyone to sit around him) what
our dream was, a disfigured, shaved woman, showing cuts on her head and legs
approached him. Fernando hugged her and said she was also loved by God, that He
loved her the same way He loved young people’s lives, citing the Document of Santo
Domingo. He offered her a seat, but soon the woman got up, saying she had to go to
the bathroom.
As I looked at her completely disfigured, I was immediately reminded of the image of
Christ ragged, rejected, the dregs of humanity. Quickly, I got up to take her to the
bathroom. Her name was Celia, her husband had been killed, she had two daughters.
She was quite dirty, had several cuts all over her body, and there were traces of a
broken egg on her head. She cried while begging insistently for an earring, a necklace
and a broken cell phone. Celia had had her hair shaved so that her female figure would
be disguised. We offered her water, food, clothes, but she did not want anything. It
was when, taking her to the bathroom, I put my hands on those wounds and I could
wash them. As the water fell on her head and the smell of alcohol emanated from her
mouth, I asked the Lord, “Where are the professionals of the Kingdom? Where are the
public policies that favor the poor? Where are the Christians?” Slowly I understood the
strength of our dream and said a prayer to Jesus. "May the Lord allow us to write an
even stronger story, a more transformative one. May we be able to see the world
through the lenses of the Gospel and not through ours, because with our lenses we
cannot see anything other than our problems. We are concerned solely with those we
love, with our projects. Come, Holy Spirit! May everyday life not steal our horizon."
Then, I took off my earrings and put them on that woman. I also gave her a necklace: a
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missionary cross that I always carried with me when I was on a mission. I kissed that
cross, and I said, "Celia, may He protect you. May Jesus be the center of your life ...".
Perhaps that simple necklace is no longer with her, but JESUS is as he has always been.
Of course, this whole experience made me read the dream of the Renewed
Universities again. I thought that while we are dreaming of having a profession or
fulfilling our projects, many, many children of God dream about “broken phones." And
what is our response to these little ones? What can we offer, after 18 years of life and
history, to those who most need the fruits of our dream of love?
I was back to Belo Horizonte on Monday, June 27, 2011. The plane arrived at 7:30 in
the morning. While waiting for a missing suitcase, I heard a sweet voice crying,
"Mommy, Mommy." It was Amandinha, 2, with Maria Clara, 6, and my beloved
husband, Tom. At that moment I made the grand synthesis, as I heard Jesus whisper to
me, "Daughter, you can be with your family and also take care of your rose. This will
happen in a new way.”
The value of the Renewed Universities’ rose is certainly not the same for everyone. But
I am sure it has a special meaning for each one. We are not called to be "Renewed
Universities," while a pastoral service, the rest of our lives. Of course not! But we are
called to take the dreamy face of Christ wherever we go. We are called to have our
hearts beating for an endless dream, a dream that is not exhausted, which is eternal,
because it comes from God and flows into God. It is within the family, in the noble art
of raising children, in the loyalty to our spouses, in the choices we are called to do daily
in our professions, in the university classrooms and departments, in the research
projects, within the University Prayer Teams that the Lord once again calls us. He calls
us and sends us to be His witnesses.
As a response to this appeal to go on witnessing His achievements in this amazing story
of the so-called Renewed Universities Ministry, I set things up so that at this carnival
season, a time full of symbolism, I could devote myself to this noble and exciting task.
As it occurred with the first edition, this task could only be possible because I have a
loving husband who offered to stay with the girls so that I could be away from my
chores as a mother, wife, and from work. If God has given me the talent to speak or
write to people's hearts, I cannot do anything other than to offer myself up to Him so
He will use me in the way that He has designed.
In this second edition of the book, I have added some novelties. Besides this
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presentation, Chapter 21 deals with the mission of the university professor. In Chapter
22, along with Fernando Galvani, Elen Resende, and Ierecê Gilberto (members who
have stayed longer at the head of the Ministry), I summarize our mission and add some
notes on the vision for the Renewed Universities. Finally, I have added five new
appendices: Appendix 1 brings testimonies from readers of the first edition; Appendix
2 tells something about Edith Stein, my inspiring author; Appendix 3 contains famous
scientists’ quotes on the discovery of God; Appendix 4 presents data on the
movement; Appendix 5 is about MUR from 2004 to 2012. In some other parts, you may
notice further information, usually at the end of the original chapter. To signal the
reader that there are new things in a particular chapter, a simple drawing of a dove
carrying a rose has been placed there. I have not changed anything I wrote then, but I
have added a few aspects that were not possible to observe at the time. However, the
big news is Chapter 23, where the author will be you. As you can see, the menu is even
broader and tastier this time. They are delights of God! I started working on the
second edition on February 21 and I am ending it today, March 25, the feast of the
Annunciation! During this short time, I went through difficult job changes and lost a
person I really loved: my dear Aunt Vanya, to whom I also dedicate these pages. Thank
you, Lord! Once again, He carried me on his lap to accomplish such a valuable mission.
“For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, nor has the eye seen a
God besides You, who acts on behalf of the one who waits for Him.”
(Isaiah 64: 3)
Ivna Sá dos Santos
25 March 2012.
It is time to see the essence, it is time to see with the heart, it is time of deep
gratitude!
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Foreword
"The certainty that I bring in my heart is that all the dreams inspired in the Lord can
lead us far beyond what we can see, feel, hear, touch ... Because we have been faithful
in little, the Lord has entrusted more and more to us. Oh, infinite grace, Oh, delightful
adventure. "
Ivna Sá
February 1, 2004. We will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Renewed
Universities Project exactly eleven days from now. It was from February 12th to
15th,1994, at the Federal University of Viçosa / Minas Gerais (MG), that a group of fiftythree people (fifty students and three professors), representing seventeen higher
education institutions from three different Brazilian states, first heard about the dream
of revitalizing universities through university prayer teams, known later on as UPT's2.
Naturally, there was a reason for this group to be there: it was Carnival season in
Brazil. And, traditionally, many young people, especially those who have just entered
university after a marathon of studies and exams, go to the beach, go out to the
streets dancing and singing after bandwagons, and usually do all those things that
young people do: have fun, drink a lot, dance, jump up, see friends, go on family
outings or just relax. But what had led that group of fifty-three people to Viçosa, a
town in Minas Gerais which has no carnival tradition?
Viçosa was holding, as it still does today, a Carnival meeting, called Seara, organized by
university students and the local community. There were bands performing, shows,
and many young people, around five thousand, from all over the state of Minas Gerais
and from other states as well. They were seeking to experience spiritual grace in their
lives there. Seara is a Carnival gathering organized by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal
(CCR) that was already in its sixth edition in 1994. This event still happens today, and it
is basically divided into two parts: in one part, all participants get together and, in the
other, people take part in workshops, according to the theme of their interest. Among
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UPT – University Prayer Team. In Portuguese: GOU – Grupo de Oração Universitária. Translator’s note.
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the various options such as "Sexuality and Affection," "Liturgy," "Evangelism" and
"Music", there was a workshop initially called "CCR and the University" on that
occasion. It was a very unattractive name that sounded more like a study circle.
Because it was a Catholic Charismatic Renewal meeting, which was already recognized
as a great moment of training and spiritual revival within CCR and the Church, the
demand for traditional workshops was intense, since it reflected the needs of the
communities present there. So one would naturally ask: Why "CCR and University"?
How would this help those people within their parish’s youth teams? Wouldn’t the
University be a topic for the University Pastoral? The fact is that, despite the low
attractiveness of the workshop name and the shy disclosure of the organizers, that
first meeting managed to gather fifty-three people. It was the kick-off of an
evangelization project in the universities that has been capable of reaching out to
students, professors, employees, and their families, an unprecedented achievement in
the history of the Church.
In less than ten years, this project has come to almost every state not only in Brazil but
also in Mexico and Peru, and it has been regarded as the most creative and unusual
evangelization project in many parts of the country and the world. It is a project that,
through its six hundred college prayer teams that meet weekly within the various
university campuses throughout Brazil and abroad, can be a living presence of the
Catholic Church in an environment that has been discredited by many members of the
clergy and laity as a place conducive to uniting the two wings of knowledge: faith and
reason.
It is a project that has allowed the emergence of some of the most beautiful initiatives,
not only social assistance, but also human promotion inside and outside of colleges.
Also, it has taught many students and professors that every structural change goes
through the change of the heart first. Finally, this renewed universities project found,
by the grace of God, the "magic formula" to take both the young and the adult, in the
University environment, out of disbelief, despair, fear, laziness, indifference, lack of
faith, and into another level: the dreamer. It is by dreaming that the dreamer sees the
Civilization of Love, as John Paul II called it, or simply the Kingdom of God as Jesus
Christ preached. It is by dreaming that we, the dreamers, have given significant
contribution to this work that is about to complete its 10th anniversary. And it is by
dreaming that we embrace the cause, move, and begin the great work of social
mobilization proposed by the Renewed Universities Project. By social mobilization we
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do not mean an opportunity to get people to help to make our dreams achievable. On
the contrary, this is an initiative that seeks to bring along people who are willing to
contribute to build a dream that may become everybody’s dream.
My name is Ivna Sá dos Santos, 28, Brazilian, originally from Governador Valadares /
MG, daughter of wonderful parents, and married to Antonio Alves de Paula. I majored
in journalism in 1997 from Uni-BH, Belo Horizonte, where I live today. Currently, I am
teaching at two colleges and taking a Master’s Degree in Education at PUC-MG. I am
not writing this book because I am Brazilian, married, a journalist, a teacher, but
because, first of all, I am a witness. I am a witness of the grace that the Lord has
bestowed on us since the day when, along with some other fifty-three people gathered
in Viçosa, at the Seara in 1994, I decided to embrace the dream of the renewal of my
college, of the colleges in my town, in my state, in my country, and in the world.
The desire to create a UPT was born then in 1994. In the beginning, it seemed
impossible for a freshman student, who had just arrived in the big city, to fulfill that
dream, but as time went by the dream was not only fulfilled but it also exceeded our
expectations. I am a witness of how much we have cried and how much we have
rejoiced to get here. I had the opportunity to be in various states of Brazil, Mexico and
Peru preaching the dream of the Renewed Universities. Because of the way I go about
things, somewhat excited, and because I always trust that the Lord Jesus leads our
pathway, I have been called the "big dreamer of the Renewed Universities Project”
over these years. I see this as a demonstration of caring , and it is not a cause for pride
or power, but of gratitude to the Lord, because everything comes from Him, through
Him and for Him.
I have also been a blessed preacher as I have had the chance to speak about this
dream to thousands of students and dozens of teachers at our national meetings,
ENUCC, which gathers more than a thousand people. The stories/testimonies that I
announced, all of them within this context of the Renewed Universities, were recorded
on cassettes, and I was surprised by the number of copies that were sold at every
meeting. There were times, too, that I was surprised by people saying that I needed to
write my story for others to embrace it just as thousands of people had been doing it
for ten years. On many occasions, I received e-mails from people who had been
touched while listening to a tape they had gotten as a gift from a colleague at the
university.
21
If I have been given the mission to be like John the Baptist, the one who opens the way
for the Lord, then writing this book became more than a pleasure, it became a duty for
me. Writing it meant above all a return to the past, as I could live moments of this
beautiful story again. It also means my gratitude to God and to all those who have
gone through and will go through this work of evangelization within the universities.
The story you will read is not fiction. It is real and has many characters. However, it is
not the true picture of reality. I say this because I do not have the pretension, nor even
time and energy to write about reality. Only God himself could write about that. On
the contrary, this book is a snip, a look inside this work, just as the researcher that
needs to zoom in on the topic under study in order to accomplish his task. This zoom
will enclose these ten years’ work, and, of course, the work of those who were closest
to me. More than that, this zoom is my look, with my testimony, at what I could see,
feel, hear and dream along with several fellow neighbors. It is not a book of historical
accounts only, because we already have one written by the journalist Ariana Virginia
Pereira - "There's faith in the land of reason," a book-report on the Renewed
Universities Project.
This book that is now in your hands is simply a testimony of someone who is a
WITNESS. Here you will not find the story of Jussara, Marcela, Adriana, Peter, John,
Maurice ... But I believe all of them will identify and recognize themselves in some part
of this work. This is the goal I hope I will achieve with the book I start writing today.
Time is short for someone who wants to, or rather, who will release it on the tenth
anniversary of the Renewed Universities Project in July 2004. But everything is so alive
in my heart and mind that it will not be difficult to keep dreaming at the sound of my
computer keys.
Basically, the book is divided into three parts. In the first part, from chapter 1 to
chapter 4, I go over a historical overview of events leading up to the 1994’s seminar in
Viçosa. In chapter 2, I had the valuable collaboration of Andiara Lino and Pollyana Lara
Milanezi. In the second part of the book, chapters 5-19, the narrative has to be done in
the first person singular. In this part, I narrate PUR’s story and my own story (they
virtually mingle), trying to summarize the most important moments over these ten
years. Chapter 18 was written by journalist Brune Montalvão. Finally, in the third part,
some appendices are available for future use by any researcher. I have not included a
bibliography at the end of the book because all referencing has been done in the
22
footnotes whenever necessary. Most of the Scripture quotations have been taken
from the New American Bible.
The letter kills, the Spirit gives life, but the word written at the light of the Spirit
revolutionizes. May this same Spirit - indispensable partner in the writing and
production of this work – be the one that will fructify in your heart the dream of love
that lies behind these pages. May He also grant me the grace to be as free as I have
been whenever I am sent to preach the dream of the Renewed Universities. At least,
this is what I desire deeply in my heart. My heart does not want anything else but to
magnify Him who is Lord, Redeemer, Savior, Teacher, Friend, and Dreamer.
To Him, the honor, and glory, and power forever! Amen.
Ivna Sá dos Santos
February 1, 2004
A summer of memories, a summer of dreams!
23
Preface
“Some men see things the way they are and ask, ‘Why?’ I dream things that never
were, and ask ‘Why not?’”
George Bernard Shaw
For those who know Ivna, this preface does not intend to work as a motivation for
reading the book because she motivates us all herself. It is simply an initial word of
someone who has read the manuscript and looks forward to reading the book. If you
do not know her, though, have no fears, just start reading. Get started, and you will
also be motivated to enjoy each chapter. This is because the way she uses to generate
motivation in all hearts who hear her preaching is exactly the same way she used to
write this book. It is as if we could hear her when we read these pages!
Allow me to tell you a little bit about myself before I start speaking about the book. I
am a Stigmatine priest and a missionary who loves working with the young. I am
delighted with the constant changes, changes in all areas, that we face in our lives.
Besides this, I enjoy reading and studying the Bible. The Bible also shows that the Spirit
of God "changes" the way it presents itself. Sometimes it is like a wind hovering over
the waters at creation (Gen 1:2); sometimes, as a gentle wind on fleeing Elijah ( Kings
19:12); sometimes, as a strong wind to the early Christians (cf. At 2.2). John XXIII also
opened the windows of the Vatican to let in the wind of aggiornamento of the Church
through the Second Vatican Council.
Because I strongly believe in this "creativity" of the Spirit of God, I faced a lot of
rejection before I fell in love with the Renewed Universities Project (PUR). I was taking
Theology in Belo Horizonte (BH), when Camilo, an old friend of mine, told me that
Viçosa’s CCR had begun a work of evangelization at the University. He invited me to
participate in the "CCR and Universities" workshop at the Seara. I reminded him that
God was creative, that at its origin the renewal had come from a university, but that
today’s changes demanded that CCR should act in other areas. Anyway, he convinced
me to go to the Seara in order to carry out a workshop on the Bible. This was in 1995. I
24
stayed at Janice’s home (Mococa’s friend), and had the chance to participate in a
moment of prayer with Mococa. In Seara’s hallways, I met with Lucimar (whom I
already knew from Goiania). She belongs to the PUR pioneer group (whom we call
Dinas3), but I did not want the slightest connection with them at that time.
I consider 1998 as the year of my entry into PUR. I was working as a priest at a parish in
Goiânia. I felt uneasy when a young catechist of the community and a member of the
Youth Group, after getting into university, told me she had lost faith and, therefore,
would no longer attend church. So, I approached those people who were making the
Church happen at the university, that is, the PUR people. I wanted to know them, and I
offered to help them with the work of evangelization. Soon I was invited to be with
them at the celebrations, meetings and moments of social gatherings. Later, in 1999, I
was invited to take part in a meeting of the Renewed Universities Project National
Team. It was there that I met Ivna, but she was just another stranger in a group of
strangers. However, because I was already very involved with the luquinhas4from
Goiânia, I felt comfortable together with the team. They welcomed me and treated me
as the Goiania’s PUR Spiritual Advisor, without having ever asked me whether or not I
would accept that responsibility.
However, one thing is to feel accepted by the group, another thing is the feeling of
family. This feeling just came in January 2001 while I was preaching at a retreat for PUR
members in Espirito Santo. Father Kleibe, another Stigmatine priest, a good friend of
mine, had died in Goiás (GO) on a Saturday and would be buried on the following
Sunday morning. I received the news at around 7 p.m., but they did not manage to get
me a flight to Goias so that I could arrive in time for the funeral. I was bewildered,
could not think of anything. But they thought about all and did everything. They got
me on a bus to Rio de Janeiro. As I was traveling, Adrianinha (Espírito Santo’s PUR
coordinator then) contacted Cristiane (Rio de Janeiro’s PUR coordinator), and asked
her to pick me up at the bus station and take me to the airport where I would get a
3
Dinas is a term coined by younger PUR members to refer to the pioneers of the movement, as an allusion
to the word dinosaurs. Translator’s note.
4
The Ministry began as Renewed Universities Project. In mid-1998, at a meeting of the CCR National
Council, it was decided to turn the hitherto Renewed Universities Project (PUR) into a secretariat service
of CCR National Offensive. Months later, this secretariat took the name of Lucas Secretariat, in honor of
St.Luke who was a zealous disciple of St.Paul. St Luke wrote the gospel that bears his name, and the book
of Acts. He had the opportunity to study more in his time, and became a doctor. The zeal for the gospel,
writing (sharing) about our activities, and the opportunity to study, all this characterizes our particular
environment. That’s why, so far, the ministry participants are identified as luquinhas. Translator’s note.
25
ticket to Goiania. When I arrived in Rio, there was Cris who helped me get on the plane
to Goiania. Upon arriving at the airport in Goiania, Lucimar (GO’s PUR coordinator
then) had already been contacted, and she was there with a couple of friends who
would take me to Morrinhos / GO. I felt they loved me. Those luquinhas took good
care of me when I was fragile. They treated me like a real family member.
Following Ivna’s writing style, I also want to make a pause here to tell about something
that occurred in the Diocesan Convention of Belo Horizonte’s CCR on May 16, 2004.
Since I had been assigned another appointment somewhere else, I only dropped in at
the convention. It is interesting to note the way Father Gilson, one of the Convention
preachers and current Minas Gerais CCR Spiritual Director, introduced me, "We have
here among us Father Jacaúna. We are not his luquinhas, but we would like him to
address a few words to us." Well, this was the priest who had kept himself aloof from
PUR. Today, he is recognized by many as someone who did opt for this mode of being
and making the Dream of Love for our world to come true.
Also in 2001, as I was living in Belo Horizonte, I had the opportunity to become a closer
friend of Ivna’s. Gradually, I adopted her family as mine. I agree with Sergio from Belo
Horizonte when he refers to her as an eagle. But I have to confess that I doubted her
when she said, in early February 2004, that she would launch a book about the ten
years of PUR at the ninth ENUCC (July 2004) even though she had not started writing it
yet. I thought it was impossible. My reaction was similar to that one she describes
when she tells of the disciples of both yesterday and today facing the lack of bread to
satisfy people’s hunger. I am a witness of how much God operated in and through her.
This book is one more proof of His creative love: He created the book in her, He
generated it in this newly married woman, which makes me paraphrase Jo1, 14: "the
flesh (life) became word and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory."
I was blessed, in a mixture of joy and responsibility, with reading the book while it was
still being gestated. I was filled with anxiety as I waited for the new chapters she was
writing; concern and zeal of a pastor who dared to suggest some minor changes;
"pride" in getting to know a little more of her fear and docility toward God. My feelings
turned into prayers of thanksgiving as I saw how much God did in her and through her.
I do not know if I was more delighted with the creativity of God in seducing her
constantly, or with the openness that Ivna provided to be seduced. The only certainty I
have is that everything I was reading somewhat touched my being, either because I
26
laughed at some comic things or because I cried before so many testimonies of the
explicit love between God and so many luquinhas.
The Lord gave her all the necessary means for this book to come to light. He even gave
her other hands. This becomes evident in several reports-testimonies that she brings
to us. It has been like that since the beginning. You will see that CCR and PUR began
and have lasted in community, so this book could not be otherwise. Although it may be
defined as Ivna’s zoom, this book brings the life, the testimonies, the words of others
who also dream about and work for the construction of a "Civilization of Love." The
way she writes it, without following a chronological time line, is absorbing. She takes
the reader to the past and to the present constantly involving them in her juvenile
adventures, searches, from her departure from Valadares until she becomes a
Professional of the Kingdom (and not simply a professional at a communications
company).
It is a "historical testimony" that is enjoyable to read. Whether or not you are a
luquinha, whether or not you are a university student, you will identify yourself with it,
you will get amazed, you will have feelings and reactions similar to mine and, more
interestingly, you will wonder, raise questions yourself. The starting point may be Ivna
herself, but the point of arrival is you, me and those that will come. The book is
intended for the eighth wonder of creation - the human being. It is the human being
who is able to transform the world by Reason and Faith, boost flights with the wing of
human knowledge and the wing of the Experience of God, just as Paul claimed, and the
Church still says (Rom 12: 2 and Doc Fides et Ratio).
As you read this book, you might say, "She believed in the University Prayer Team
before seeing it" or "they truly believe that it is possible to transform the world."
Thoughts like these just reinforce in me that believing precedes viewing it. We believe;
then we can see it. In other words, if you believe, you will be able to see the wonders
of God happen. It is a belief that implies a commitment, as one who dreams together,
creating conditions so that the dream comes true. Incidentally, here's the book that
was once dreamed about and now ...
With love,
Father Antonio Jacaúna, CSS
Master of Theology at CES-ISI/BH
27
Before you start reading, pray with me!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Loving and compassionate Father who is closer to me than I am myself. You know my
heart, my fears, my anxieties and sorrows, so come to take me with your embrace of a
Father, run toward me, kiss my face, look into my eyes and love me! Give me, Father, a
new robe, a new ring and new sandals every day. Next to You, I know I'm safe and I no
longer fear!
Beloved friend and savior Jesus, God incarnate! I love you so much, I adore you! In
your presence, I find the perfect communion with the Father. You are the one who
dreamed until the end and did not measure efforts to fulfill the mission the Father
entrusted to you, so teach me to be faithful. Give me the grace to delve into the
mystery of mercy, the one that you alone can teach me. Give me the understanding of
the Cross, the desire to participate in your Passion along with you so that my faith can
rise, and my hope and solidarity will never cease because they are rooted in the most
noble and beautiful of all feelings, LOVE!
Spirit, guest of the soul and guardian of my whole being, remarkable comforter that is
always interceding with the Father on my behalf with ineffable groaning! You are the
song of love and holy respect that resonates forever around the throne of God. You
are the one who inspires me words of wisdom, you let me come closer to the Father
and the Son, and allow me to dive into the ocean of God's mercy.
Holy Trinity, the unfathomable mystery of love and unity, I ask you now the grace to
understand the meaning of the words that I will read in this book. May the testimonies
described herein fortify my experience with you, grow my hope, increase my dreams,
renew my faith, leverage my YES. May the Virgin Mary, who generated the Truth and
spread it to all humanity, intercede for me! Amen!
Ivna Sá
28
1 - The Madness of YES
"The innermost essence of love is self-offering."
Edith Stein
YES. Although small, this word is extremely meaningful, and it undoubtedly explains
the Renewed Universities Project current condition. One example is the number of
University Prayer Teams (UPT): six hundred! I do not mean a YES of those who received
the divine inspiration to start this project, but, rather, of all those who have
contributed to building the Kingdom, by renovating their YESSES for the Plan of our
Loving Father every day.
In the First Testament, prophet Moses, the one who was taken from the waters, may
be our source of inspiration (Ex 2, 1-10). He is the man chosen by God to deliver the
Israelites from slavery in Egypt and to lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey
(Ex 3: 7-8). This land with water, food, justice and freedom is what Pope John Paul II
called the Civilization of Love.
Moses led the people through the desert for forty years and did wonders with his rod
and his "arms raised" toward the Father to ask Him for help in difficult times when
people created idols and wanted to return to the world of slavery. Moses struggled to
give his definitive YES. The book of Exodus shows that Moses recoiled at least five
times, telling the Lord that the people did not understand or did not have the gift of
speech (Ex 3, 4 11/Ex, 1/Ex 4, 6 10/Ex , 12/Ex 6, 30). The Lord had to encourage him,
and Moses deposited all trust in Him. Moses also had to renew his YES every time he
felt weak. How many times must Moses have given a new YES over those forty years
wandering in the desert? Because of our human condition and because we easily
divert from the path, we need to repeat this powerful word more and more strongly,
even though we are not the elected ones to enter the Promised Land, as with Moses.
He and many other prophets of the First Testament said YES to the Father's plan. But
even with the faithfulness of these anonymous prophets and so many martyrs who
29
died claiming to be faithful to the Lord God, the covenant the Father wanted to make
with His people, to rescue them from sin and show them salvation, could not be
fulfilled without sending the Messiah. To receive the Savior, the Lord also gives a
chance to Mary so that she can say her YES. Of all the possible and imaginable forms
that the Lord could choose to send his son Jesus, He chooses the human form: to be
born of a woman.
When the angel visited the house where Mary was and told her, "Hail, full of grace, the
Lord is with thee" (Lk 1, 28), and then he announced that she was carrying the Son of
God in her womb, Mary questioned him because she knew no man. But she
surrendered to the will of the Father and said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it
be to me according to thy word." (Lk 1, 37).
Mary did not say "here is the friend of the Lord" or "here is the chosen of the Lord."
There is no doubt whatsoever that she carried all these conditions, but she preferred
to say, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." In other words, she said: "There’s no point
questioning, so I just accept it and say YES." What a great YES was Mary’s! It was a yes
that changed the history of mankind, and divided the history that we study (before
Christ, after Christ). That yes changed my story, yours, the story of so many who have
ventured in the discovery of this Man / God and have found that life becomes different
when we embrace life, death, passion and resurrection.
Mary’s YES was strong enough for her to endure seeing her son being killed and nailed
to a cross, and she still remained standing. Even when she was suffering her greatest
pain, Mary said YES: she accepted the Father's plan, she did not question, she did not
weaken. Her attitude was a sign that the certainty that the Father's will was being
fulfilled was greater than her pain. Death was not the end; it was the beginning. We
were saved and redeemed from all sin by the cross. By the cross we were set free.
What then of Jesus’ YES, faithful to the designs of the Father until the end? After 2000
years, mankind still does not know the meaning of this loving and humble yes. Jesus’
YES is nothing but LOVE. It was love that welcomed Zacchaeus, a tax collector, urging
him, not when he was up in the tree, so he wouldn’t feel superior; nor when he was
down, so that the little guy would not feel inferior. Jesus taught him while he was
sitting at the table, and ate with him (Lk 19: 1-10).
30
It was love that dared to shout out loud in the crowd demanding that those who had
not sinned should throw the first stone. Jesus, with his love, made Mary Magdalene
rise to the condition of disciple. The Lord did set her free! He left each of us a proof of
how much his love can do, even the impossible!
It was love that led to a profound dialogue with the Samaritan woman. The woman
was gathering water at Jacob's well, and Jesus asked her for some water. He came
respectfully in her secrets, allowing her to do an inner journey within herself. When
asking the woman for water, Jesus placed himself in a position of equality, acquired
her confidence and then revealed to her the greatest of all truths. "If you knew the gift
of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink', he surely would have asked you the
same and he'd give you living water (...) Everyone who drinks this water will thirst
again, but he who drinks the water I give will never thirst. But the water I give him will
become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life "(Jn 4, 1ss).
It was love that taught Nicodemus, Doctor of Law, that he needed to be born again.
Jesus showed Nicodemus that the knowledge acquired throughout his life was not
enough. He had to be born of water and the Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of
God. In other words, Nicodemus needed to know more of the Lord, the Way, the
Truth, and Life (Jn 3 1ss).
It was love that offered his shoulder to his friend and disciple John. Even in death Jesus
was concerned with John, saying, "John, behold your mother. Woman, behold thy son
"(Jn 19: 26-27). At that moment, the Lord granted Mary the condition of John’s mother
and of all men and women that would still come. And as he was concerned with John,
the Lord cared about each of us, giving us a mother. After all, not only John was called
to be a friend of the Lord, but all of us as well. "I do not call you servants but friends,
because I have made known to all of my Father" (Jn 15, 15).
It was love that called Simon, gave him the keys of heaven and earth, and forgave him.
"Come, follow me." (Jn 21, 22). "Henceforth, I will make you fishers of men" (Lk 5, 10).
What great teaching of Jesus! He spoke in a language that Simon would understand. If
catching fish was sublime, catching men and women to God would be even more
sublime! What mercy of the Lord to forgive the disciple who had denied him three
times. Jesus’ love could heal by the sight or by simply touching his mantle. His loving
YES made the blind see, the dumb speak, the lame and paralytic walk.
31
Finally, Jesus said yes to the project of the Father, in all circumstances. His
commitment was to the truth, justice, charity, and mercy. That gesture of mercy could
not be greater than it was. Even after being nailed to a cross and made fun of, after
being whipped and having drunk vinegar, after having his hands and feet pierced with
nails, yet he said, "Father, forgive them, they do not know what they do" (Lk 23, 34) or
told the thief that was next to him and also nailed to a cross. "Today you will be with
me in paradise" (Lk 23, 43).
Saying YES was an example of Jesus to his disciples and followers. After his death,
resurrection and ascension, they remained loyal, steadfast waiting for the arrival of the
Holy Spirit, the Feast of Pentecost. There were fifty days of prayer and waiting until the
promise announced by the prophet Joel (Joel 3, 1-5) and by Jesus was fulfilled. "But the
Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all
things and remind you all that I said to you" (Jn 14, 26).
After Pentecost, the disciples not only kept saying YES, but they renewed it with
courage, determination, enthusiasm, authority, boldness, anointing, gifts and
charisms. Peter is one man before Pentecost, and another one after it. From fearful, he
became a preacher of the crowds, his shadow would heal the needy. One of the
strongest passages relating to the authority of Peter is when a lame, who was asking
for alms at the temple gate, was cured. Peter, accompanied by John, said, "Look at us."
Staring into the eyes of the beggar and John’s, Peter said to the lame man: "I have no
gold or silver. But what I have I give thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, arise and walk
"(Acts 3: 1-7).
With the testimony of the apostles, many conversions took place, and the Lord
brought together people who were on the way of salvation every day. Stephen, a
young man of eloquence who dreamed of bringing the Gospel to more people, said
YES, and this led to his death. (At 7, 56). But because of his death, Saul, persecutor of
Christians, became an apostle. After the experience with the Lord, Saul became the
Apostle Paul, the greatest apostle and organizer of the first Christian communities. In
his letters to the communities of Corinth, Rome, Ephesus, Thessalonica, among others,
this is the YES that the apostle renewed every day, so that everyone could be saved.
Thus the Church was born. By the YES of the apostles, popes who succeeded Peter, the
saints who gave their lives for the gospel, the martyrs, the religious, laity, and all those
32
who daily renew their desire to surrender to the Father's plan. I could cite many names
- Francis of Assisi, Clare, Ignatius of Loyola, Augustine, Aquinas, Don Bosco, Teresa of
Avila, John of the Cross, Therese of Lisieux, Edith Stein, Mother Teresa, Sister Dulce,
Dom Helder Camara - all of them are well-known, but there are many more
anonymous saints and martyrs who have made the Church capable of surviving terrible
times like the Inquisition, and yet it remains as the strongest institution in the
contemporary world. The testimonies are much bigger than the counter-evidence.
They are lives that were totally devoted to serving the Lord, and that have left strong
marks of justice, solidarity, compassion, love.
If the Church came to be here, it is because thousands of generations before us said
YES, did their part, fulfilled their mission on earth. From the dawn of Christianity, going
through the emergence of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, the dream of revitalizing
universities and so many initiatives inspired by the Lord, the transforming power of
this Word is here. If the world is still far from being the world we dream about; if
famine is so serious; if social inequality prevails; if the fight for power and money still
dominates the relationships; if wars are still being fought, it is perhaps because our
YES, which should be guided by the announcement, dialogue, service, and testimony,
has not been consistent enough with Jesus’ YES.
But this is no cause for discouragement. Quite the contrary, it is even one more reason
for us to seek to know the Truth of the Lord, because only He can set us free. It is a
motive for us to be thirsty for holiness that is not made on the stereotypes, on masks,
or simply in rites, but one that is built day by day, in the coherence between faith and
life, even if this option may look like madness in the eyes of men. Saying yes means to
give true love a chance.
33
2 - A Return to the Origins5
“God’s Spirit, God’s life, God’s love: these are known by the one who does God’s will.”
Edith Stein
Because many said YES, we are here today. More precisely, the origin of the Renewed
Universities Project dates back to the emergence of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal
(CCR), a movement that was born in the period called post-Vatican II. Many leaders of
the CCR, also known as Renewal in the Holy Spirit, believe that Pope John XXIII’s
prayer, which preceded the Council for one year ("Renew your wonders in this day, as
by a new Pentecost"), was the big push for the post-council movements that arose in
the Church, especially the Charismatic Renewal, whose strong feature is a deeper
relationship with the Third Person of the Trinity, by appreciating and experiencing their
gifts and charismas.
We had not heard of Pentecost or of a prayer dedicated to the Holy Spirit in a long
time! In the book "As By A New Pentecost," Patti Mansfield says that Pope John XXIII,
while still a bishop, had contact with a village in Czechoslovakia where they
experienced the charismas of the Holy Spirit as the early Christians. When he became
pope, he beatified a nun named Elena Guerra and called her “the apostle of the Holy
Spirit.” She wrote twelve confidential letters to Pope Leo XIII, asking him to call the
whole church to greater devotion to the Holy Spirit. She wished that the prayer “Come
Holy Spirit” might become as popular as the Hail Mary. Pope John XXIII certainly had a
personal desire for renewal of the Church.
The Second Vatican Council
October 11, 1962. Rome, Italy. At the Papal Palace of the Vatican, Pope John XXIII and
his pontifical government held the first solemn session by the Apostolic Constitution
5
This chapter is an adaptation of AndiaraLemos Lino’s text, taken from her end-of-course paper
in Comunicação Social atUnisinos (São Leopoldo/RS) in 1998. In order to use it as a chapter in this book,
I have made a few changes and added some thoughts with the help of Pollyanna Lara, from Paulo
Apóstolo School/MG.
34
"Humanae Salutis" (Human Salvation) of the Pastoral Council6 with the purpose of
performing a deep revision in the writing of the council documents of the Catholic
Church fundamental doctrine in the world. As he opened the Second Vatican Council,
Pope John XXIII made clear his desire for renewal of the Church.
"The Church has always opposed errors; sometimes she has even condemned them
with utmost severity. Nowadays, however, the Spouse of Christ prefers to use more of
the medicine of mercy rather than severity: she has realized it is better to meet today’s
needs by showing the validity of their doctrine rather than by condemning errors (...)
The Catholic Church, raising the torch of religious through this Council, wishes to show
herself as a loving mother of all, benign, patient, full of mercy and kindness to those of
her children who are apart from her. "7
Pope John XXIII referred to the distance between the clergy and the People of God, the
laity or the sheep, as Jesus preferred to call them. The religious services being
performed in Latin, through the exaltation of the saints - especially the images or icons
- were among the topics that the Council sought to focus on. It was the beginning of a
new consciousness of the Church that sought a new impetus, a new missionary zeal, a
NEW PENTECOST, so that the truth of Jesus could be exploited not only by reason, in
the light of faith, in the eyes of the Catholic doctrine, but primarily to be lived and
proclaimed to the people of our time.
The development and unfolding of the creation and formulation of the Compendium
of Vatican II, besides addressing changes in the Church's pastoral issues, would also
bring significant change to the universal understanding of the ecumenical Catholicism
in order to promote Christian unity. The Council sought to put into practice ways for a
renewal of the Church, which was desired, longed for and planned for the participation
and evangelization of society as a whole.
It took 168 General Congregations and 2,217 speeches at the Council Class so that a
6
ALDAY, Salvador Carrillo .Renovação Carismática, um pentecostes hoje. São Paulo, SP: Paulus,
1996, p. 12. Assembly of Catholic prelates, which deals with dogmatic, doctrinal and/or disciplinary
matters. Among its participants, there are Bishops, Cardinals and the Pope, who deal with the theology of
the Roman Catholic religion. Everything that is decided in these meetings must be respected by the whole
Church.
7
KLOPPENBURG, Frei Boaventura O. F. M. Compêndio do Vaticano II. Petrópolis, RJ:
Editora Vozes, 16ª ed, 1983, p. 8.Papa João XXIII, primeira Sessão do Concílio,11/10/1962
35
precise idea about the purpose of reformulating the Roman Catholic Church
methodology could be formed. This methodology was inaugurated by the Ecumenical
Council of Vatican II. Convened by H.H. Pope John XXIII, who called for the renewal of
the Church in every one of us, the meeting, which lasted three years, sought to bring
out something new. This renewal is compared to the coming of a new Pentecost - the
meeting of the 12 apostles gathered in Jerusalem after Jesus' ascension into heaven,
the Holy Spirit that brought a new vigor and vitality to the group.
In Acts of the Apostles, Evangelist Luke tells that fifty days after the death of Jesus,
when the apostles came down from the Mount of Olives and entered the Cenacle ( the
site in Jerusalem where they were praying with Mary, mother of Jesus ), the promise
foretold by the prophet Joel and performed by Jesus in the book of John was fulfilled:
the coming of the Holy Spirit (the Sanctifier, the consoling, the Advocate, the
Paraclete). Peter, John, Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James,
Timothy, Nathaniel and Mark were meeting behind closed doors on the terrace of a
small manor house in Jerusalem. It was a Sunday morning. The remembrance of a
crucified Jesus was still alive and well in the head of each apostle and caused great
fear. Which of them would be the next preacher and defender of the new faith, which
could become a martyr for the proclamation of the Gospel? That was when the
heavens shook. A noise as loud as the announcement of a violent wind echoed. A crash
broke into the whole house. From heaven descended flames of fire which parted and
rested on the head of each of the followers of Jesus (Acts 2).
As if drunk with sweet wine, they began to speak in tongues. The noise attracted a
crowd that gathered and was confused because everyone there could understand
everything that was being said. Residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Egypt,
Libya and Rome, who had arrived in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, heard the
men tell the wonderful works of God in their own languages. Endowed with
extraordinary powers, the apostles conquered fear and took to the streets to build a
new church, thanks to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
With the anointing of Christ's followers, the spoken tongues, the miraculous healings
that Peter and John began to operate in the temple of Jerusalem that afternoon,
nobody would doubt the power of the Holy Spirit. According to the Hebrews, it is the
"ruah", the refreshing wind that comes to transform, rejoice and unite the people of
God in the same herd. The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, rested upon the
36
apostles, giving them the courage to proclaim and spread the message of Jesus across
the world.
Thus, after recalling the phenomenon of Pentecost, we can better understand why the
word "renewal" was so strong in the Vatican II sessions. It was the desire of the Church
to renew this Pentecost, bringing an ecclesial Pentecostal grace to our times and
everywhere, from the Bishops to the large Christian community. Thus, a new bridge of
communication arises and is able to renew, transform, revive and invigorate the entire
evangelizing church that seeks a new way to get its ideas across.
It was in this context that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal arose as a post-council
event. The "New Pentecost" starts developing with the emergence of the Charismatic
Movement, clear signal of the desire of many Catholics to live the Catholic Christian
spirituality more fully through a more intense experience of individual and group
prayer, and follow the teachings of the Scriptures, reading them in light of the same
Spirit that inspired their writing. One of the most important effects of this awakening
has surely been the growing thirst for holiness which we see in many people who make
up the Mystical Body of Jesus: the Church.
If the teachings that come from the Church are based on everything that was said and
done by Jesus, this very Church could only be renewed by the Holy Spirit: "But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you" (Act 1, 8a). This is the Holy Spirit
that gives life to the Church, and it is the legitimate designer of any renewal that might
occur in the Church.
The Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR)
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal was born in a climate of ecclesial expectation for a
New Pentecost, which is the source of mystical fervor and renewal in the Church. The
Holy Spirit would not have been exhausted on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem two
thousand years ago, but he would still remain until today, the New People of God8,
perpetuated, having the first Christian community as a reference.
A group of Catholic college students gathered for a weekend retreat at The Ark and
8
Lumen Gentium. No. 9, 1.Chapter II of the Constitution on the Church is entitled "People of God," and it
is about charismas and the excitement from the worship of the Holy Spirit.
37
The Dove Retreat House outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The event, known as the
"Duquesne Weekend", took place on the weekend of February 17-19, 1967, when the
Chi Rho group gathered to pray and study the Bible at the retreat house. They were
professors and young students from Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit - whose
coat of arms displays this motto: "Spitirus Est Qui Vivificat," i.e., "It is the Spirit who
gives life".
The Chi-Rho Society was founded to encourage the practice of prayer and participation
in the liturgy, evangelization and social action at their meetings, but the group wanted
"something more". Chi Rho stands for the first two letters (chi=ch and rho=r) in the
Greek word for Christ. Although they could not specify why, they recognized that there
was a lack of dynamism and a spiritual weakness in their actions and activities.
With the help of two professors, a History professor and a Professor of Theology, they
gathered at the countryside guesthouse in North Hills where they entered a stage of
intense prayer and inquiry about the vitality of their faith. The purpose of the retreat
was to deepen the experience of God. Therefore, they would study the Acts of the
Apostles, and the participants were supposed to read "The Cross and the
Switchblade."9
Aware of the fact that the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost had been responsible
for the early Christian community strength, students and professors, gathered at "The
Ark and the Dove", began to pray. There was a proposal by one of the participants
that they renew their sacrament of Confirmation much the same way that Catholics
renew their baptism that the Spirit would manifest its presence in them. Altogether,
then, in the chapel, on February 18, 1967, Saturday, one of the young men named
David Mangan encountered the power of the Holy Spirit. A few hours later, Patti
Mansfield also encountered the baptism in the Spirit while in the chapel. In the
coming hours, some of the young people began to pray, sing and encounter the Holy
Spirit. During the hours before the tabernacle, some of them felt that their faith turned
from intellectual to practical. Those were hours of disposal, transformation and
renewal that they had been seeking, and now they were receiving it all. Some laughed,
9
Written by Reverend David Wilkerson with John and Elizabeth Sherrill, originally published in 1963, the
book tells the dramatic true story that happened to him, a Pentecostal preacher from Philipsburg, a small
town located 200 km from New York. He followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and reached out to
minister to people with whom the churches would not associate: the street gangs of the Beldford
Stuyvestand district in New York.
38
and were filled with sheer joy; others felt a burning in their hands and tongues and had
glowing faces.
The group gathering there in the retreat house chapel received the grace which is
called "Baptism in the Holy Spirit" or "outpouring of the Holy Spirit", described by the
New Testament in the Bible. In other words, they were struck by the conviction that
God is real and He loves us. It was the New Pentecost directed by Jesus and the
redeeming power of his love. It became clear to about half of the participants that God
was alive and was not just a concept.
The eyewitness who was at the "The Ark and The Dove" retreat house (Patti
Mansfield)10
"Duquesne is more than a story of the past. It remains until today, and I’ll explain why.
I grew up in New Jersey, my parents were children of immigrants, a Catholic family. I
was always sure of their love and that love provided me with security. I went to a
public school, but our family went to church every Sunday and we were prepared for
the sacraments in religious instruction. I chose to study at a Catholic University to
learn more about Catholicism. I was a leader throughout high school.
The Lord was surely preparing me. I began to study Theology and French, but as the
school terms went by I was not satisfied. I felt a hunger and thirst for God. I wanted to
find Him beyond books and concepts. I began to attend Mass every day. In the 2nd
year of college, I met a girl who attended a weekly Bible group.
This friend had been inviting me to take part in the group for a year, and I always made
up the most creative excuses to say 'no'. Actually, I was afraid that the Lord might ask
me something I could not give, or afraid of being seen overly holy by my classmates. At
the end of the year, though, I decided to attend a picnic organized by the Bible group.
When I got to my third year, I began taking part in the group, and began to desire to
grow closer to God. One of the things we did in Chi Rho was to pray the Divine Office
and to study the Scripture.
10
Patti Mansfield was one of the participants of the Duquesne Weekend, an event known as a starting
point for CCR in the United States and worldwide. The passage quoted is the testimony given by her
during the 8th ENUCC - National Meeting of University Catholic Charismatics in Goiânia, from 24 to 27
July 2003.
39
In February 1967, this group made our annual retreat. This was my first-ever spiritual
retreat. In preparation, we were told to pray expectantly, to study Acts of the Apostles
1-4, which tells the story of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit's action in the disciples, and
also read the book 'The Cross and the Switchblade.”
When I finished doing my preparation, I was alone in my dormitory room. I knelt by
my bed and prayed the following prayer. I prayed, “Lord, as a Catholic, I believe I’ve
already received your Spirit in Baptism and Confirmation, but if it’s possible for your
Spirit to do more at work in my life than he’s been until now, I want it.” When I prayed
that prayer, I expected something to happen; to feel something. But I felt nothing.
I concluded that such intimacy with God must be something reserved only for special
people, the saints, not me. Then, on the 17th of February 1967, about twenty-five
students began the retreat. We met in the upper room chapel, and we began each
session with the hymn "Come, Creator Spirit." Few of us knew that there were two
professors at the meeting who had been praying for months to receive the Holy Spirit.
They had visited a Spirit-filled group of Christians of different denominations, and
there they had received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, but they did not tell us anything
about it.
The first meditation was on Mary, our Lady. Then there was a communal penance
service where we were encouraged to repent (As the Scripture says, “When the Holy
Spirit comes, He convinces the world of sin”); the third talk was on chapter two of Acts
and was given by a Protestant lady. I had a lot of resistance to this woman, especially
when she said she did not know what to say and that the Holy Spirit was the one who
would speak. I thought that was presumptuous. How does a woman dare to come to
talk to us without even preparing her talk? I said to myself, ‘This is amazing!' And it
really was amazing, because she spoke with authority, as someone who knew the Holy
Spirit. It was when I wrote in my notebook. 'JESUS, BE REAL TO ME'.
David Mangan proposed that we renew our sacrament of Confirmation. I thought it
was a brilliant idea, but most of the other students didn’t seem interested. The two of
us agreed that even if no one else on retreat wanted to renew their confirmation, we
would do so at the close of the retreat. We told one of our professors and he asked us,
‘Are you ready for what the Lord wants to do in your lives?'. I was scared, but I took
out a piece of paper and wrote these words, “ I want a miracle.”On Saturday evening,
40
February 18, 1967, there was a party scheduled for some of the students, but there did
not seem to be much interest. I decided to go to the chapel, where there were three
students in prayer. I knelt before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and for the first
time I felt and understood, as a Catholic, what the real presence of Jesus meant. I
began to tremble and fear. I understood that the Lord was there, the Holy, the Just,
the King. I thought, 'He is Holy, but I am not. If I continue in His presence, something
will change in me.’ But bigger than fear was the desire to give myself to Him. As I knelt
down, I said the following prayer: 'Father, I give myself completely to you. Whatever
you ask of me, I accept it and if it means suffering, I accept that too. Just teach me to
follow your Son Jesus and to love like Jesus loves.'
When I finished the prayer, I found myself prostrate, flat on my face. My shoes came
off in the process. I felt overwhelmed by the love of God. Nothing on earth can stop
the love of God. The words of the Psalmist described my experience, 'Taste and see
that the Lord is good'. The prayer of St. Augustine also captures what happened to
me, “You have made us for yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they rest
in you.” I felt like I wanted to die and be with God in heaven right then. Even though I
wanted to stay there and bask in the presence of the Lord, I knew that if I could
experience the love of God like that, anyone could too! I sought out the chaplain, and
he said that David Mangan, the young man who had proposed that we renew our
Confirmation, had been into the chapel and had an identical experience as I did. I
asked him who I should tell and he assured me that the Lord would show me. Almost
immediately two retreatants approached me and said my face was glowing. I brought
them into the chapel and I began to pray that whatever the Lord did to me, He would
do to them. Within about an hour about half the students on the retreat were
sovereignly drawn into the chapel. Some people were laughing for joy, others
weeping, others felt a tingling in their hands. Some prayed with their hands raised.
We had no idea that in those moments of February 18, 1967, a new movement was
born. It was the birth of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Within 40 years there
were over 120 million Catholics in 235 countries who had experienced the grace of
being baptized in the Holy Spirit.
On the week following the retreat, I returned to campus. It seemed like a dream. A
friend told me that if he did not know me very well, he would think that I was drunk.
(So it was with the disciples in Jerusalem at Pentecost, when the crowd began to say
they were drunk with sweet wine). Really, everything was new. Immediately I went to
search the documents of Vatican II to see what the Church said about the Holy Spirit. I
41
said to myself that as powerful as my experience was, if the Church told that my
experience was not authentic, I would be ready to deny my experience. I would never
leave the Church. To my joy, I discovered in the Documents of Vatican II, only
encouragement to welcome the Holy Spirit with its charismatic gifts (Lumen Gentium,
12).
Today, when people ask me, 'Patti, how do you feel about being part of the beginning
of the CCR?', I say that I feel a little bit of what Our Lady must have felt. I could
experience what the word YES means and its consequences. Could Mary have
imagined, at the Annunciation, that today she would have so many children around
the world? My YES has had an impact on your life today. These are the mysteries of the
Lord. Your YES will impact Brazil and all the world. Just be faithful to the call of the
Father. Be faithful to Jesus. Be faithful to the Holy Spirit."
Repercussion
The experience Patti and the students who were in the retreat house chapel had that
weekend confirmed all the assumptions about the post-council renovating Christianity.
The renewal of their faith has resulted in their conviction that evangelization is
necessary because they felt they had to tell the entire People of God about the
supreme loving fullness coming from Him. A profound dedication to the affairs of the
Roman Catholic Church and its orthodoxy11 were of common interest as well.
The Pentecostal Movement in the Catholic Church, as it was originally called, began to
spread as Catholics from University of Notre Dame and Michigan State Universities
came to visit Duquesne. Some of the students from Duquesne University took part in
an ecumenical outreach at Pastor Bredesen’s church in Mount Vernon, New York, for a
few weeks in the summer of 1967.
After experiencing a profound inner change (becoming "new men and women"), they
boldly continued to preach about Jesus, synonymous with eternal love, to the world.
The first conference of CCR occurred in Notre Dame in September 1967 with the
presence of fifty people. By 1973, 35,000 Catholics were gathered at another Catholic
11
MANSFIELD, Patti Gallagher. As By a New Pentecost:The dramatic beginning of the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal. Rio de Janeiro: Mantis, 1993, p. 18. A structure of beliefs that is neither ultraliberal nor reactionary, but firmly rooted in sacramental theology, 1993.
42
Charismatic Conference at Notre Dame.
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) in Brazil
The spark spread like wildfire on straw and invaded the five continents of the Earth,
even though the Catholics widely criticized the movement. The Catholic Charismatic
Renewal, thirty-seven years after its birth, is characterized not only as an ecclesial
movement, but as spirituality, seeking a stronger spiritual action that transforms lives,
rejuvenates and refreshes the opportunities that arise in the Community, always
uniting old and new views. In the beginning, CCR reached the leaders engaged in
movements such as Cursillo, Youth Meetings, and it gradually grew as a new "wave" of
evangelization with its own identity. Brought by American priests in 1968, the
movement clashed with the Base Ecclesial Communities (BECs)12 which, despite their
popular theories, were finding it difficult to popularize the Roman Catholic Church.
In the early '70s, some Jesuit priests and seminarians began holding retreats called
Experiences of the Holy Spirit and, later on, experiences of Prayer in various parts of
Brazil. Most of these priests were from New Orleans, United States. Simultaneously,
other priests and lay people in various parts of the country began to experience a new
fervor in evangelization and in apostolic work. When Father Jonas Abib and Rev.
Edward Daugherty joined the CCR in Brazil, an extraordinary impetus was given to the
movement, which grew out of the missionary work of both priests.
In 1974, the first CCR National Conference was held in Itaici, Sao Paulo, coordinated by
Father Silvestre Scandian (now Archbishop of Vitória-ES) and with the presence of
Father Robert de Grandis, Br Joao Batista Vogel, and Fr Wilfred Tunnick. From the
Conference, other regions began to develop, in the North, in the Diocese of Santarém
with Brother Paul, and in the Midwest, with Brother Joao Batista Vogel.
Thus, today, CCR is present in an organized way and doing pastoral work in 267
dioceses. It comprises approximately sixty thousand prayer teams, with the
participation of eight to ten million Charismatic people in Brazil alone. Its organization
12
NASCIMENTO e Expansão da RCC. Escola Paulo Apóstolo, São José dos Campos, São Paulo, v1, nº1, p.
10, 1997. BEC = Base Ecclesial Community. It allows reproduction of the ideas of Liberation Theology
and the Church of the Excluded. Among others, its leaders were Dom Helder Camara, Archbishop of
Olinda and Recife, Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, Archbishop Emeritus of São Paulo.
43
at the national level has a National Council –a deliberative body responsible for the
unity and development of CCR, with headquarters in the diocese where the President
resides - formed by the state coordinators, national coordinators of ministries, the
chairmen of various committees, guest members and the spiritual director.
At the diocesan level, CCR is organized around teams and Diocesan Councils, which are
approved and recognized by (arch) diocesan (arch) bishops, according to the statutes /
regulations of each. In the diocesan CCR, the only recognized authority is the Bishop
who welcomes and endorses the services of CCR in his diocese, and the diocesan
coordinator is the "bridge" between him, the Bishop, and the CCR participants in this
diocese. The National Council has no interference in the dioceses, being responsible
only for General Planning and unity in order to guarantee the identity of the
Movement.
The CCR’s cell is the Charismatic Prayer Team, which operates within the Parish
Communities. Its dynamics aims to provoke a reaction in every Christian’s personal life.
The purpose of the prayer team in each parish is, through the experience of baptism in
the Holy Spirit, to provide a deep and strong renewal in a progressive, dynamic and
permanent way, seeking the group’s strengthening and maturity. The Prayer Team also
exists to trigger the process of spiritual renewal, which transforms the life of every
Christian and all his or her relationships with God, the Family, the Church and Society.
Some actions such as constant prayer, prayer of thanksgiving and praise, praise to the
Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), the recognition of the Lordship of Jesus Christ,
reading the Bible, the participation in the sacraments of the Catholic Church, the
veneration of the Virgin Mary as the Divine Mother and Queen, the full obedience to
the Doctrine of the Church, harmony with all its hierarchy and obedience to the Pope,
bishops and priests stand out among the main points of the CCR practice.
The charismatic gifts13 are granted by the Holy Spirit to all Christians of faith, but in
order to have real value, they must be exercised based on charity, which is responsible
13
VALLE, Isac Isaías. Carismas: manifestações da presença e do poder do Espírito Santo. Rio de
Janeiro: Louva-a-Deus, 1994, 4th ed, p. 70 to 77. Such charismas are usually manifested as gifts of
healing, miracles, words of wisdom and knowledge, prophecy, discernment of spirits, to pray in tongues
(the tongue of angels) and interpretation, among many others. These events are not considered
extraordinary, but perfectly integrated into everyday life of the Christian community.
44
love. In 1992, a need for a new direction for the Charismatic Renewal came out. This
new direction is being conducted now within a project known as the National
Offensive, begun in 1993. Its fundamentals are: actions, expressions, and teaching
(Paul the Apostle School) unity; the experience of the Baptism (effusion) in the Holy
Spirit aiming to a life of holiness and service; and, while Spiritual Renewal in the
Church, in communion with their pastors, to evangelize with renewed missionary zeal
and train in holiness and service God's people, from the Baptism in the Spirit.
People who praise and hear the Word of God gather in Prayer Teams whose main goal
is to bring all participants to experience a personal Pentecost, to grow and reach
maturity of Christian life. Each prayer team has its coordinator, whose task, along with
his or her core service, is to ensure the group's charismatic spirituality, orient the
participants to the experience of charismas through systematic training, be aware of
both material and spiritual needs of the participants, and maintain unity with the
diocesan coordination. Every servant must have features such as clarity of
communication, enthusiasm, joy, intimacy with Jesus, in addition to all the means and
instruments available to ensure that objectives are reached.
Prayer Team services are organized into ministries, each with a specific mission:
welcoming, intercession, preaching, music, healing and deliverance, education,
children, youth, family, human - in short, services whose ultimate goal is to take each
one of the participants to truly experience the baptism in the Holy Spirit with all its
consequences. The Prayer Team is divided into three parts: the core meeting, prayer
meeting groups ,and perseverance. In many places, the first stage is called "supply" of
servants, where they develop the practice of charismas and experience the power of
prayer. However, the core meeting, which is not an open meeting, must be not only a
powerful moment of prayer, but also a time of sharing, planning the next meeting and
evaluation of the previous one. The second moment is the open meeting, where the
praise, the cheerful chants, spontaneous prayer, the outpouring of the Spirit, healing,
miracles, the powerful preaching of the Word are available to all. There are no
restrictions to enter the prayer meeting, since it is here that you want to
accommodate everyone who needs to experience God's love and conversion in their
lives.
The third and final moment, which is a reality in many prayer teams, is called groups of
perseverance, which aims to bring together those participants who are the most
persevering, fully adapted to the charismatic spirituality, in groups of up to twelve
45
people. These groups of perseverance meet on a different day, apart from the prayer
team, in order to receive training and to create true bonds of brotherhood and
sharing. Members of the group of perseverance, which also has a servant responsible
for it, do not fail to attend the prayer meeting. Instead, they give the novice members
testimony of community experience and of the changes that the Lord has already
performed in their lives.
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal, as an ecclesial movement and identity, wishes to
become a fruitful member of the Church every day. True to its post-council origins, it
wants to increasingly bring the certainty that the action of the Holy Spirit is real and
updated, and effective transformation occurs from the conversion of the heart. May
the present and future of CCR truly confirm these beliefs.
CCR: 45th anniversary
A happy coincidence was that during the process of updating the book, CCR
completed forty-five years of history, exactly on February 17-19, 2012. In this time of
celebration, remembrance and thanksgiving, it is beautiful to see how the Holy Spirit of
God manifests in the Church. I made a point of updating this chapter by using a simple
image of a dove carrying a rose. If we asked a child to illustrate the great achievement
of the Holy Spirit in the late '60s, he or she would probably make a drawing like this.
The rose is undoubtedly a sign that a new spring was coming to the Church, after Pope
John XXIII’s request: "Renew your wonders in this day as by a new Pentecost," at the
opening of Vatican II.
I would like to mention here something I learned while I was reading about the Holy
Spirit because of an article that I had to write. Do you know what Paraclete means? Or
rather, what did that word mean in Jesus' time? At that time, there was the figure of
the lawyer. When a person was taken to court, their only possible defense was that of
an individual known by society as "Paraclete." The Paraclete was a man of good
reputation (a kind of ‘clean hands’ of our time) that during a prosecution could sit by
the defendant’s side.
46
The difference between the Paraclete and the lawyer is that the former could say
nothing; he should be silent all the time. And that fact made all the difference. The
mere presence of the Paraclete told everyone in the courtroom that this defendant
was trustworthy. Isn’t that beautiful? You see, the Holy Spirit of God is a constant,
strong, silent presence who is always by our side. He who received the grace of feeding
from this divine presence experiences a rebirth, as with Nicodemus. "The wind blows
wherever it pleases, you hear the noise, but do not know where it comes from or
where it goes”(Jo 3,8). In forty-five years of history, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal
has gone through many trials.
In particular, in its early stages, it had to rely on the strength of men and women of
God, willing to go through all kinds of persecution. Undoubtedly, the Paraclete was
there, always present: a silent force that has confirmed the confidence of the Father in
every one of us! May the walk towards the 50th anniversary be focused on what is
essentially Pentecost: love. It was not by accident that Blessed John Paul II went on to
say that the only culture capable of fertilizing the Civilization of Love is the Culture of
Pentecost.
47
3 - It Took a Fertile Ground
“Something more is given to us through the way of faith than through the way of
philosophical reflection: the God who is personally near to us, who loves us and pities
us, and gives us a certainty that surpasses all natural knowledge.”
Edith Stein
Federal University of Viçosa (MG / Brazil), February 1982. It was the first day of school.
The Agronomy course freshman Joselito Ramalho managed to escape from the seniors
on campus for fear of getting a prank and, at the same time, he was trying to get some
information about the place where a Bible course was being held. Suddenly, Joselito
ran into Marcos, another student at UFV, who coincidentally was looking for the same
event.
Both Marcos and Joselito had come from other cities and brought the Catholic
tradition received from their families along with them. Joselito had participated in the
Charismatic Renewal in Cachoeiro do Itapemirim / ES, his hometown, and great was his
desire to fit in with the Catholic university and town. Therefore, the unexpected
meeting of the two students could not be more convenient. Excited about the
opportunity to get united in prayer and with the collaboration of Rogerio, a young man
who was not yet in college, they set up the "Upper Room" prayer team in the chapel of
the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV). Thus, both the first university prayer team,
which later on we called UPT, and the Charismatic Renewal of the city of Viçosa were
born. The same thing that had happened in Duquesne occurred in Viçosa. CCR began
at the University, and then went to the city.
Joselito, Marcos, Rogerio, and those who joined the group became a true community,
and the college chapel was the center for their meetings and prayers. The chaplain of
the UFV, Father Mendes, became such a fan of the group that he even handed the
chapel keys over to the coordinators. There, the university students became close
fellow neighbors, like the disciples and early Christians, as we see in Acts, "And every
day the Lord brought together more people who were on the way of salvation" (Acts 2,
48
47). Everyone who came in the chapel received a prayer, and many put themselves at
the service of the group. Joselito graduated in 1986, and soon after he decided to
become a priest. Years later, precisely in 1999, during ENUCC IV, he remarked:
"Our testimony and our presence at the University come from our
baptism and from the covenant we have made around a common
dream. This experience was and is founded on the Word revealed in
the Bible and presented in the Church's doctrine. The prayer team at
the university does not exist to make us feel good, or for us to use
our gifts or make new friends. The UPT is there so that we can be
authentic and courageous witnesses of Christ. This is what will allow
others to have this experience as well."
The university students of Viçosa, as they were known, began traveling to different
parts of the state preaching at the most diverse meetings. At the University, the group
was so strong and cohesive that it became more representative than the actual
Students Association (DCE). In the first year, the students took on work at two pastoral
councils in the city: prison and health. Another common practice was to attract a large
number of people, organizing caravans and going to Cachoeira Paulista / SP, where all
took part in the Rebanhão, a carnival open meeting conducted by Father Jonas Abib, a
pioneer of CCR in Brazil and founder of the Canção Nova Community. This was a
practice that continued until the late 80s, when the Viçosa CCR realized that they could
conduct their own event during carnival.
Over the years, many generations of students have been through university and
experienced the grace of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Many arrived there without
having ever participated in the Church; others had had some experience before, and
then joined the community, thus beginning to be part of the history of Viçosa. One of
those who had known about the Charismatic Renewal before was Fernando Galvani,
nicknamed after his hometown Mococa. His entry into the Charismatic Renewal, and
consequently in the Church, since his family did not have any Catholic tradition, took
place when he was 16 years old, after he attended a prayer experience.
Fernando was like many teenagers of today. He became involved with drugs, alcohol,
things like that, in other words, he was involved in a number of negative, dangerous
activities. In one of these, he even lost bits of his right-hand fingers in an accident with
49
dynamite detonator; nevertheless, changes started to happen in his life after he had
the Experience of Prayer in Mococa. "When they laid hands on me, I felt nothing.
Neither chills, nor rigors, nor any crying. I was afraid of praying in tongues, and having
a priest calling my attention and saying that my prayer was not the gift of tongues. I
spent five months analyzing the meaning of God's love in my life. I began to attend
prayer teams every day, such was my thirst for the Lord. "
Fernando left for Viçosa in December 1983 in order to attempt to get into college,
more specifically into the course of Veterinary Medicine at UFV. Upon his arrival in the
town that was living the excitement of prayer teams, and after being in contact with
other students, he began to participate in CCR's activities. He would not find time to
study, though. As a result, he failed the university entrance examination and had to
return to Mococa. After staying there for nine months, he moved to Sertãozinho, São
Paulo, in order to work on a farm. During this period, the desire to go to university
increased, so in August 1986 Fernando returned to Viçosa. There, he took a six-month
preparatory course while working as a lab aid collecting data for a study in the
Master’s Program of Animal Science. In December 1986, the thrilling news came out.
Fernando had passed the exam, so he was ready to start his course in January 1987. As
soon as he entered the school, he took on the work of the prayer team and ended up
becoming the coordinator of the Viçosa community.
"We were about 200/300 students who lived in prayer. All of us wore
a small cross and could be recognized anywhere on campus. That
group showed such thirst for God that impressed everyone. We
would leave the cafeteria and on to the chapel. There we would find
students praying the rosary with no scheduled activity. We had a
family feeling. We had dinner together, studied together, prayed
together! We did everything together. It was a group of high
asceticism, with devotion to Mary, sacramental life, fasting,
ultimately, the pursuit of holiness."(Fernando Mococa)
The community life at the University of Viçosa, however, was not confined to prayer.
The group had always been concerned with the valuation of their studies and solidarity
with those who had difficulties in certain subjects, such as Analytical Chemistry among
others. Thus, the work of academic advising arose. UPT students would help the other
50
college students who showed any difficulty learning. Besides this, the students who
were better-off also helped their partners who were going through financial
difficulties. The difficulties, of course, were many. It was a period in which much was
said and disclosed about the liberation theology in the Church and many bishops and
priests were opposed to CCR. Yet, gradually the Viçosa group acquired such confidence
of the clergy in some dioceses of Minas Gerais that only they could minister meetings,
such as the experiences of prayer.
"There was a priest in the city who used to say, 'The Charismatic guys
sing ‘Today is time to praise God,’ but meanwhile people are starving.
The Charismatic guys do nothing.” Hearing those things broke our
hearts. So it was also necessary to seek alternative ways, to enter
further into university life, to take part in the struggles of the DCE, of
the city's problems "(Fernando Mococa).
By this time, they were inspired to organize a meeting at the University, something
similar to the Cachoeira Paulista Rebanhão. The first attempt was called "Rebainho",
and was held at the Center for Living at the University in February 1988. The initiative
did not work very well, but the group became more mature with it. The students
named it "Rebainho" because they used to participate in Rebanhão, an event
organized by Father Jonas during carnival days.
In 1989, the community of Viçosa decided to keep the meeting, but they chose
another name: SEARA. The word means an area of cultivated, fertile land. Therefore,
the theme of the first meeting was: "I am the harvest, Jesus is my sower." As Fernando
would say years later, "My heart is the Harvest of God, and Jesus is the Sower." Their
intent was clear: the seeds planted at the meeting should bear fruit in the participants’
native communities after the days of the Seara.
An unusual and relevant fact that marked the first Searas, and later on the meetings of
the Renewed Universities Project, was the realization that the students themselves
should be the preachers at the event. When they started preparations for the Seara,
the organizers and people who participated in the CCR / Viçosa encountered difficulty:
who would preach the meeting that would last for four days? Like today, it was
common practice then to invite renowned preachers for CCR events as a means of
attracting more and more participants. Since many of those preachers were busy
51
elsewhere during carnival, the solution was that the university students of Viçosa took
on the job. And so it was. The city became a hotbed of leaders, preachers and teachers
for the state of Minas Gerais. Many young people who graduated from Viçosa later on
became leaders in their communities.
One of the features of Seara is to conduct training seminars in the morning or
afternoon. Previously, the workshops that addressed several topics (evangelization,
sexuality and emotion, mysticism and spirituality, etc.) used to be held in the morning.
Two years ago, they began to be held in the afternoon. Seara’s goal is to provide
moments of spiritual revival in common and the kerygma announcement, without
neglecting the training in specific areas. It is important to remember, however, that
Seara depends on the support of the University. It was necessary then as it still is, that
UFV granted CCR the right to use its facilities such as the cafeteria, lodging (students
would have to put their belongings away in order to make room for the event’s
participants), gymnasium, classrooms. The university should also provide
transportation, allow posters to be displayed campus , supply equipment such as
overhead projector, sound system, speakers, microphone, and finally fund the
production of printed material.
Janice Cardoso, a student of chemistry then, was the one who had the difficult job of
talking to the dean and submitting the list of requests, while other students were
placed in prayer asking God to supply all of the necessary things. And the dean would
agree, for the glory of God. Janice says that, at one of the Searas, they did not have
enough money for Sunday’s luncheon meat. Then, the group of students went out to
the streets asking the inhabitants of Viçosa, owners of butcheries and supermarkets ,
for donations to Seara. They collected so much that the CCR members of Viçosa could
eat chicken for lunch and dinner over a long period of time.
It is by faithfully and totally relying on the divine providence that the Seara is still
happening these days, managing to bring together about five thousand people. In
2004, the event was already in its 16th edition. Of course, this number of people did
not come overnight or from one Seara to another. It took time for the event to
consolidate and become a tradition in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the State of
Minas Gerais. In 1992, however, one could already see the fruits of service and
faithfulness of those young people. That year the Church launched the motto for the
Fraternity Campaign inspired on the youth. Hence the theme: "Youth, an open way."
Viçosa took the suggestion of the Church to do the same theme.
52
A parenthetical remark
I attended the Seara for the first time in 1992. It was a special year in my life. I was
entering the 3rd year of high school and beginning prep school in Governador
Valadares, my hometown, to try to get into the Social Communication Course of UFMG
in Belo Horizonte, the state capital city, at the end of the year. At the time, there were
twenty-seven candidates per vacancy. Undoubtedly, taking part in the Seara would be
a special blessing for the year full of expectations.
The invitation to the prayer team meeting came from Helio, a boy who had once
stopped me in the street and invited me to join the prayer team of young people at
Our Lady Aparecida Parish every Sunday at 5 p.m.. The way he approached me "what’s up, babe, got a super cool invitation for you" - made me say “no”. But I also
turned down his invitation because the following Sunday would be my birthday. His
reply, "hey, that’s cool. Let's all celebrate your birthday at the prayer team," intrigued
me, though. What a force! I wondered how that young man could be so daring and
brave. Where did his force come from?
Helio’s invitation was like an arrow of God in my heart. On June 2, 1991, when I turned
16 years old, there I was, stepping in a prayer team room for the first time. There were
only young people there, all happy, smilingly happy. When they said, "be welcome", I
could see that their cry came from deep in their hearts. Of course, I found it very
strange that they raised their hands when they sang, or prayed together in unison. The
feeling of being welcomed and loved, however, was greater than the strangeness of all
those charismas of the Holy Spirit that I could not fully understand then.
After receiving that birthday gift, I came home. My younger sister, Mirela, had
prepared a surprise party for me. That birthday was indeed very special, and the gift I
received at the prayer team was with me throughout the week. I could hardly wait to
get back to this prayer team the following Sunday. However, because I had a lot to
study and because I participated in a drama group that took much of my time on
weekends, my participation in the retreats and meetings prepared by the prayer team
was not feasible. Around the month of October, a meeting of young people would be
held in Belo Horizonte. I dreamed of participating in it, but my parents did not let me
go. They were afraid I would become a "fanatic", because I had started listening to
evangelical and Catholic music, had asked for a Bible, habits that were not very
common in our house. Although my parents came from a traditional Catholic heritage
and had been raised in the precepts of the Church, our Catholic participation was
limited to church on Sundays.
53
As the 1992 Seara approached, my desire to go and take part in it increased. Helio had
participated in 1991 and only talked about it. Full of expectations I left for Viçosa in the
wee hours of that Carnival Saturday. On the last day, after a testimonial preaching by
Fernando Mococa, I could see on his face and of the organizers’ that they were pleased
to see the fruits of the meeting. We were about five thousand people in the UFV
gymnasium, an extremely hot afternoon on that Carnival Tuesday (Mardi Gras).
Nobody moved, though. Everybody stayed in that holy place. Together, we were
driven to sing along the song of the ministry. It was a song that showed a different
picture for the youth of Brazil, a very different one from what I used to see in school, in
the streets or drama group. The song went like this:
"The force that actually moves our lives comes from the heights into our hearts. It heals
our pains. The Holy Spirit acts strongly renewing us at every prayer. Youth, yes, free,
yes, free. With the strength of those who have God in their hearts. And in the union of
their arms, they have the same goal. Bring peace, love and forgiveness to the world. If
many prefer hatred, we prefer love; if many prefer drugs, we prefer health and
freedom. If many prefer nothing, we prefer to find everything. It is the truth of having
God in our hearts. Youth, yes, free, yes, free ... "
I could barely sing. I was overwhelmed by intense feelings with that crowd of young
people making a pact with true freedom. Everyone clapped, hands raised in perfect
synchronicity. At one point, all instruments and voices were silent, only hands clapping
to the rhythm of the song. It was a beautiful image that those who were there will
certainly never be able to erase from their memories. While I was watching the people,
I turned my gaze back to Fernando and his friends who were on the stage. They were
all astonished, amazed. Today, I'm trying to visualize the meaning of Pentecost for the
disciples and the pious in Jerusalem who heard the "rumors of the Spirit" and were
astonished. Upon finishing this act of prayer, deliverance, joy, and hope that a new
youth is attainable, Fernando testified, "I joined this University in 1987. This is my last
Seara as a student. My graduation is in April this year (1992). Today, the promise I’d
made to the Lord that, before graduating, I would see this gymnasium full of young
people glorifying His Holy Name has been fulfilled."
On the way back to Governador Valadares, one could easily see the work that God had
performed in all the young people who were on the bus. Testimonies were the most
diverse. I wanted to change the world and got home saying that, in 1993, everybody
would go to Seara, that it was wonderful there! My older brother, Eber Jr., made fun of
me. How naïve I was by imagining that my words, gestures and testimony could
describe the experience I had on those days! I did not manage to take all my family
54
members to Seara in 1993, but a neighbor, Luciana, and my sister Mirela came along
with me. This issue of bringing people into the Seara was serious. Each year, I
introduced new people to the Lord. From 1992 to 2004 I did that. I took part in eleven
Searas during those thirteen years, and at every encounter the Lord had a special grace
reserved for me, especially in 1994.
55
4 - The Dream
“Faith brings one closer to divine wisdom than all philosophical and even theological
knowledge.”
Edith Stein
Being a man of temper, playful at times and very angry at others, coordinating with
charisma, and a "pioneer" in nature, Fernando is one of those people who strives to
achieve his goals, especially if he knows deep in his heart that the cause is the kingdom
of God. He graduated from the Veterinary School in the second semester of 1991. In
June 1992, he left for the United States in order to take a specialization course, and
stayed for six months there.
However, before graduating, more precisely in the first semester of 1990, Fernando
received from God the beginnings of a revelation that would culminate in the dream of
revitalizing universities in Brazil years later. The mission of God revealed to Fernando
occurred in his own dorm room, "Novissimo", located on the UFV campus. He used to
share this room with three other students who also participated in the prayer team at
the university. Right at the entrance was hanging a picture of Jerusalem.
One afternoon, around one o’clock p.m., Fernando was praying in his room. While
looking at the picture of Jerusalem, he meditated over the book of Acts. Then he was
surprised by what he read in chapter 5, verse 28:"We gave you strict orders (did we
not?) to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching,
and want to bring this man's blood upon us."The Acts of the Apostles or the Holy Spirit
acts portrays the early Christian communities, the martyrdom of the apostles, the
conversions and the proclamation of the Gospel by the disciples of Jesus, after the
feast of Pentecost (Acts 2).
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter, James, John and the other disciples suffered all kinds
of persecution for announcing the name of the Lord Jesus. In chapter 4, the concern of
the chiefs of the Sanhedrin about what to do with Peter and John is very clear, because
of the boldness with which they announced, and the cures they performed. “So they
56
called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, "Whether it is right in the sight of God
for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to
speak about what we have seen and heard." After threatening them further, they
released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all
praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing had
been done was over forty years old.”(Acts 4: 18-22).
Verse 28 of Chapter 4, the generating word of the dream of revitalizing universities,
touched Fernando’s heart deeply when he looked at the picture of Jerusalem and
began to imagine what the city was like in Jesus' time. How full of the doctrine of Jesus
Jerusalem was! How bold the disciples were and how willing they were to do anything
to enforce the teachings of the Lord! How did they manage to meet amidst so many
persecutions? What was that force that drove them to proclaim the Gospel with power
and honesty, timely and untimely? What was the experience of Pentecost in the lives
of those disciples? What profound changes the Lord had worked in those men who,
fearfully, became great evangelists and martyrs!
Taking this trip back in time while praying and asking the Holy Spirit to make Jesus real
to all students of the Federal University of Viçosa, Fernando was taken to glimpse the
University filled with the doctrine of Jesus. How different it would be! What would a
class taught by a teacher full of faith be like? What would walking along the university
pathways and encountering neighbors who had embraced the same faith be like?
What would the research and extension projects be like if they were based on the
principles of the Gospel?
At the time, Fernando felt such an immense desire to see the University of Viçosa full
of Jesus’ doctrine and love that he could hardly hold it in his heart. On that special day,
during a time of prayer, the Lord began to call on Catholic university students to renew
the universities. Fernando was the first of many thousands who were to receive this
mission. However, the dream of God was not introduced to a group of people at once
that moment, as it happened at Seara in 1994’s Carnival. Initially, the project to renew
universities had been preserved so that the seed could be planted in a fertile land and
thus bear fruit at the right time. In 1993, two other episodes consolidated the dream
of renewing universities in such a way that the reality of Viçosa could be spread to
other places.
Sadness, frustration and a new calling
After having graduated and lived abroad for six months, Fernando came back to Brazil
and received some news that caused him immense sorrow and frustration. Before
leaving for the United States, he used to be the state of Minas Gerais representative in
the CCR youth national team. The team was well coordinated and had held national
57
meetings, bringing together large numbers of young people. However, the Council and
the National Commission of CCR in Brazil at the time decided to end the work of the
youth team. Instead, they would begin the project of Evangelization National Offensive
that contained, among other things, the creation of ministries. The Marcos Secretariat
would be responsible, then, for the evangelization and training of youngsters.
The news was extremely disappointing for Fernando and for those that stood by him,
including Frei Jorge Correa, a barefoot Carmelite who accompanied the group. The
sadness and frustration of that moment mingled with concerns about a new calling,
presented in a special way at the Santo Domingo Conference (Santo Domingo and
beyond: documents and commentaries from the Fourth General Conference of LatinAmerican Bishops) held in Santo Domingo in 1992.
The document presents these main axes: the new evangelization, human
development, and Christian culture. In chapter 153, which is about the so-called
"godless and indifferent," the document denounces the view that considers every
religion as useless and harmful to human life, and the idea that no religion can be
presented as true. Therefore, the New Evangelization requires us, Catholics, "to form
in a faith that turns into life, starting with the announcement of the kerygma to those
in the dechristianized world (...); to push for an adequate pastoral to evangelize
university environments, where those who will decisively shape the culture are
formed." (Santo Domingo Document, ch. 156, p. 149).In other words, the church also
asked, insisted, and called Catholics to organize a strong campaign for the
evangelization of the universities, especially because it is in these places that we find
opinion formers, culture and laws doers, professionals who are formed to work in
specific areas of activity in our society.
By that time, Fernando was given the book "As By a New Pentecost" by Patti
Mansfield, which he had not heard of until then. While diving in the pages of the book,
two things called his attention: the request for a miracle made by the writer who was
present at the Duquesne Weekend - "I want a miracle" - and the phrase written on the
university crest "It is the Spirit who gives life".
Fernando then begins to wonder:
"Why was CCR born exactly within a university? Why not in a monastery, in a group of
young people or older people of a parish, or in a Basic Community? Why am I
participating in this historic moment of outpouring of the Holy Spirit, having had the
chance to attend university? What is my answer on this mission of evangelizing the
university? From that moment on I made a commitment to the Lord: wherever I go, I
want to leave my mark, my seal of a Christian, even if it might mean embarrassment,
as it usually occurs within academic areas, within the workplace, and in various
58
circumstances."14
The confluence of three episodes, the dream of seeing the University of Viçosa filled
with the doctrine of Jesus, the words of the bishops of Latin America and the
testimony of Patti Mansfield, arose in Fernando the dream of renewing all the
universities in Brazil. In other words, to take the experience from UFV to all campuses
across the country, colleges, institutes of higher education so that students, faculty,
deans, department heads and employees could experience the grace of the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit. Not simply because the University is a place hungry for faith, hope,
God, but because it is where the future professionals are, those professionals who will
build the Brazilian society in one way or another.
At the time Fernando prayed in his room, the reality graduating students faced in
Viçosa was characterized by the export of professionals to the agricultural frontiers.
There, they would quickly become technical, political, social or even religious
authorities, such is the shortage of skilled professionals in those places. As the dream,
initially revealed in Viçosa, was taking shape and being molded by God, this situation
that applied only to Viçosa became a benchmark for other universities and other
professions.
Teachers, health professionals, economists, communicators, administrators,
accountants, researchers, biologists, educators etc. and at least 80% of the Brazilian
congressmen come from the universities. How different things would be if all of these
professionals, upon receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, transformed their way
of thinking and managing their careers! If only they kept in view the dignity of man
rather than a perverse market that dictates the rules of social conduct, a market that
excludes millions of people, turning citizens into mere consumers every day.
Of course, other events during Fernando’s academic life as well as his participation in
the missionary community of Viçosa were also decisive factors in shaping the dream of
the renewal of universities. One of these facts that marked his life was the talk he had
with Bishop Luciano Mendes de Almeida, Archbishop of Mariana, the diocese to which
the city of Viçosa belonged. Fernando said that he had always wanted to be a
veterinarian to work with mare's ovaries. He was planning to take a PhD in Germany
and then attend horses of the upper class families, because a professional could get a
certain status in that area. Then, Don Luciano made him think: "What do you expect
from your profession? Many people only think about status, money or success. But the
Brazilian society and people expect from you answers to the problems afflicting the
country."
Don Luciano's speech was strong enough for Fernando, while still a student, to change
14
Excerpt of Fernando Mococa’s testimony at VIII ENUCC, in Goiânia/GO, 2003.
59
his plans. Rather than specializing in race horses, he preferred to invest in the bovine
reproduction field, and went to work in the north of the country, wishing to increase
the number of cattle and, consequently, the production of meat and milk, so that more
Brazilians could have access to these goods.
Thinking about the social dimension of their profession in order to promote better
living, rescue human dignity and social equality is a mark of those who have embraced
the dream of the "renewed universities." We strongly believe that it is possible to
change Brazil with our arms up, raised to the Father. However, our arms should be
stretched out to reality, and our feet should be planted on the ground, in our
professions. We must reconcile life and faith, prayer and action, theory and practice,
dream and reality. We have walked along this path to increasingly become witnesses
of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who gave us the Holy Spirit and revealed the Father's
heart to us. That experience, lived at each weekly meeting of UPTs as well as in the
personal prayer of university students and professors who have embraced the dream,
is founded on the Word of God and presented in the Church's doctrine.
"The ideologies in vogue know that universities are a fertile field for
their infiltration and for conquering culture and society. The
university must train true leaders, builders of a new society, and this
implies, by the Church, to make the Gospel message known there in
an effective way, respecting academic freedom, inspiring their
creative function, being present in the political and social education
of their members, illuminating scientific research. Therefore, we
must give all our attention to the intellectual and academic
environment. It can be argued that this is a functional key option of
evangelization, because otherwise we would lose a decisive position
to illuminate the changes and structures."
(Doc Puebla, ch. 1053, 1054, 1055, p. 334 and 335)
Therefore, dreaming about Renewed Universities, and making this dream come true
are not experiences simply for one to feel good, make friends or to use the gifts and
charismas. On the contrary, you take on the condition of an authentic and courageous
witness of the Lord, to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus, to find the treasure, to
put yourself up as a disciple of the Master, and finally to be the athlete that seeks the
imperishable crown. Our presence at the University comes from the commitment of
our baptism and the covenant we have made around a common dream. That is what
society, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, the Church, and Christ expect from us!
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5 – The Time Has Come
“God never asks anything from a person without giving
Him/her the strength to accomplish it.”
Edith Stein
Having the time of God’s revelation and the assimilation of the universities renewal
dream passed, it was time to announce this dream to students and professors. The
most appropriate place would not be other than the actual Seara, as the wonders of
the Lord in the works and people were clearly seen there at that college. Then, in
1994, taking advantage of the structure of Seara (made up of moments in common
with the whole audience and moments for specific workshops), Fernando met with
seven other students from college in order to prepare a seminar on "Universities and
CCR”, something new to the Seara that year.
Together, they formed the team responsible for the seminar: Luciane (Home
Economics), Cicero (PhD student in Botany), Vania (Nutrition), Cristiane (MSc student
in Nutrition), Galvão (Biology), Ana Paula (who had locked enrolment in the Agronomy
course at UFV and would start Geology at UFMG in Belo Horizonte that year) and
Marcos (MSc student in Soils / Agronomy) who, along with Joselito, had begun the first
prayer group in the community of Viçosa.
Fernando and the group prepared the meeting, shared the preachings, and organized
the activities for those three days. Although the Renewed Universities Project (PUR)
did not exactly start in the 1994’s Seara (12/02-15/02), this date signaled the first
activity as a group that had something in common. The first preparatory meetings for
the seminar happened on the stairs of the Agronomy Engineering building, a peculiar
habit kept at the workshops over the following years. At the first seminar, however,
the organizers encountered a new reality. Of the fifty-three participants, thirty-seven
came from private universities, the vast majority of them from evening courses.
Therefore, the group had a big challenge before them. The experience they had with
university evangelization came from a federal institution of a town in the countryside
61
while those students from private universities worked during the day and went to
college in the evening in big cities like Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, or Vitoria.
But what could be a problem was in fact a sign from God that the dream was meant
for all colleges indistinctly. The UPT could be held for ten or fifteen minutes anywhere
in the university or college premises, even without a location as appropriate as the
UFV chapel. Participants were divided as follows:
1 from Juiz de Fora / MG (UFJF);
1 from Araguari / MG (FAFI);
1 from Rio de Janeiro / RJ (SASETE);
1 from Colatina / ES (FACEC);
2 from Sete Lagoas / MG (Fadisete);
2 from Teofilo Otoni / MG (FAFITO);
2 from Uberlândia / MG (UFU);
2 from Vitória / ES (UFES);
3 from Alfenas / MG (1 from EFOA, 2 from UNIFENAS );
4 from Viçosa / MG (UFV, including two professors);
5 from Governador Valadares / MG (all from UNIVALE, including a professor);
7 from Belo Horizonte / MG (5 from UFMG, 1 from PUC-MG, and 1from FAFI BH);
22 from Curvelo / MG (7 from FACIAC, 15 from FACIC).
Background
I was part of the group from Belo Horizonte and was representing Fafi-BH, a name that
no longer exists. The school has become a University Center, and has been given a new
acronym: UNI-BH. Actually, I can barely remember the participants, except for this girl,
Ulla Milla, from Vitória / ES. She had studied with me in the last year of High School
(1992) in Governador Valadares (our hometown). Because we both wanted to pursue a
journalism career, we became good friends. She tried the college entrance exam at the
Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG-BH) and at the Federal University of Espírito
Santo (UFES) in Vitoria, the state capital city. I opted for UFMG and UFJF (Federal
University of Juiz de Fora). We did not succeed getting into UFMG, but she managed to
pass UFES in the second semester. I stayed behind, unable to pass the second phase in
Juiz de Fora. With this, we had six more months in Valadares. Although I had invited
her to Seara in1993, she was afraid of it and chose not to go.
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When August came, Ulla left for Vitoria, and I went to Belo Horizonte (where I would
take the university prep-course). Since computers, internet, e-mails were not common
at the time, we communicated mostly by mail. And there were letters! Ulla even wrote
at least one letter per month, each letter with different cut-outs, things that only she
knew and knows how to do. My dream was to pass the entrance exam in Vitoria,
because then we could live together, share an apartment, the usual dreams of any preuniversity student in Brazil. During that time, I clearly remember how much I cared for
Ulla, especially because of her spirituality. In each letter I used to say how important it
was for her to find a church, participate in the Eucharist, seek to read the Bible.
Our friendship kept on fortifying, and she finally gave in to the call to go to the Seara in
1994. Before the long-awaited carnival, however, I had to face again the marathon of
tests to finally fulfill the dream of passing a federal university. Reason said it was
important to pass the Federal University of Minas Gerais because my two older
brothers already lived in Belo Horizonte so I had where to stay. Getting into university
in Vitoria would mean more expenses for my parents. Despite this fact, it was there
that my heart wanted to go to. My hope was further strengthened when I learned that
once again I had failed the UFMG entrance exam, but had passed the second phase at
UFES. We had lots of plans, "Ulla, here at home there are pots that my mother can give
to us. You have a stove. We can chip in and buy a refrigerator. "
Even today it is very easy to go back in time and remember the day when, sitting on
my parents’ bed, in Valadares, I picked up the phone and called UFES in order to know
the final result of the entrance exam. I was worried that they could misspell my name,
so I said, "I wonder if Ivna has been approved. If there’s no Ivna, you may look up
Ivana, Iuna, Iuva, Ivina." And the girl replied, "Sorry, ma'am, but there are no such
names on the shortlist. Unfortunately it was not this time." Tears rolled down my face
and I felt a mixture of injustice, waste of time, failure, incompetence!
My tears did not mean only frustration, but also my disappointment with myself as I
had made up my own concepts about success and failure, competence and
incompetence. My oldest brother had got into Medical School at UFMG the first time
he tried, at 17 years old only. He had always been very smart and was a source of pride
for us all, especially for my parents. I remember the day an aunt from Belo Horizonte
called us in Valadares and, crying, broke the news she had heard on the radio: my
brother’s name had been cited on the shortlist. When she told my father, he began to
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cry like a child, saying, "My son will be a doctor!" Then I thought to myself that I should
give my parents the same joy. So, dreams were multiplied. It was not enough to pass, it
was necessary that my success should make my parents as moved as they had been
with my brother’s success.
They had never demanded such a thing, but for me it was a matter of honor to give
them the same joy. Of course, this would never happen, firstly because my choice of
course (journalism) was not as glamorous as medical school; secondly because God has
different plans for each of us! It was difficult to understand this truth at 18 years old! It
was difficult to go through a second defeat at the entrance exam, especially for
someone who had always been successful throughout the school years. My success
included getting the 8th place for the Psychology Course in Valadares, and writing the
best essay at the college entrance exam, while I was still in the middle of the last year
of high school.
In addition, there was the financial problem. Taking a private college course was
something almost unthinkable. Then, one day, while strolling the aisles of the prepschool I was going to, I saw a Fafi-Bh stand. This is a very traditional private College of
Communication in Belo Horizonte, but I had never heard about it before. I approached
the assistant, grabbed a flier and went back home. Impressed with the low entry fee,
compared to what was billed at UFMG, I thought of giving it a try. However, while
making the decision about whether I should or not take the exam, I realized that my
big problem was fear. What if I didn’t pass again? The idea of doing another year of
prep school was something abominable. So I thought to myself: "I’ll try Fafi’s entrance
exam. If I fail at the Federal University, I may study at least one semester at the private
college. I can find a job by day to pay the tuition fees, and at the end of the year, I can
try UFMG again." Suddenly, another ghost popped up. "What if I don’t succeed getting
into this private college? I’ll try to find a way to take the exam, but won’t tell anyone,
not even my parents, because they’ll say they have no money to pay, etc.. "And so I
did. The entrance exam at Fafi would last the entire weekend: Saturday and Sunday,
morning and afternoon. Meanwhile, everyone thought Ivna was taking a mock-test at
the prep-school.
When Fafi’s results came out, I kept the good news to myself for a while. Instead of
celebrating, I would only cry. How would I tell my parents? How would I pay for the
course? I can say today that this is one of the greatest regrets that I have in my life.
Every victory should be celebrated, because time does not go back. If I could rewrite
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my history, I would change that part. Instead of crying, I would call everyone and say
with a big smile on my face, "I am a freshman in Social Communication," as I had
always dreamed of saying.
Back to the Seara
Even with all their difficulties, my parents managed to pay the enrollment fee. Classes
would begin on February 17, 1994, after Carnival. My heart rejoiced with the fact that
Ulla and other friends from Valadares were going to Seara with me. Everything had
been planned. Ulla was going to attend the seminar "Training of Evangelists" with me. I
was sure that Ulla would live a unique experience with the Lord on those days.
However, when the opening Mass ended, Neimar, the young man who was always
responsible for livening up the event, asked, "Those who are university students here,
raise their hands please." Ulla promptly raised hers, and criticized me because I did not
do the same. Actually, the fact that I was not a Federal University student like her and
the young people who were organizing the Seara bothered me a lot.
Today, I see that my feeling that night was just like the older son in the parable of the
Merciful Father (Lk 15, 11-31). Instead of thanking the Lord for His gift, I only made
comparisons, I felt wronged, forgotten by God. It was then that Neimar said, "Those of
you who are college students should attend the “Universities and CCR” workshop." I
went on saying to Ulla, "Oh no! We have set everything already. Our workshop is on
evangelization." And she replied, "Ivna, I want to do this one which is for
undergraduates." Her desire to participate in that workshop for college students plus
the fact that this was her first meeting ended up convincing me. I often say that, when
we bring a person to a meeting for the first time, we become easy prey. We fulfill all
their wishes so that nothing might mean a hindrance of God's grace. When we got to
the registration line, I bumped into this guy Fernando. He did not know me, but I
already knew him from previous Searas. His angry-looking face, that unique feature of
his, and his mania for giving orders bothered me deeply. So I did not think twice and
said, "Ulla, this guy looks unfriendly. Let's go to another workshop." But Ulla insisted
on staying there. That moment I had only one thought," Holy cow! This workshop will
be a pain. And Ulla won’t give in!" I felt like leaving her there, and do what I had
planned to do. But the good neighbor policy prevailed. When you finish reading this
book, you will understand how the details prepared by God happen when He gives us
his plan, when He calls us by name, and His word comes as an infallible arrow into our
hearts.
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The seminar begins
Sunday, February 13, 1994, 8 am. There we were, the fifty-three workshop participants
gathered in one of the rooms of UFV hall of classes. Music, beautiful lively people,
prayers of praise and supplication to the Holy Spirit. Finally, it was the time for the first
preaching. My God, what would such a thing as " Universities and CCR" be like? A study
of documents of the Church? Fernando started the activity that Sunday talking about
the Duquesne Weekend and telling about some details of the book "As By a New
Pentecost."
At the end of that first moment, he asked us to write down on a piece of paper which
miracle we would like to ask God that morning. Then he addressed us the following
questions: "Why has CCR begun in a university?" "Why are you here at this Seara and
in this workshop?” "What is your response to the call of the Lord?" On the first day, we
began to hear that our mission was to form a prayer team in the college we went to.
Before and after each preaching there were very strong moments of prayer.
There was a break, and after that we returned to the room where we were finally
introduced to the dream: the renewal of the universities. Things began to clear up, at
least for me. Fernando and some members of the team spoke of a well-known
reference, close to us, which was Viçosa. They recounted experiences of persecution
inside the university, the struggle to organize the Seara, the prayers in the dorms, the
vigils, the deeds of the university's prayer team at the Nico Lopes Feast (later Carnival
of Viçosa).
The workshop participants could not be indifferent to that report. The servants of the
prayer team participated in the festival to take care of those who passed out because
of excess of drinks or drugs. There was a van of the community that carried the
"sleepers" to the CCR Office in town. There, the person was taken to the chapel and,
before the Blessed Sacrament, they received prayers of inner healing and deliverance.
After waking up, they showered, talked to the servants, and many of them, thereafter,
would choose to give up that senseless life they used to lead.
While Fernando was preaching about the dream and sharing his view of Jerusalem full
of the doctrine of Jesus, many were the testimonies of conversion, of a radical return
to the Lord. Many accounts made that community resemble the first Christian
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communities, which are narrated by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles. Another
aspect was also visible to us all: the feeling of family that was present among all of the
seminar staff and college students who had organized the event and were working at
Seara. We could see that their friendship was solid, deep, and that they all really lived
as brothers and sisters.
As Fernando was talking about the dream, it was possible to visualize the "renewed
university" because many of us turned our eyes to Viçosa. It is important to highlight
that a good portion of the fifty-three seminar participants was already involved with
university groups in their schools. This was the case of the students who participated
in the UFMG Charisma group, prior to PUR, and the group from Alfenas who took part
in the town’s University Pastoral. Therefore, the objective of the 1994 seminar was
also to gather people who had experience in evangelism at the university and invite
them to be part of a larger group, that is, the Renewed Universities Project. Naturally,
for the group from Alfenas and UFMG a renewed vision of the university was broader
than mine. In my case, it seemed too difficult to bring that dream to Fafi-BH. Not
wanting to have passed there, I could only envision the prayer team within the UFMG,
imagined myself attending meetings, getting together with the group in the cafeteria,
in the library, but first I had to get into the Federal University. Because of that, those
words uttered by Fernando were touching, beautiful, but they did not echo in my
heart. What really held me in that place was the magic word "DREAM". I have always
been a dreamer, I have always believed that the world can be better, much better. And
I have always wanted to be part of a large project aligned with the teachings of the
Lord, like, for example, the task force campaign against hunger organized by Betinho.
Nothing that could seduce my heart had appeared yet, and that proposal presented by
Fernando might be the start of a major mission in which the Lord would like to count
on me, but, of course, this should be at UFMG.
The preaching about the dream finished and, following it, there was a strong prayer
moment, when everyone raised their hands and cried, "Come Holy Spirit", and that
song "I will sail in the ocean of Spirit ..." started playing. Anyone who felt in their hearts
the desire to receive a prayer with imposition of hands could go to the front and the
workshop staff would pray for them. That moment, the fear of hearing God tell me
what I did not want to hear almost prevented me from receiving that special prayer.
However, determinedly, I went toward the people, I knelt down and I remember that I
asked the Lord for the miracle of being healed from the trauma caused by my failure at
the Federal University. I felt as if I was a slave of that resentment and had to set myself
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free from it. Interestingly, it was Fernando, toward whom I had a few restrictions, who,
along with Cristiane, put his hand on me and prayed. I can barely remember that
moment of prayer, I can only recall the Lord saying to me, "Daughter, stay here."
The prayer finished, I returned to my seat and watched the Lord acting powerfully in
each one of us. Ulla was in a state of ecstasy, stunned by what she had seen and felt. It
was the mighty hand of the Lord convincing our hearts of the great dream that began
to be revealed. This moment of outpouring of the Holy Spirit was so strong that we
even missed the precious lunchtime. Finally, when all of us had been prayed for, the
day's activities were closed, and altogether we went to the cafeteria for lunch. During
those moments, we could listen to testimonies, people were glad to share their
experiences with each other. And those groups who had already had similar
experiences in their schools were glad with the opportunity to join a larger group.
Those who had not, and were beginning to dream about a UPT in their schools would
not waste any minute of those precious hours in order to collect more and more
testimonials. A nice detail is that my initial resistance to Fernando started to fade away
as time went by, and because I soon realized that we shared common goals. Even
there, the Lord acted!
The other two days
Monday, February 14, 1994, 8 A.M. Seminar - day 2. Several Church documents that
deal with the urgency and importance of evangelizing the university environment were
presented to us. But, undoubtedly, the major milestone was the missionary word that
has been with us since that seminar: the multiplication of the loaves, as narrated in the
Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, verses 30-44. This word is known by all of us as an order of
the Lord: "You give them something to eat." Here, I should explain how we read this
word more clearly. It is so important that I have not only used it to name this book, but
also dedicated an entire chapter to delve into the mystery behind this miracle.
In a nutshell, I would say that this order of the Lord "You give them something to eat"
is like a response to the concerns that arose in our hearts during the seminar. How to
organize a UPT? How to start from scratch? Who will be with us? Where will we meet?
Will college support us? Who will deliver the preachings? Who will sing and play the
guitar? Will we find someone willing to start a prayer team with us? Will people have
time? Won’t we be branded as overly holy, or fanatics? While we were immersed in all
these concerns, the word of the Lord was clear. "Put your bread and fish available, I
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will make the miracle." Those who believed the Word, of course, have seen many
being fed in their schools, families, parishes.
We left the room that day with deep restlessness in our hearts. Again, we had lunch
together, participated in the Seara’s evening activities and on Tuesday, 15th, we were
all together. It was the last day of the seminar and everyone was curious about what
else could be awaiting us on this subject. Our question was quickly answered. We were
all ushered into the chapel of the University, where we could pray and hear from
Marcos himself and Rogerio, both founders of the Viçosa community, how all had
started. We could see that by putting the loaves and fishes at the disposal of Jesus,
Marcos, Rogerio and Joselito saw the miracle of the multiplication happen at UFV in
the lives of many young people who have been and will be students there.
Undoubtedly, those were extremely beautiful moments!
In the last part of the seminar, a bus took us to the CCR Office in downtown Viçosa
where we could see the work of the community. There was a terrace there, and we sat
down to hear the stories of the young people who were already there and took part in
prayer teams in their schools. In the meantime, the seminar organizers passed a list
where each one of us should write down their names, college, address, etc. Again, I felt
sad because I saw no point in writing the name of the college where I would not study
for more than six months. But in order to avoid being a bore, I wrote down my
personal data. At this point, Ulla wouldn’t stop asking me, "Ivna, I know nothing about
CCR, I’ve never been to any prayer team in Vitoria, how can I get there now and start a
UPT inside UFES? This is crazy, my GOD! I haven’t gotten enough knowledge!" She
hardly knew that I was feeling exactly the same thing, because I did not know anybody
in Belo Horizonte, but those who were there at the seminar.
The sun was hot that morning, and it was kind of uncomfortable to sit on the terrace
floor, but we didn’t care. Many had stories to tell. I had nothing to say or offer, though.
I felt weak, small, helpless in front of those people with so much history. Two worlds
were presented before me, before Ulla and perhaps before others who brought with
them impressions similar to ours: the world of Seara and of those who gave testimony
of their deeds at the university, and the world that I would return to. Until that
moment, thinking of a UPT at Fafi-Bh sounded like something impossible.
Fernando and others, who also spoke to us, told us about the meetings under the
trees, the shows on campus. And while they were describing that, I could only
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remember the building where I had taken the college entrance exam and where I
would begin studying that week. It was so dark and ugly, an old building on Antonio
Carlos Avenue (one of the busiest in BH, which incidentally had street works during
those days). In addition, the building was a rented one, and there wasn’t even a sign
indicating that the College was there. On the top floor there was a giant sign that read
"Diniz Tires." It was hard to think of a prayer team in that place.
Seara was over. We returned to our homes with a mission in our hands. Ulla went to
Vitoria; I was in Belo Horizonte. We continued to communicate by mail, one caring for
the other. A few years went by and only then I began to understand that it is in
weakness and frailty that we are strong, because then we depend completely on God
for everything. We give up our omnipotence and invite the Lord to be, in fact, the Lord
of our dreams, projects, study, work, challenges, the Lord in our lives. That's where the
Apostle Paul’s statement makes sense: “God chose the weak of the world to shame
the strong” ( I Cor 1: 26-28).
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6 – You give them something to eat
“For the Christians the ‘stranger’ does not exist, only ‘neighbor’: he who is directly
before us and most in need of us.”
Edith Stein
The book was named after this chapter : You give them something to eat. This is a
command of Jesus to the disciples at the multiplication of the loaves, the only miracle
narrated by the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. However, only Luke
and Mark used the phrase: "You give them something to eat ", and of the two, Mark
points out some details that were not depicted in Luke. So I have opted for the Gospel
of Mark. Initially, the reflection that I propose is primarily exegetical in order that we
can really understand the meaning of this miracle in the context in which it occurred.
Then I propose a more hermeneutic reading, inspired by our dream of revitalizing
universities.
In this second proposal, I have tried to summarize Fernando Galvani’s inspirations in
the 1994 seminar and over the years, as well as readings that others and I have already
done on other occasions. The first multiplication of loaves (Mk 6, 30-44)
“The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had
done and taught. And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place
and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not
even have time to eat.) They went away in the boat to a secluded place by
themselves. The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there
together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus went
ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like
sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. When it was
already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and it is
already quite late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding
countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered
them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and spend
two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” And He said to them,
“How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they said, “Five,
and two fish.” And He commanded them all to sit down by groups on the green
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grass. They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. And He took the five loaves
and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the
loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up
the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up twelve
full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. There were five thousand men
who ate the loaves.”
When we read about the multiplication of the loaves narrated by Mark, it is not
difficult to understand the evangelist’s intent to tell a miracle, although it is impossible
to reconstruct the episode with its historical details. And this miracle is nothing more,
nothing less than the promised update of the messianic banquet for the end times,
that is, the miraculous bread, broken and distributed in the desert, will become an
early sign of the Eucharistic banquet. And who is the author of this miracle but Christ
the Shepherd who lovingly takes care of his people?
The story of Mark begins with the theme of the shepherd: "When he disembarked and
saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep
without a shepherd " (Mk 6, 34). In the biblical tradition, the shepherd is the Lord, the
one who guides his people through historic mediators (Nm 27, 17, Is 40 11; Zech 11, 417) and intervenes in history to bring together those who are stray and abandoned (Ez
34: 2-16), leading them to pasture of green grass (Ps 22, 2). Jesus titled himself as the
"Good Shepherd" when he said, " I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down
his life for the sheep."(Jn 10, 11). This authentic shepherd, guide and leader is Jesus
who teaches the people and gives them bread in the desert: free and plentiful bread as
that once given by God, through Moses, to the people in motion, " They ate and were
well filled "( Ps 78, 29). In this sense, Jesus appears as the new Moses waited for the
end times ( Dt 18, 15-18), who will be able to renew and surpass the miracles
recounted in the book of Exodus. In light of this interpretation, the detail of the fish
could also have a special meaning. Not only did Moses give his people the manna, but
also quails, which in some biblical texts appear associated with fish (Wis 19, 10-12).
For Mark, the large crowd gathered around Jesus in the desert appears as God's
people, distributed in ordered groups (Ex 18, 21-25). It is worth remembering that the
numbers in the biblical tradition and in the Jewish context have remarkable symbolic
values: the five loaves among five thousand people opposed to the twenty loaves for a
hundred people in the story of Elisha (2 Kings 4, 42-44). This indicates that the miracle
of Jesus surpasses that of Elisha, because Jesus is the Messiah of end times. The twelve
baskets of bread leftovers correspond to the twelve disciples chosen because they play
an important role in the account as mediators between Jesus and the people. This role
continues in the Christian Eucharistic community, where the bread offered by Jesus is a
precious and lasting gift.
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In short, the passage of the loaves is one of the wonderful events closely related to the
identity of Jesus as the Lord who feeds his people with abundance. Although the
disciples need time alone with Jesus (v.31), he responds first to the greatest need of
the crowd that had found their refuge (v.33). The first miracle of the loaves reveals to
Mark and the early church that Jesus is as powerful as the God of Exodus that gives the
people the manna in the desert. When he has compassion on them, "because they
were like sheep without a shepherd" (v.34) Jesus becomes the Good Shepherd,
tending their sheep in need, and teaching them many things.
These allusions to the First Testament remind Mark’s readers of the divine providence
in the past. However, when Mark says that Jesus took the loaves, raised his eyes to
heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples so that they
distributed them to the people (v.41), Christians become aware of the current
experience of the Lord in the Eucharist. The details of Jesus caring for his hungry
people, occurred in the past, are experienced in the present when his followers in
need come to Him for food. Mark's readers share plenty of leftovers (v.43), as well as
in the Eucharist, where the banquet occurs: food in abundance. The crowd sitting to
eat is the image of the kingdom’s fraternal banquet, when Jesus will gather all
humanity ( Lk 14, 16-24). By giving the bread, Jesus shows that his words are God's
words. From God’s mouth comes the bread and the word that we need (Dt 8:3).
A second look
As I said in the previous chapter, on the second day of the seminar in Viçosa, we had
the opportunity to hear a sermon by Fernando Galvani, entitled "You give them
something to eat." As someone who dares to delve into the mysteries of the Word of
God, Fernando produced a somewhat different reading, comparing the desert place
where Jesus performed the miracle to the university campus. That word has been the
driving force of our work over the years. It is through that awareness that we can make
the dream of the universities renewal a reality, from the College Prayer Team to the
professional realm. My purpose in this second part of the chapter is to summarize the
reading performed by Fernando, by myself and by many others that have been the
spokespeople of this great news over these years.
First of all, in order to reflect on this miracle, we must analyze the context in which it
occurred. Surely, it was a moment of sadness for the disciples and Jesus. John the
Baptist, the son of Elizabeth and cousin of Jesus, who was the forerunner of the Lord,
who baptized him, had been murdered on the orders of Herod. The prophet’s head
was delivered to the daughter of Herodias on a platter. I imagine Jesus’ pain when he
received the news of his cousin’s death. The Lord was in mourning (Mk 6, 17-29). In
addition to this, the evangelist says that there were many coming and going, looking
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for the Lord. Hence, perhaps, Jesus’ desire to go to a desert place where he could rest
with the disciples.
However, the plans of Jesus and the disciples changed when Jesus saw the big hungry
crowd that awaited them. At this point, there were two decisions to be made: either
they dismissed those people so that they would eat elsewhere ( because the number
of loaves and fishes was insufficient for the disciples themselves), or they sympathized
with those men and women, believing in the mercy and providence of the Father. The
first decision, proposed by the disciples, was based on natural features: grief, fatigue, it
was already late, the loaves and fishes were insufficient. The second, proposed by the
Good Shepherd, was based on the supernatural: compassion, mercy, miracle of
sharing.
The teaching of Jesus was something impressive. He always answered the questions of
the disciples by returning another question that made them look into their inner
selves. When Jesus tells his disciples that they would have to feed the crowd and they
retort, the Master asks them, "How many loaves do you have?" And then he
commands them , "Go and see." If Jesus is the Bread of Life, would not he ask, "How
much do you have of me?" Or still, if we take "bread" as something that feeds,
wouldn’t bread be a metaphor that symbolizes the desire to satisfy the hunger for not
only food but also education, work, health, housing, justice, freedom, values, life, and,
why not, love? Then, when the Lord tells them to verify how many loaves there are,
wouldn’t the Lord be leading them to realize that, no matter how small we are, each of
us always has some "bread" that can be put to others’ disposal?
In other words, we all have some "bread" to put at others’ disposal. Bread may be
hard, moldy, stale, or fresh, hot, mouthwatering, but everyone has their "bread." Jesus
did not ask what that bread was like; this was not the most important thing. The key
was to make the disciples recognize that there was some bread, even in small
quantities. And that's where the beauty of this mystery lies because the amount of
bread did not matter. What really mattered was that that small amount could be at
Jesus’ disposal so that He could turn it into a great quantity. The miracle could have
happened as with the Hebrew people in the book of Exodus, when the manna fell from
heaven prodigiously ( Ex 16), but Jesus wanted divestiture, sharing, the "loaves and
fishes" of his disciples. The miracle only happens because they put the bread at the
Lord’s disposal. We can use this passage for the Renewed Universities Project and
reflect on it beautifully:
1) The University is like a desert, abandoned place, like the train line used on the cover
of this book. People are hungry there, but many Christians who go through the
university refuse to give food because they are tired, sad, very busy, or simply because
they no longer believe that they can evangelize such a place. However, the word of
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God is clear," Accomplish your work before the time. And he will give you your reward
in his time. " (Sir 51, 38). It is our mission to evangelize the university while we are
studying there, as we were told by the Second Vatican Council itself, "University
students should become the first and immediate apostles of the university, making the
apostolate among them and through them, taking into account the social
environment." (Vatican II / AA 1377 and CNBB Studies 44, No. 87).
2) When we look at the hungry crowd there at the university, we are tempted to act
like the disciples, asking the Lord to dismiss the crowd and eat elsewhere. We can
simply say that they should seek the Church, because the food they are seeking is
there, but will they go? Or still, let them eat the most diverse foods, offered at various
locations, including college: drugs, booze, hedonism, superficiality, consumerism,
individualism, the list goes on and on. However, it is also our duty to train the elite, so
that tomorrow they will influence the society in the Christian sense. "The primary and
foremost objective is, however, to act on the university itself and the world of
systematized science and culture so that they, evangelized, convert and become
instruments of God's kingdom today." (Studies CNBB 66, No. 244).
3) Wait for the person that will come prepared, perhaps one that offers more bread
and fish to feed the hungry crowd. Jesus is clear when he says, "You give them
something to eat." It does not matter what our food is like, if we are in grief, if we are
tired. It is important that we eat. However, before we take the initiative to feed the
crowd, there is an important detail: you must place the loaves and fishes at the
disposal of the Lord. It is the Lord who blesses our service, talents, and charismas, and
miracles can happen through his blessings only. Otherwise, we will run out of ‘bread’,
we will give everything we have, but people around us will still be starving. In fact, it is
urgent to understand that these "sheep without a shepherd" are not hungry for "we",
"our attention", "our eyes". They are hungry for spiritual food that satisfies, that gives
life in abundance. This food has only one name: Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Way, the
Truth and the Life and that truth alone can free them (Jn 8, 32). However, when we put
the "loaves and fishes" at the Lord’s disposal, He Himself can transform them and
multiply them. Only then, our eyes, our attention, our gift, and our service offered to
our neighbor will carry Jesus, who is wanted by this crowd. Only then, the promise of
the Lord that we could do more than he did if we were faithful will be fulfilled. Only
then, the prayer team can be formed, the university may be renewed, the
professionals of the Kingdom will shine the Light of Christ in the world, with the
technical expertise coupled with the evangelical witness. " Just so, your light must
75
shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly
Father" (Mt 5, 16).
4) Another lesson that we can learn from this passage refers to the green grass. Mark’s
timely allusion to the green meadows, mentioned in Psalm 22 as a place for resting,
invites us to plunge into the zeal of Jesus to fulfill the will of the Father. What is the
green grass but a cozy beautiful place where we can relax and rest up? Jesus cared
about those hungry people’s well-being, comfort and acceptance, thus preparing the
scenario where the miracle would be accomplished. I understand that the green grass
at the university is the university prayer team. There, God feeds His people through
the proclamation of the Word, prayer and fellowship. The miracle happens in this
scenario of welcome and well-being, so it is our duty as Christians to ensure that the
green grass will never disappear from the miracle that we wish to see happening in
colleges and of which we want to be witnesses as well as disciples. A proof that the
attitude of the Lord, when he asked the crowd to sit on "green grass", is a symbolism
of zeal is the very meaning of "to eat sitting" and "to eat standing" in the Jewish
tradition. For the Jews, he who eats standing either is a slave or is in a hurry.
Therefore, the act of "sitting on the grass" to have the meal is also a sign of human
dignity.
5) Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and blessed the
food (v.41). If Jesus is God, He did not need to ask the blessings of the Heights to
perform his miracle. However, as a gesture of humility and recognition of the
greatness of God-Father, the Good Shepherd, above all, raises his eyes to heaven, to
the One who sent him. Wow! If he who is God does that, why do we insist on acting
without asking the blessing of the Father in Heaven? That’s why St. Teresa of Avila
says, "Prayer is the weakness of God and our omnipotence." It is in prayer that we find
strength for the mission. Without it, the mission is empty, meaningless; it loses its
beauty! Without it, the missionary becomes just an activist who, on many occasions,
feels helpless and powerless to move forward. If we do so, our actions are not
sufficiently well-grounded in faith. Rather, we struggle alone, without thinking that
God invites us to work with him. Pope Paul VI said, "Without a proper, intimate and
continuous inner life of prayer, faith, charity, you cannot be a Christian."
6) They all ate and were satisfied. From the leftovers, they collected twelve baskets
(verses 42 and 43). They were twelve disciples who did not even have a loaf of bread
and one fish before the miracle. The moment you put the bread at the Lord’s disposal,
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and He feeds the crowd, everyone can eat in abundance. This sharing is a great
mystery! Who, among us, has not gone through such an experience, especially when
we organize the so-called potluck parties? We rarely run out of food and drinks; quite
the contrary, we almost always have leftovers after the party is up. In biblical language,
number twelve represents the whole, that is, there were twelve Jewish tribes in the
First Testament, and Jesus founded a community with twelve apostles in the New
Testament. Therefore, the twelve baskets of leftovers represent the food for all the
disciples of the future generations. When we embraced the dream of universities
renewal in 1994, we had nothing more than a few loaves and fishes, but thanks to our
courage to put "this nothing" at the Lord’s disposal, the miracle happened. Today, of
course, we have more than twelve baskets to offer to him. We are sure that, when we
dream about the dreams of God and strive, they become reality and can feed the
starving multitudes.
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7 – God, now what?
“Without His grace, we cannot believe.”
Edith Stein
First day of school, right after Mardi Gras. I walked in the college building wondering
the whole time: God, now what? What will the course be like? What will the people be
like? How will I pay for college in the first year, until the next Federal University
entrance exam comes? Will I find a job, an internship or any other way to help my
parents with all the expenses? The words I had heard during the Seara seminar were
beautiful, but they were not my concern at that moment!
It was the first day of class, so I believe all of my colleagues had come sooner just like
me. Classes began at 7 p.m. and ended at 8:40 p.m. We stood there at the door,
waiting for the teacher, and we started talking. The talk could only be about Carnival,
revelry, flirt, things like that. I heard some girls saying, "I mouth-kissed a lot!" Others
said, "I drank till I dropped." Those remarks frightened me, and somehow I was very
sad to hear my colleagues saying that they had kissed on the lips of so many boys,
about two or three each day, or even imagine them drunk, perhaps using drugs.
At one point of the talk, they asked me where I had spent Carnival, and I readily
replied, "In Viçosa." Andre, one of the guys, seemed surprised and said, "Viçosa? You
must mean Nova Viçosa "(Nova Viçosa is a coastal city in southern Bahia, which brings
together many mineiros15 for Carnival). I answered, “No, it's Viçosa, here in Minas.” He
replied, "Oh, I didn’t know that there was Carnival there. Is it good, lively, with many
chicks?" And I said innocently, "There is carnival there, but it's different. It's carnival of
Jesus." Then, he and the other guys began to laugh, making fun of me, and they were
really amazed!
I went on and added, "Many young people participate in preaching, seminars, and in
the evening they play Jesus’ songs to the rhythm of carnival; everyone dances and has
fun. But there’s no alcohol." The teacher was coming, and we could not finish the
conversation. I could clearly see that they were shocked with my words. I went down
to my seat and, looking at them, I began to imagine their carnival and compared it with
mine. There were two worlds, two languages, two realities almost incommunicado.
15
Translator’s note: Mineiros are people from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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What an innocence to think that they would understand my "Carnival of Jesus!" That
sounded like old-fashioned, ridiculous, absurd, cheesy, you name it. I remembered the
great moments of prayer during the Seara, the preaching, the praise to God, the
shared moments with those students who had already found a meaning in their lives!
Then, I was overcome with a feeling of sadness as I saw that emptiness, that lack of
meaning in what they said, and suddenly, the word "You give them something to eat"
cried within me.
I tried to escape the responsibility to evangelize them, but then I remembered that, in
Viçosa, it all had started with just three young guys; that in early Christianity there
were twelve disciples (Matthias included), Mary and Mary Magdalene and others like
those who converted after the Lord's Passion. It was then that the Word of God sown
at the Seara began to germinate because I began to envision a new language for my
colleagues, a new university, and new professors. I started dreaming about a renewed
Fafi-BH!
Today I am sure that I experienced one of the strongest outpourings of the Holy Spirit
at that moment because it was there that the penny dropped, and I understood the
desert of the university and the mission the Lord had entrusted me with. The class
finished, I went home and thought, “I must find someone to set up this UPG with me
this year, so that next year, when I go to UFMG, they can continue with the UPG at
Fafi-BH.” But I still felt anguished for not knowing how I would keep up in Belo
Horizonte and how I would pay for the tuition fees.
The Lord's plans are different
My parents have always been teachers at private schools in Minas Gerais and they
belong to a teachers’ union called SINPRO. This union has a scholarship program for
teachers’ children: 100% for those who go to the same school where their parents
work; 50% for the child who goes to another institution (elementary and high school);
and 30% for anyone who goes to college. Our hope was to get the 30% discount to
help to alleviate the monthly fee, but it was not easy because the delivery was by
order of the stock portfolio. Although my father was among the first three thousand
members, the demand was always greater than the supply. When I became a teacher
in 2002, for example, I immediately joined the union and got number 49,534. So, one
may easily imagine the number of union members waiting for scholarships.
The day I should go to the teachers’union office arrived, and I headed for the place.
Upon arriving there, I stood next to two ladies and waited for my turn. I could easily
overhear them say that they had been trying to get a scholarship for their children,
who studied at Fafi-BH, for three years, but hadn’t been successful until then. One of
them said, "My son is in his last year, maybe now I can get the scholarship." They were
called in before me, and soon they left happily because they had finally been granted
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the benefit. I thought they had taken the last scholarships available for Fafi-BH. To my
surprise, however, when I entered the room, a young man checked out on the data
and handed me a sheet of paper saying, "Take this document to the treasury of the
School and, at the end of each year, be attentive to your father’s number so your
scholarship can be renewed." I almost jumped for joy in front of the Union officer!
That was great! And the best of all was that the 30% discount was guaranteed until the
end of the course term. Immediately, I called my parents to tell them the wonderful
news!
He who sings scares away his woes
It was still the first month of classes, I do not remember exactly which week and which
day, when a college employee entered our classroom to announce a school choir and
invited us to join the choir. The choir used to meet twice a week, from 6:30p.m. to 7
p.m., and every Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m.. No one seemed to be interested, but then
the employee said that students who sang in the choir would get 25% discount on
tuition. It was quite funny because immediately almost everyone raised their hands.
Then he told us to go to a specific department in order to enroll because there would
be a voice test, and things like that. There was a brouhaha around the room. Voice
test? That was hard! Even so, the queue of freshmen from all courses was endless.
The voice test day came. Waiting for each candidate was the conductor with a
keyboard on a table. He first asked me if I could play any instrument, and if I had any
experience with singing. I told him I had learned to play the guitar when I was about 15
years old, but had quit. He asked me why I wanted to learn the guitar. I thought twice
about whether or not I should be honest, then I took a deep breath and said, "I'll be
honest, maestro! I really like country music, especially the duo Chitãozinho and
Xororó16. I wanted to learn to play some of their songs like "Fio de Cabelo," "Obras de
Poeta", and so on. I know that I should have never said that if I wanted to pass, I
should’ve named singers like Caetano, Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa17. But I'm sincere."
The conductor could not hold his laughter. Well, I took the test, and I know I was out of
tune as I sang in higher pitch. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not good at
music. Once, at one of our national meetings, I was so thrilled while preaching that I
started singing a song driven by the Holy Spirit. According to some friends who were
sitting by the stage next to Father Joaozinho, he would have said, "My God, she is so
anointed when she preaches, but when she sings the anointing goes all away ...!"
I was frustrated as I left the voice test. I thought to myself that I should have omitted
16
Translator’s note: Chitaozinho and Xororó are successful Brazilian country music singers.
Translator’s note: Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil are successful Brazilian MPB (Brazilian pop
music) songwriters and singers. Gal Costa is a well-known Brazilian singer.
17
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the Chitãozinho and Xororó thing. The following week the results came out. Only two
or three contraltos, sopranos, basses, and tenors had been chosen. Amazingly enough,
my name was in the shortlist: Ivna Sá dos Santos (contralto). Miracles do exist! It was
impressive, but the good news was that I had gotten a 55% discount on tuition in only
one month at school.
Finally, to complete the providence of God, I got an internship at a telemarketing
company still in that first month. Although my work had nothing to do with the course
I was taking, I could learn to deal with computers and develop speaking skills as I had
to sell fire insurance over the telephone. It was a part-time job, and I would earn a
minimum salary. Six months later, I got another internship, a full-time job this time, to
work as an actress for the Belo Horizonte City Hall. At this job, we, a group of students
and I, were in charge of performing educational plays about the environment and
garbage collection for the Urban Cleaning Superintendence of Belo Horizonte (SLU). It
was there that I met Wilson Moraes, a very good friend, of whom you will still hear in
this book.
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8 - God wanted me there
“The paths by which the Lord leads us on this Earth takes us beyond ourselves.”
Edith Stein
God had provided me with so much that I finally realized He wanted me there. The
financial problem had been solved. It no longer existed. I could only be deeply grateful
to God, and I recognized that I would be given all things out of kindness and love of the
Father. I was intrigued by the words of Jesus when he said to his disciples:
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or
he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat
or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more
than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do
not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are
you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a
single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies
of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even
Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the
grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He
not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will
we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles
eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these
things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be
added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each
day has enough trouble of its own." (Mt 6: 24-34)
Undoubtedly, this passage is very strong and one of the most radical teachings in
regard to evangelical option. Being sure that we will be given all things in addition
when we are willing to seek the Lord, His Kingdom and His righteousness first, is not
something that may be assimilated overnight. It takes a lifetime so that we can
understand and live maybe ten percent of that Word. In those months of February and
March 1994, I was able to dive a little into this mystery. Why had the Lord done so
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much for me in such a short time? It was as if I could hear, "Ivna, my daughter, I want
you here."
My classes were going on, and the words "You give them something to eat” followed
me at all times, especially when I encountered the whole reality of famine and death
at Fafi-BH. Also in March, I started searching for a few Catholic colleagues that could
meet with me sometime during the week to finally start off the prayer team. How
great my sorrow was as I noticed the coldness and indifference with which the Catholic
university students, starting with my classmates, treated the subject.
Some had been confirmation catechists in their communities or had already
participated in the Music Ministry, but to all of them prayers should be prayed in a
church, in the parish, never in the college premises. The idea of a "prayer team"
sounded like a crazy one to them. One of those people, Marcia Maria, for whom I have
had deep admiration, was developing a very nice work rescuing human rights in the
slum where she used to live. Maybe because she did not identify with CCR, Marcia did
not want to join in with me to form a UPT.
Months went by, and none of my classmates seemed favorable to my idea. The
solution was to look for people from other rooms and courses. It is important to
remember that, at the time, I did not belong to any parish in Belo Horizonte and did
not know any CCR member who could possibly know of any Catholic and charismatic
student at Fafi-BH. I would walk along the corridors and when I suspected that
someone could be church, I would stop them, start talking and then invite them to
form a UPT. I made so many stupid blunders that people would look at me as if I were
lunatic. On one of those occasions, I was flabbergasted. I saw two guys talking next to
the canteen, and one of them was wearing a small wooden cross on a chain necklace
around his neck, a cross such as those that were sold at the meetings of the Renewal. I
myself had one too. I remembered that the disciples used to communicate with signs,
and that small cross could be a sign from God to me. I boldly interrupted the two guys,
and without thinking twice went on asking the boy carrying the small cross if he was
charismatic. He looked at me in amazement and mockingly said, "What’s that, chick? I
am a hippiiiie! What do you mean “charismatic”? What the heck is that?" I was so
disappointed! That had been another unsuccessful attempt!
Meanwhile, in Vitoria18 ...
Time was passing. Unlike what was going on in Vitoria with Ulla Milla, I did not manage
to find anyone that could form a university prayer team with me. Ulla had already met
18
Translator’s note: Vitoria is the capital city of the Brazilian state called Espírito Santo (Holy
Spirit).
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a UFES student at a CCR prayer team: Renato from the Electrical Engineering Course.
Even so, the situation in Vitoria was quite difficult too, because Renato and his
colleagues did not believe in that crazy idea of forming a UPT at UFES.
Ulla and I used to write to each other, and from time to time, we received a letter from
Fernando Mococa, saying that a UPT had arisen somewhere, that he had visited such
and such cities, and so on. Deep down, deep down, Ulla and I could hardly wait for the
opportunity when we would write a letter to him and to the seminar staff, sharing with
them that in our college we also had a UPT. But that was hard!
Years later, in February 1997, when we published the first Newsletter of Sharing, the
people from Vitoria wrote about how PUR had been born in capixaba19 lands. They
narrated as follows:
"It was the first time she was going into a prayer team. She was feeling really displaced
and ashamed, going through all those feelings of embarrassment everyone has already
experienced... ‘I can’t believe what I see! A boy wearing an Electrical Engineering Tshirt! Wow!’ After the meeting, she went to talk to him: “Hi, my name is Ulla, I also go
to UFES, and we’ve got to start a prayer team there.” Renato found it strange, “the
oddest people come to the prayer team!” And he said to his peers, “Pray for this girl,
she’s out of her mind, poor her!"
This episode occurred in a parish prayer team in Vitoria in early 1994, shortly after the
Seara, when Ulla returned to the city where she would attend the Communication
Course for another semester. After a lot of discussion, the "out-of-her-mind, poor
advertising student" managed to convince Renato and Fabiana to gather together at
the University. But it took ten months between the decision to form the UPT and the
first real meeting. Finally, in November 1994, the three students began to meet for
praying in a small room hidden in the huge UFES library. Even though they were
attending the meetings, the group still feared that bold proposal to form a UPT at the
University. It was only in early 1995 that Renato, Fabiana and Ulla became convinced
that the UPT was a desire of the Lord. But then they were faced with another problem:
they did not feel prepared. Then the inspiration came: "We need training, we are all
going to read the catechism, and when we finish it, we will be ready to start."
In the meantime, they met and invited one more person to join them, Humberto. The
fourth member of the group arrived just in time, because he encouraged the other
19
Translator’s note: Capixaba is someone who is born in or comes from the Brazilian state of
Espirito Santo.
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three to start the UPT as soon as possible. "What? Read the Catechism? This way the
UPT will never start. We have to start it right now. " Maybe you should be thinking
about how difficult it was for the Vitoria’s UPT to be born. How much bureaucracy!
What a lack of faith, or something else!
In fact, UPTs, especially the first ones, were born in a context of great difficulty. Their
fear in Vitoria was pretty natural. First, because their reference team was the young
Renewal with all ministries, preachers, intercessors, musicians, the core group, all well
prepared people! Second, because there was not a reality such as the parish prayer
team, and besides this, they knew they would be questioned by their classmates and
teachers, they would be in evidence, more exposed to criticism, teasing, things like
that. Their fear was more than natural! But just imagine if they waited until they
finished reading the Catholic Church Catechism. Actually, none of us is prepared. The
real preparation comes along faithful service to God, and we know that very well
because that is what happened within the Renewed Universities Project.
After Humberto’s intervention, the UPT finally came out. The first open meeting was
held on June 7, 1995. They made a poster with a drawing of a half-covered face that
read: "Fellow Catholic, show your face." People responded to the call and filled the
chapel of the University. Thereafter, a number of events were held by the UPT:
Masses, praise evenings on campus (comprising around 500 people), pamphlets at the
college entrance exam, welcome party for college freshmen, singing in the University
Restaurant, and many other activities inspired by the Holy Spirit.
As the UPT grew, students from other colleges naturally wanted to participate and felt
motivated to form prayer teams in their schools, such as at the University of Vila Velha
(UVV), FAESA, Facev, and others.
But in Belo Horizonte ...
While Ulla struggled to convince the Catholics who already belonged to CCR to start a
UPT, I couldn’t even find a fellow Catholic, let alone a charismatic. I was already tired
of getting so many NO’s, so I thought that the mission of forming a UPT at Fafi was not
for me, even because I still nurtured the dream of going to UFMG. Then, one day, at
the end of the semester, probably in June, I was sitting at the back of the room, when
suddenly I saw a girl in the first row flipping through the Bible. She was sitting in front
of the professor of Logic of Knowledge, (a very good professor, but he was one of
those who cannot see anything good in religion, much less in the Catholic Church; he
was a fierce critic of the Church, and seemed to think we were still in Inquisition
times), and was reading the Bible right there in the midst of the class.
85
As I watched that scene, I thought to myself, “What a brave girl! Will she be a
Protestant?” I could barely contain myself to go and talk to her and clear up my
doubts. My concern over finding a Catholic person, preferably a CCR member, was not
out of prejudice against other Christians or against those who profess or practice any
religion, but because it was the start of something new. It would be very difficult to
start from scratch with someone who had basic questions of faith. The prayer team
was not and is not a place for studies, discussions, Bible circles. It is a place of prayer,
praise, preaching the Word, outpouring of the charismatic gifts, testimonials,
experience of forgiveness, healing, finally, a place for us to experience the filial love of
the Father, the mercy and salvation of Jesus, and the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In
order that we could work along with Protestants (I prefer this term because Catholics
are also evangelicals) at Fafi-BH, we needed maturity and understanding of what it
means, indeed, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.
Well, I kept watching that unusual scene of a student, Flavia Rocha was her name,
reading the Bible in class, and when the time was over, I walked toward her and asked:
"Hey, Flavia, I saw you there reading the Bible. Are you a Protestant? ". She said: "No, I
am not!" Then I thought to myself, if she is not Protestant, and is reading the Bible, she
must be charismatic and a very radical one, I mean, those who are not ashamed of
anything. "Are you Catholic?". She replied, "Yes." Then I said, "From the Charismatic
Renewal?" And she let out, "No, but I'm dying to know about it." I jumped and
thundered, "And I'm dying to show you, honey!"
Even today, I can remember this scene. Perhaps it has already faded from her memory,
but it remains alive for me like never before! Now I understand that there are people
whom God puts in our lives with very specific missions. Flavia’s mission was, at least at
the time, to stop Ivna from giving up. Flavia had never opened a Bible before, and I
never saw her open one again in the following years. In other words, the Lord was
sending an angel so that nothing would be an obstacle, and the dream would remain
steadily in my heart.
Amid that surprising, happy and sweet moment, we headed together for the canteen.
We talked a lot, exchanged information as this was the first time we were having a
conversation, only the two of us. I asked her which parish she belonged to, and if she
took part in any pastoral activity. But Flavia was not linked to any parish, and did not
participate in any group either. To cut a long story short, she was among the Catholics
described in the IBGE census: she did not attend Mass on Sundays, except for an
acquaintance’s seventh day Mass or graduation Mass, but she had been baptized in
the Catholic Church, and, because of that, she said she was Catholic. When I suggested
forming a prayer team in college, she was kind of afraid, and listed a series of
obstacles, such as lack of time, excuses like that. In fact, she lacked enthusiasm!
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I went home that day with mixed feelings: happiness and sadness. I had found the
person, but I had to motivate her. I could not wait for the Seara because this would
take place six months away. We went on vacation, and when August came, I received a
letter from Ulla saying that there would be a CCR state youth meeting in Belo
Horizonte, with the participation of Eugenio Jorge - one of the greatest CCR preachers
and musicians in Brazil. Ulla was living the heyday of her "first love", she knew of all
meetings and local preachers. In the letter, she told me that she would come to Belo
Horizonte.
That's when I had the idea of inviting Flavia to participate in this meeting. She would
have the opportunity to meet with young people from all over the state for three days.
Maybe she would leave the Seara as excited as I was when I left my first seminar!
When I invited her to the event, she said she would love to go, but she had no money.
It was hard to hear that excuse. Firstly, because this response is ready in people's
mouths, especially when it comes to spiritual things. Secondly, because Flavia came
from a fairly wealthy family. Her father was the owner or director of a hospital, a
renowned orthopedic surgeon. She could speak English fluently. She was a teacher at a
well-known school in Belo Horizonte and could not spend the equivalent of US$ 15
because she was saving money to change cars!!! Thirdly, because I couldn’t help
comparing our realities. At the time, I worked full-time and used to sell sandwiches
and chocolate cake at work and at school to help to increase my budget. Lela, my kid
sister, prepared the sandwiches for me to sell. While Flavia was thinking about her
new car, I had to take a crowded bus in BH, carrying school supplies and an ice chest
with sandwiches. Well, despite all that, I insisted that Flavia go because it would be an
unforgettable experience, but she appeared to be irreducible. My deep and sincere
desire was that she could experience what I had experienced. So I decided to pay for
her registration fee without her knowing it, of course. Happy with the news, she finally
decided to go. The meeting was scheduled for September.
Ulla arrived in Belo Horizonte along with Renato, the Electrical Engineering student.
The two of them stayed in my house. I remember the excitement I felt at the thought
of our meeting to this day: Ulla, Flavia, Renato, and I. It would be great, and they could
motivate Flavia. The meeting began on Friday evening with the Mass, but by Saturday
night she had not shown up yet. I decided to call her home, and her mother told me
that Flavia had already left without mentioning anything about the meeting. I waited
for her all Sunday long, but to my regret she did not show up.
I was feeling upset and disappointed with the situation when I met Ana Paula, a UFMG
Geology student who was on the seminar staff at the Seara. Ana Paula started talking
to me and suddenly she said, "Hey, Ivna? Is Fafi’s UPT coming out or not? "Her words
made me really upset and I replied," No, it’s not coming out because of this, this and
this. "She insisted, "But you cannot give up." I almost lost my temper and let out what
was bothering me. "Ana Paula,” I added, “you say that because you arrived at UFMG
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and found a UPT up and running. Now, try to set one up and you will see how hard it
is!" Ana Paula immediately replied so wisely and undisturbedly that she might not
have even realized the depth of her answer:" Ivna, each one of us has a different
calling. Mine is to continue a work that already exists. Yours is to start a new one." I
left that conversation feeling uneasy and reflecting on all that had happened to me
since my departure from Valadares. Why had I failed at UFMG and UFES? Why had I
gotten into Fafi-BH? Why had I gotten the discounts at the choir and the union? What
about the internships?
At the Closing Mass, I handed over every disappointment, failure, feeling of failure, the
indifference of my colleagues to Jesus at the Eucharist. And when I heard the song "To
love you more than myself, to love you more than anything that is here. To love you
more than the most beloved ones. To love you and give my life just for you ..." I slowly
convinced my heart that God wanted me there, at Fafi-BH, at that ugly building with
the Diniz Tires sign, a private college with demands and realities different than those
one may find at the University of Viçosa or at UFMG.
At the end of this meeting, the organizers told us about another event that was going
to be held there, in that same place, in October. We were taking part in the Marcos
Project20 State Meeting, and the national meeting was going to be held in October.
Ulla and Renato returned to Victoria, but Ulla confirmed her presence in October.
That week I met with Flavia and I asked her why she had not shown up at the seminar.
Her answer "I forgot" was like a sword crossing my heart. I thought that forming a UPT
with her would not be feasible. Anyway, I invited her to the October meeting. I said it
would be even more beautiful with youth from all over Brazil, she would have one of
the most beautiful experiences in her life, but she gave me the same excuse: lack of
money. In the meantime, I got a letter from Mococa saying that he was coming for the
meeting in Belo Horizonte. By the way, it was at this event that PUR officially became
part of the Secretariat Marcos. There were areas of work with the youth, and
Fernando had been invited by the coordinator, Sidney Telles, to be responsible for the
work with university students.
Let’s get back to Flavia, though. When I learned that Fernando was coming, I nearly
freaked out! Flavia had to meet him one way or another, and perhaps he could
convince her about the UPT, I thought. I say this because at that time, Ulla and I were
feeling completely unprepared to deal with those issues. I believed that, if someone
more experienced like Fernando talked with Flavia, she would understand. It was as if
we, men and women, and not the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, were the ones
20
Marcos Project - the work of evangelization of CCR young people.
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responsible for convincing somebody of the Truth that is Jesus. But I would learn
better over time.
I insisted with Flavia, but she persisted in the lack-of-money excuse. Once again, I
decided to pay for the registration fee without her knowing it because she could not
accept it otherwise. I prayed asking the Lord to touch her heart. I remember that,
when the date of the event arrived, I was thrilled with the idea of Flavia meeting Ulla
and Mococa. It would be awesome! The program structure was the same: a Mass on
Friday evening, and closure on Sunday afternoon. But Flavia showed up neither on
Friday nor on Saturday. At that point, I had almost thrown in the towel. It seemed that
I was delirious with this story that "Flavia was coming."
On Sunday morning, after waiting until 11 o’clock, I decided to make the last attempt. I
called her home, talked with her mother, and asked her to convince her daughter to
come to the meeting, for God's sake. Lunchtime was gone, but Flavia wouldn’t show
up! First preaching, and nothing! Second preaching, and nothing! Enough, my Lord! I
couldn’t stand it anymore. I’d done whatever I could do. I would only wait for the Mass
to end, and would go back home with feelings of frustration and revolt. That's when I
saw her coming in the gymnasium, looking around as if lost, not knowing exactly what
she was doing there. My heart was filled with joy and I went to meet her. It was the
Closing Mass, but she had come…at last!
I remember a picturesque scene during this Mass. Father Leo, well-known by the
Catholic charismatic youth due to his skill and charisma to talk to young people, was
presiding the Mass. Flavia looked like Ulla at the Seara: eyes wide open, watching
everything carefully, and amazed by what she saw. After the communion, that song
"We can no longer come back, the boat is at sea ... We can no longer come back, the
sea is God and I am the boat... " was sung. I looked at Flavia, and there was a little
puddle of tears at her feet. I thought to myself, "Good! Now, cry of regret for all that
you put me through." What a funny thing! I was so happy to see her there that I really
started to rave. The Mass finished, and she asked me, "Ivna, when are we starting the
UPT?" Phew! At last! My strategy had been successful!
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9 – It is the Holy Spirit who will speak for
you
“Remember. Do not forget. The mystery of redemption lies in remembrance.”
Edith Stein
Flavia was decided, Ivna was fulfilled! Now things would be easier, and we did not
need anything else to begin the university prayer team at FAFI-BH. I talked with one of
the college janitors and asked him for a room where we could do some
interdisciplinary studies. Naturally, I would never ask for a room for a prayer team,
because the institution would stop us. Moreover, it was quite right to me that, initially,
the group should be a little concealed so that the dream could be matured by Flavia
and by those who would be invited to take part in it. I looked for one of those people
in charge of the distribution of rooms in the college building and said, "All right then,
Mr. Antunes, next Tuesday, at 6 p.m., we will be in room 409 of the old building for
the first meeting of my study group. "
All set! We even had a room for us! Suddenly I realized that I had never prepared a
prayer team meeting. God, how can I go about it? I’ll have forty minutes to pray with
Flavia, but pray what? The Rosary? No way, she will find it tiresome! Read the Bible?
Sing? Jesus, what a situation! And I could envision the scene: “Flavia, we are gathered
in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Sit down, please, I'll teach
you.” She could not sing any songs. That was odd! She will find it ridiculous, and if she
does not like the first meeting, she may not come back! Now what?
I decided to follow the advice of those who preached at the meetings. Okay, I am going
to fast, I am going to the Mass, I am going to pray to God so He will tell me what to do.
Since I could take a few days off at my job, I asked for a leave on October 25. And so it
went. I spent all day getting ready for the night's meeting. At that time, the Pentecost
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Ministry’s band used to play at the meetings in Belo Horizonte. They had released an
album titled "Search me" with most of the songs played in two youth meetings. I
bought the record, and listened to the songs while praying. With all sincerity of heart, I
said to the Lord, "Look, Jesus, it took me too long to get here. I am not forming a UPT
just because it's cool, but because I believe that this team will be like a fountain in the
desert, where all may drink the living water that You are the same. I know that many
professors and future journalists will pass by this prayer team. So help me, Lord! " At
this point of my prayer, side A of the record had finished, so I turned it and the song
Kerygma started:
"God has gathered us together to give us a mission. To proclaim his love and to preach
salvation. He gave us love for Jesus, with whom we can trust our troubles and sorrows,
because everything can change. Open your heart, consecrate to the Lord, sing a song, a
psalm of praise. God is our Father, he gives us his love. With Him in our lives, we are
more than conquerors. "
The Bible was on my bed, I was kneeling on the floor, asking the Lord for a word of
wisdom and courage. I asked Jesus, "Show me what to say to Flavia." It was when I
opened the Bible in the Gospel of St. Matthew and was surprised with the words of the
Lord to his disciples:
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents
and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and
scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my
sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry
about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment
what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father
speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.” (Mt 10, 16-20).
And when I finished reading verse 20, the second stanza of the song Kerygma began:
"Do not be afraid to talk. He will speak for you. Do not be afraid to follow him, He will
always be with you. Surrender your life, Jesus will take care of you. Proclaim the Good
News he will be to the end. Open your heart, consecrate it to the Lord, sing a song, a
psalm of praise. God is our Father, He gives us His love. With Him in our lives, we are
more than conquerors. "
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Oh, if only I could get this song as background music on this page! Maybe you would
understand what those words meant to me. It was Jesus saying, "Ivna, it won’t be you
who will speak, but the Spirit of the Father will speak through you! So it was with the
prophets, the disciples at Pentecost, with the saints of the Church in Duquesne, in
Viçosa, and so it will be with you, with all those who go through the UPT and all those
who serve and will serve in this work. " What a wonderful mystery, my Lord! What
infinite and inexplicable grace is this that makes us participate in the plan of salvation
that the Father has for humanity? After allowing the tears to fall, I prayed a "Hail
Mary" and consecrated the long-awaited meeting of the FAFI-BH prayer team to Our
Lady.
That sublime moment when the Word of God and the song essentially said what I
needed to hear was so strong that it could not be omitted from Flavia. I got a cassette
tape, recorded the song, and went to school carrying a walkman and the Bible. Our
first meeting was beautiful and simple as all that comes from the Lord. I shared the
experience I had had that afternoon with music and the Bible, put the tape on her
walkman for her to listen to the song. Then, I read the passage in the Gospel of
Matthew (Mt 10, 16-20). I was thinking about the meaning of the word Kerygma
(proclamation of the first love) and suggested that the name of our UPT should be
Kerygma. In addition to being strong, it was (is) an unknown word that could arouse
people's curiosity. She agreed, and thus, at the very first meeting, the first UPT of a
private college in Belo Horizonte was baptized Kerygma. I also proposed that we
should consecrate our prayer team to the Virgin Mary and pray a decade of the rosary
at each meeting. Flavia accepted my proposal, and she was extremely happy when she
left the meeting. So was I. That was the start of the UPT exactly on October 25, 1994,
at 6:20 p.m., in room 409 of FAFI-BH’s old building. The room was small, kind of
abandoned, dark, but from that moment on it became a sacred place where Jesus
would be known, worshiped and loved.
One UPT is just not enough
Okay, now nobody could stop me. Since the UPT had been set, we began to invite
some people to join us, most of them from our own classroom. One day, when we
were at the fifth meeting and about to start praying the last decade of the rosary, we
were glad to see three other colleagues coming in to join us. We were five! This
seemed like the Lord and Our Lady patted on my head, and it comforted my heart. I
was willing to renew not only the college I went to, but all the colleges in Belo
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Horizonte. I did not miss a single opportunity to speak to the students about the dream
of the universities’ renewal. Therefore, whenever there was a youth meeting, Ivna was
there too. In late November, I learned of a youth pastoral meeting from a group of
young people from St. George Parish, in Jardim America. It was a Sunday meeting only,
so I decided to attend it.
Between one and another lecture, I saw a young man wearing a PUC-Minas
Engineering shirt, and I wondered if there were more college students there. Then, I
asked the organizers of the event for a brief interruption and invited all university
students who were there for a meeting at break time. We managed to bring together
about fifteen people. I introduced myself, told them about the UPT, the calling God
had for them, and finally wrote down everyone’s address and phone number. My goal
was to take everyone to the 1995 Seara. In that group, there was a short girl who
studied Business Administration at UNA, a very elitist college in Belo Horizonte then.
For purposes of the Lord, her face was engraved on my memory. A month later, and as
the holiday season approached, I decided to call all those young people and invite
them to go to the Seara. Great was my disappointment when I found out that some
did not even remember me, let alone the Seara. Others said they already had
appointments, trips to the beach, and so on.
Finally, I called the last name on the list. It was Eni Soares, the shorty who took
Business Administration. She was the most polite one on the phone, and was very
interested in knowing the Seara, but she had already paid all her expenses to spend
Carnival in Guarapari, a coastal town in Espírito Santo. I was embarrassed to keep
insisting, so I decided to invite her to attend the last meeting of the FAFI UPT that was
going to be held that evening. Everything worked out very well, for Eni had no classes
on the first two hours of that Tuesday evening.
Since that was the last meeting of the year, and Christmas was only a couple of weeks
away, I decided to print the invitations, and distributed them to almost all of my
classmates, saying that there would be a Christmas get-together in room 409. I had
also asked them to bring some snacks. I prepared this meeting very carefully, made
Christmas cards, took candles, set up a small nativity scene, and even played the
guitar. I forgot to mention that, although I had taken up guitar lessons to learn
Chitãozinho and Xororó’s songs, there were two CCR’s songs that I could play without
looking at the score: "Behold I make all things new" (more intense, with two positions)
and "Nobody loves you like me." This one was simply wonderful, the kind of song that
would knock down any Christian. It was a little more complex, though, as it required
four positions: C, A, D, G. But with some practice, you could play it.
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To my surprise and joy ten classmates showed up, all women, plus Eni. They were the
kind of people I had never imagined would take the invitation, and they were there.
Lights were off, candles were lit, reflection on the birth of Jesus and the song "Nobody
loves you like me." Even without a vocal technique and not having the gift of singing, I
could feel the anointing in every detail of the meeting. All of them were crying, some
more, others less. The fact is that the Lord was touching those hearts. We ended the
meeting, ran a surprise Secret Santa with Season’s Greetings cards, and then we had a
quick meal. A very careful preparation for the meeting has always been very important
because it symbolizes the green grass where Jesus asked the crowd to sit down before
performing the miracle of the loaves (Mk 6).
When the meeting ended, Eni’s eyes shone! At one point, she said, "That would never
happen at my college, because people are rather rational, elitist, individualistic there."
My words were incisive: "I also thought it would be impossible here at FAFI-BH.
However, in less than two months, we are ten people already. If you want to see this
miracle in your college, give up your trip to Guarapari and come with me to the Seara.
The dream that God wants to blossom in your heart is much bigger than a trip to the
beach." Eni left that meeting feeling restless. Days later, she called me saying she had
given up going to Guarapari, and would go to the Seara despite the money loss. I could
hardly believe my ears. I was impressed with the determination, simplicity and courage
of that young woman who was a small great person. At such times, the desire to go to
UFMG had almost been left behind. I had already completed one year of academic
course, was working in a very nice place, had two scholarships, and the university
prayer team was already a reality. What more could I want?
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10 - PUR begins to grow
“We ought to begin each day as a new life.”
Edith Stein
The year 1994 had come to an end, and finally another Seara was about to happen.
This time there would be two seminars for university students. Ivna, Flavia, Eni, Ulla,
Mirela (my sister) and many others, whose names I cannot remember now, were
there. Before this seminar, there was a meeting of the organizing team at the Hermitry
of the Discalced Carmelites Friars in Caratinga / MG, under the guidance of Friar Jorge
Correa, who became PUR’s Spiritual Advisor years later. I did not attend this activity,
but Ulla did. Ulla’s thirst for God was pretty amazing and beautiful! At this meeting,
there were two coincidences: the meeting fell on the same date as the Duquesne
Weekend (17, 18 and 19 February) and it was Cristiane’s birthday, one of PUR’s
pioneers and also one of the organizers of the first seminar in Viçosa. At Duquesne
they also celebrated birthdays. This habit of getting together before the Seara has
become a tradition inside PUR; these meetings are the so-called national team
meetings, when we evaluate the previous year, set up the plans for the next year and,
more than that, it is when we pray together, live together, and become family. These
meetings usually last a week.
In the 1995 Seara, PUR was gaining strength. There were several testimonies of prayer
teams that had been created following the 1994 seminar. This year, Jane, a student of
dentistry from Governador Valadares who had started a prayer team at her college
(Univale) without knowing about the existence of PUR, had her strength and her spirit
renewed. Determined, she returned to her hometown and met with about thirty
young university students linked to CCR, plus five professors. They named this UPT
Magnificat, and this prayer team became a reference in the state. Also, at the seminar
there were some students from the state of Goias, and Flavia, a medical student at
UFJF from Juiz de Fora. Flavia founded the UPT for Life in August 1994 along with Ana
Paula (Medicine), Wanderly (Medicine), Luis Claudio (Physics), Claudia (IT) and
Pollyanna (Mathematics).
The students who participated in prayer teams at the university should attend seminar
II while the others should take part in seminar I. Years later, we decided that everyone,
even those who participated in UPTs in their colleges, should do seminar I in order to
understand the grandiosity of the UPT proposal. This became necessary because the
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difference between those who heard the preaching of the dream and those who did
not was noticeable. For this second group, the UPT was only a pastoral activity inside
the university, like many other existing ones. Upon reviewing my " PUR’s historic
folder", I found a letter from Fernando Mococa, dated October 31, 1994, to the
coordinator of the Marcos Secretariat at the time, Sydney Teles Oliveira Filho. In the
letter, he described the work with the university students:
"Dear friend and brother, Jesus lives. I am writing this letter for two reasons basically:
(1) ask you the address of Marcos’s state secretaries so we can share the news of our
work and invite them to be with us at Seara/95; (2) share the news of the
evangelization of colleges these days, after the BH conference.
Belo Horizonte: I stayed there until Thursday after the conference, and there I visited
the two UFMG prayer teams. The Charisma Team of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
made quite an impression on me and made me confident as well, because I could see
the hand of God giving birth to new perspectives for the academia. There are
approximately twenty students, most of them linked to the New Covenant Community.
There are also two other people starting a team at Fafi-BH, in the School of
Communication.
Governador Valadares: We made a show at the Univale amphitheater; it was crowded
(approximately 200 people).
Uberaba: Here the work is slower, but there are prospects for the next semester. The
Diocesan secretary belongs to the Marcos Project, and she identifies with the work at
the university. I met with the archbishop, who was very interested in the idea. We also
have the presence of Bishop Juvenal Arduini, pastoral adviser to the University during
the period of military repression. We will be able to gather valuable information with
him. In Uberlândia, there are two UPTs at UFU already.
Alfenas: after passing by Uberaba, I stayed in my hometown for two days, and then I
went to a Deepening Encounter with the university students from Alfenas (EFOA and
UNIFENAS). There were about fifty students. At this meeting, a student from Gama
Filho (RJ) and two from UFJF (Juiz de Fora) helped me out. In addition, three other
students from Pouso Alegre (MG) and a dentist from Limeira (SP) participated in the
meeting. We worked on the prayer OUR FATHER, with emphasis on Kingdom (Come
Thy Kingdom), and the Lord acted with great love among us, confirming the preaching
with signs of healing and deliverance.
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Araguaina (TO): Next week I'm going to work in Araguaína where I may work as a
university professor if the job proposal turns out positive. I hope to spend the rest of the
year working there. Well, let's see, I think that's enough for today.
Fraternally, your friend and brother, Fernando Galvani."
A great feature of Fernando’s missionary work was to visit cities to meet with students,
making the most of every opportunity. When coming from the north of the country
due to some CCR meeting, or for a professional conference, or even on a business trip,
he would always stay a few more days. He enjoyed the time and met with us in the
most improvised locations: at the college cafeteria, at the airport waiting-room, at a
coffee shop in the city center, at the CCR office, you name them. These meetings were
essential to the growth of PUR, because many of us lacked the necessary training to
work. Between a question, a testimony, and a word of motivation, we would grow!
And, of course, as he saw our growth, the dream of his heart and his desire to serve
grew stronger.
It was also through these informal meetings that many university prayer teams were
born, such as in Caxias do Sul (RS), Maceió (AL), and other locations. Being together
has always been absolutely imperative for us, but not only at UPT meetings or at other
gatherings, but in life as well. Thus, PUR takes pride in its particular mark, which is the
family feeling that the vast majority of participants share. There are no boundaries or
physical distance because the dream that is in my heart is the same dream in the heart
of that student or professional who is there in the North, Northeast, South, Midwest,
or even abroad.
The dream unites us, makes us brothers and sisters. It makes us sharers of the same
project. Sociologically speaking, we are immersed in the same social imaginary. We are
like those who joined the campaign to fight hunger proposed by Betinho, or like the
Hebrew people who walked in the desert for forty years toward the Promised Land, or
like the Pastoral of the Child that plants in each of its approximately 150,000
volunteers a dream that all children should have a dignified life. It is this "common
dream", powered by the Spirit of the Father, that feeds us and makes us one with
Jesus. Otherwise, we would have given up on dreaming because of the obstacles and
challenges that have increasingly appeared.
After the Seara
The 1995 Seara meant enormous motivation for Eni. She returned to Belo Horizonte
and began the struggle to form the UPT in her college. In September, she was finally
able to hold the first meeting with Monica, who was taking Accounting. In October,
new members joined the UPT such as Eduardo, Paulo Henrique (great servant who
became our National Treasurer), among others.
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At FAFI-BH, the UPT was also beginning to grow this year at the new building of the
institution, infinitely more beautiful and pleasant than that of the "Diniz Tires" neon
sign. Our problem now was to find a room for the meetings. We had to carry out our
meetings by hiding the fact from the Board of Directors. The staff, however, knew
about it, and they helped us. I remember that the UPT’s sixth-month anniversary was
going to be celebrated on March 25. So, I decided to invite many people, among them
Wilson Morais, a guy who worked with me at the City Hall and was taking Public
Relations then. Short, cheerful, extremely friendly, Wilson was always surrounded by
women, at least that’s how we saw him. On that day, March 25, I had taken the guitar
to my office because of the meeting. I had also bought a box of chocolates and made a
few souvenirs with the passage of John's gospel: "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou
hast the words of eternal life." (Jn 6, 68). Wilson decided to come along with me and
was curious about the guitar. He asked me if I could play and sing, and when I said that
it was for a prayer team meeting, he found it strange, funny and interesting at the
same time. I decided to invite him and he, that short young man who used to engage
in virtually all college activities, accepted it.
We got to the room, arranged the chairs, and I briefly explained what UPT was about,
its purpose and mission. Soon the guests began to arrive. That's right: the guests! To
Wilson’s joy, there were fifteen women. He was the only man! We started the
meeting. My joy was great to see people participating, most of them for the first time.
Before we called it a day, I proposed that each participant bring along at least one
colleague for the next meeting. We all hugged, candy bars were handed out, and we
headed for our classrooms. Wilson, amazed at the meeting and at the number of
women, burst out, "Ivna, this prayer team is the best place in the world!". That
"perfect trap" had been provided so that we could catch the little big Wilson. Next
week, next meeting:
"Wilson, tomorrow is UPT’s day. Do not forget about it! "
"Ah, Ivna, sorry, but I can’t go. I have a meeting at college."
Wilson's response was a constant one among the participants, including Flavia who at
times appeared to be very excited, and then, all of a sudden, would disappear without
even explaining why. She had missed out on so many meetings since October 94! That
was okay, though, because that week, after UPT’s sixth-month anniversary celebration,
I was expecting to gather at least thirty-two people.
Tuesday was the day of the meeting. I always used to arrive early to prepare the room,
and so I did that day. The clock stroke 6:20… 6:30… 6:40… 6:50… but no one showed
up. "How sad, my Jesus! What is happening? Was last week’s meeting so bad? I really
am a failure!” These were the feelings in my heart this time. Huge was the temptation
to give up on everything, go and have lunch in the cafeteria or go to the library to
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study. At those moments, UPT seemed to lose direction. However, a strength that
could only be provided by the Holy Spirit made me stay faithfully praying in that room
until 7 p.m. when classes should begin.
Things like that happened not only once or twice, but many times. Meanwhile, in
Vitoria, the UFES UPT had already organized a show on campus, servants were faithful,
and turnover of participants wasn’t as high as it was at Fafi-BH. Then it occurred to me
that the team wasn’t as spiritually strong as it should be. We needed people with
greater Catholic experiences, people who were more faithful, people who could
understand the dimension of the task proposed by the Church for the evangelization of
the universities.
What helped me a lot during this time was the friendship with Eni. We both had
become more than a dynamic duo; we had become true friends. Our desire to be
together was intense. Because of that, we used to handle our busy schedules and find
some time for lunch in downtown Belo Horizonte. At the time, there was a place
known as Shopping Mall of Faith on Afonso Pena Avenue (in the heart of the city, the
central region), where people could be prayed for, buy Catholic products, learn about
CCR retreats, and pray in the chapel.
On one of those occasions, we met Madsom Ronnie, a member of the Reviver
Community who used to sing at a CCR music ministry. He studied Language and
Literature at PUC, the night shift, but did not know anything about PUR. Then, in one
of those afternoons, outside the mall, right on the corner of Afonso Pena Avenue and
Tamoios Street (a very noisy crowded place, under a hot sun, at about 1 p.m.),Eni and I
commented on the UPT, and encouraged Ronnie to form a team at PUC. This should be
mid-September 1995. A couple of weeks later, on October 2, he began the first PUC’s
UPT together with a colleague. Thereafter, other UPTs were formed, reaching other
campuses, similarly to what had happened at UFMG.
When such situations occurred, Eni and I were surprised with God’s wonders, and our
friendship grew even stronger. Great was my joy when she came to visit my UPT, and
vice-versa, provided that nobody stopped me at the entrance to the college she went
to. UNA displayed a very sophisticated environment: mirrors everywhere, elevators,
carpeting, air conditioning, employees working in suit and tie. The first time I went to
the UPT there, I looked so astonished by the building itself that the front-desk clerk
stopped me:
"Good evening. Where are you going, young lady? "
"I'm going to the …. floor for a prayer team meeting."
"Prayer Team? There is no prayer team here. "
"Yes, there is. It's quite new, there are few people, that’s why you haven’t heard about
it yet."
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"Well, ma’am, anyways, you must get a memo authorizing you in."
Conclusion: I did not visit UNA’s UPT that day. I had to learn to be less silly, and not
speak so much next time. The situation at UNA was absurd. When the Board of
Directors, in late 1995 or early 1996, learnt that the university was unofficially housing
a UPT, they locked the classroom. Then the team started to get together in the
hallway. But the Board cut off the lights on that floor. Eni was desperate and she
would tell me, "Ivna, there's no way out. Even the lights have been cut off. "
"No problem, Eni, don’t worry! Use candles and light them for the meeting. It'll be nice
and even more conducive to prayer. Remember the first time you went to Fafi? The
meeting was by candlelight. Consider that passage in which Jesus says, 'I am the salt of
the earth and Light of the World'. Oh, Eni, the meeting is ready! "
What was to become a problem turned out to be a solution. Toward the month of
April/1996, UNA’s UPT members decided to meet with the university Board of
Directors and proposed an event titled "Week Winter Clothing." The School saw an
opportunity to make their social marketing with that initiative and accepted the
proposal. The news about the event was published in the school newspaper, and
ended up serving to UPT’s own disclosure. We could see that nothing is impossible for
God when, in the second semester of 1997, this same college that used to prohibit
religious expression, ended up lending their amphitheater for a meeting of all UPTs
from Belo Horizonte (at the time, there were already 23 UPTs ) without charging us
anything at all. Jesus once said, “Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a
mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will
move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Mt 17, 20).
God answers my prayers
As the FAFI-BH UPT participants were fickle servants, I began to ask God for more true
Catholics in our group. Then, I ended up meeting Marcia Cristina, a LanguageLiterature student, who was very faithful to the Lord. She became my right arm. The
other Marcia, the one who studied with me and was a Confirmation catechist, also
attended the meetings once in a while. She is the one who met a girl at the Laboratory
of Advertising carrying a little rosary on her arm and invited her to join the UPT. The
girl was Kenya Valadares, who was already engaged in her parish, but did not
participate in CCR yet.
Upon learning of the UPT, Kenya soon engaged and invited along a student of
mathematics, William Max, whom she already knew from her parish. William’s
satisfaction was so big that, in the second meeting, he brought four classmates along
with him. During this time, UPT welcomed another important member, Andrea
Rezende. Sweet as anyone, Andreinha was in charge of the precious small gifts for
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birthdays, Easter, Christmas, etc. Kenya studied in the morning, but worked as a
monitor at the Laboratory of Advertising (LPP) at night. Thus, the LPP became a
meeting place every evening at break time. There we shared, planned our activities,
and our friendship grew stronger each day. In March 1996, Kenya joined in with
Cristina Pelizzari, also an Advertising student and as sweet as Andreinha. Together with
a student of History, Laurimar, they started the second UPT at Fafi, in the morning
shift. Currently, Kenya is coordinating the National Commission of Graduates and is
part of PUR’s national team.
It was between the end of the first semester of 1995 and the beginning of the second
that Fafi-BH UPT started gaining strength. We were all very religious, but a great
number did not know about CCR, a fact that hindered a few issues. Still, I see how
much wisdom the Lord provided me with at the time so that I would be able to make
the most of each one’s talents, and empower them. Everyone could feel coresponsible for the miracle of "the loaves" because they put their loaves and fishes
available to Jesus for Him to perform the miracle. We created a mascot for the UPT,
had a shirt made with the slogan "Kerygma Team: Catholics in the service of
evangelization", and began to disclose the UPT more aggressively.
I could not wait to celebrate the UPT’s first anniversary. I called the group for a special
intercession, and at each meeting we prayed a mystery of the rosary. I wished that at
least fifty people would come on October 25, 1995. Some group members tried to
warn me saying that it was a lot of people. In fact, they were afraid of my frustration.
Kenya prepared a personalized invitation for us to distribute among faculty, staff and
the Board of Directors. This way the Board became aware of the existence of the UPT.
On the day of the meeting, we invited Vargas, a colleague of Eni’s, to play the guitar,
and a very big party was prepared. Andrea's mother was an expert in finger foods
tables, so she helped us with that. To our surprise, several professors and many
colleagues showed up. We also invited our families. There I met William’s wife,
Andrea’s mother, and many others. There were about eighty people.
During this time, strong testimonies began to happen at the UPT too. A classmate,
Iracema Barreto, also began to participate in the team. Her walk inside the UPT was
slow, but very beautiful. After some time attending the meetings, she decided to find a
parish by herself in order to make her first communion and be confirmed. I was very
proud to be her godmother! Many other people were touched by God and placed
themselves at the service. Gradually, we managed to organize the UPT, setting a team
of intercessors and the core as well. Finally, a student who could play the guitar well
joined us. Her name was Virginia, and she had such a gorgeous smile that it
evangelized by itself!
He who knows jokes of dots, leave them here
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William Max was a special person. He was married, worked at IBM as a printers repair
specialist. His house was under construction, but even so he still found time for some
very odd things. One day I commented that my video recorder was out of order, and
he promptly offered to take me home and check what was wrong with the appliance.
His car was a white Passat, later on known as "PUR-Mobile." On the way to my house,
he said he had the dream to evangelize the Internet. I found it weird. Back in 1995, the
Internet was still something unattainable and very restricted; I had vaguely heard
about it. And this guy was telling me to evangelize the Internet? For the sake of
charity, I let him speak and listened to his delusions.
Months later, in early 1996, William asked me for some pictures of the UPT and Seara,
because he wanted to make me a surprise. I lent him the photos, he returned them
and that was it. Okay, so far, so good, but no surprises! Then, one day, walking through
the college hallways, I saw a series of posters, at least one per floor, made of
cardboard and posted on the walls along with a pen tied to a string. There was also a
message that read "If you know a joke of dots, leave yours here." Some people reacted
to it and even wrote: "What is a green dot in the corner of a room? A grounded pea",
and so on and so forth. When I finished reading the jokes, I saw a thank-you message
below them: "Thank you for your participation, William Max, a FAFI-BH student of
Mathematics." I could hardly believe it. How does this guy find time to do so much?, I
wondered. Then I ran to meet him in the classroom, and asked him, "William, don’t
you have anything to do? Joke of dots!” "It's a website I'm building with those jokes",
he replied.
"But what for?"
"Ivna, I have built a homepage for Kerygma, but I need to do something to get people
to visit that page. So I decided to make this jokes-of-dots webpage to serve as a bait.
There they will see my contact page and the link to the UPT’s homepage. That is, those
who want to read more jokes of dots will have to log onto the UPT’s web page. Got it?”
Imagine my astonishment! A link? What the heck was that? I was so curious about it
that on the following weekend I went to William’s home to see this UPT’s webpage.
Our photos and some texts about the Seara seminar were there. When William told
me that that page could be seen anywhere in the world through the Internet I almost
freaked out!
The idea was a blast and ended up becoming www.pur.com.br. It is through this
powerful communication tool with an average of 350 hits daily that PUR has come to
many places. It is also through the webpage that we feed ourselves by sharing. There
are 63 mailing lists within the same website, highly diverse: the national team, state
teams, diocesan teams, UPTs, communication, law students, PUR-Health Project, Latin
American list, list of professionals (national and local) and many others. We also have
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1,396 people who use email@pur, a service offered by our website to all PUR
participants (data provided by our computer department in May 2004. Read more in
Appendix 4, at the end of the book). In February 2004, to celebrate our 10th
anniversary, we changed the webpage lay-out. On this occasion, William wrote a
testimony about the beginning of everything:
There once was a dot
“In mid 1995, I met a somewhat different group at the university: it was something still
fresh, not even their name had been well defined. Some information came on shirts
and posters as "CCR and the University," others were "CCR at the University." How to
announce the good news that group had allowed me to experience? How to discuss
the burning and throbbing heart of missionary life? Why not create a "homepage" on
the internet? Most of today's users are students (let us remember, however, that we
were in 1996 and the internet was still crawling in Brazil, being further explored by the
students, because of research). Reaching them through a webpage could be a good
idea.
But how could I attract them to the page? I came up with an idea of pasting some
posters on the college walls, with a pen attached to them, inviting students to leave
curiosities that they knew about such as "what is a yellow dot on the edge of a table?"
and so on ... It was a hit, and within days the posters were full of jokes. I made a
compilation of the most interesting jokes, created a webpage with them, and displayed
a new poster in college, this time telling where all the previous posters had gone to.
My goal was to make students visit the webpage and see the "University Prayer Team"
link at the bottom. They would also learn about Kerygma, the FAFI-BH UPT (now UNIBH). I have never heard of anyone who joined the UPT because of that, but the
missionary spirit impelled me to evangelize the Internet. Eight years later, I am an
entrepreneur with a web design company - a Professional of the Kingdom - who strives
to put God's Word on the web by making web sites for parishes, religious
congregations and dioceses. Never give up on your dreams. "God dreams above our
dreams" - in fact, this may turn into another article here sometime! By the way, do you
know what a big blue dot on a black background, full of little blue dots on it is? I know,
and I am one of those dots. What about you? Health and peace! " William Max.
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11 - From the Seara to ENUCCs
“Every time I think of the mysterious and marvelous dispositions of God’s providence in
our lives, I am filled with a renewed sense of gratitude.”
Edith Stein
It is the beginning of 1996. Fernando brings a group of students together21, with whom
he had closer contact, and leads them to Valadares (MG) a week before the
Seara/1996. There, gathered in the parish of Father Francisco Vidal, we began the
preparations for the two seminars at the Seara. I can clearly remember that everyone
looked apprehensive when Mococa said, "Now, we’ll divide the preaching." For me,
Eni, Ulla, and, who knows, everyone else present there, preaching at the Seara was
“something out of this world." Suddenly, Mococa says, "I suggest that Ivna preach the
dream. She is always so enthusiastic and excited that if we lit a match in here, the
whole block would catch fire."
I found that comment curious, and, although I was scared to death of doing it, I
accepted the assignment. I had never preached at a meeting, but it was there, in that
hot afternoon filled with great expectations, that Fernando entrusted me with a very
big responsibility: to proclaim the dream of the Renewed Universities. Thereafter, this
responsibility, which I have carried out with so much pleasure, and which led me to
write this book, became a special, unique gift in my life. I say this because one
preaching of the dream is different from the other even though the content is the
same. I have preached on this topic in meetings for two people or a thousand people
several hundred times. And the Lord has always, always provided me with a new
detail, a new anointing, some new grace!
In addition, many colleagues who used to preach the dream and who are professionals
today no longer feel prepared or motivated to do so. If things have been different with
me, I cannot explain why. I simply accept it as a gift from heaven! Maybe Laura
Conrado, a journalism student and UPT coordinator here in Belo Horizonte, is right
when she says, "Ivna, I think you were born for the Project." In fact, over time I began
21
Present at the meeting were: Fernando, Galvão, Cristiane, Roberto, Ana Paula and Bruno from
Viçosa; Ivna and Eni from Belo Horizonte; Jane and Eliane from Valadares; Flávia from Juiz de Fora,
and Ulla from Vitória/ES.
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to understand that the dream does not fit into our heads, but, by the Holy Spirit, it will
be revealed to the heart. And this revelation takes place gradually, to the extent of our
fidelity.
During the week preceding the Seara, from Belo Horizonte I shared my concerns and
anxieties with Galvão from Viçosa. That year, Eni and I had succeeded gathering a
larger group: Wilson and Andrea (Fafi), Luciano, Wagner and Iacy (UFMG), among
others. A curious fact that we started noticing from that Seara on was the number of
people who attended the seminar against their will. What I mean is that many of them
were college students, but they opted initially for other seminars offered at the
meeting. But since vacancies were limited and quickly filled, they could only find seats
in seminars such as "CCR and University I and II." Because of this, students like Ana
Paula from Belo Horizonte, for example, at the time a freshman at Milton Campos Law
School, came to the seminar without much enthusiasm. It was quite funny, because
when those students introduced themselves, they would say that they were there for a
simple lack of choice.
Another important fact is that also at this time, high school students as well as preuniversity students began to participate in the seminars, just like my sister Mirela who
was an"expert" in the PUR seminars, even before entering university. The beauty of it
all is that God has always had His plans. Ana Paula, for example, founded a UPT at her
college, and some students who wanted to drop out of school felt the desire to follow
through with their secondary studies to enroll in college. It is still very common for us
to go preach somewhere and that young man who is in the music team, for example,
comes to see us saying that he has felt a great desire to go back to school. Surely, this
is one of the great fruits of the Renewed Universities Project!
Soon after the activities of the 1995 seminars ended, we went to Recanto da Cigarra, a
beautiful place on UFV campus. It was there that we decided to have a four-day
meeting that could welcome students from other places, who were already committed
to the carnival retreats in their dioceses and, therefore, unable to participate in the
Seara. It would also be an opportunity for sharing, for spiritual renewal, and training.
In an atmosphere of excitement, Belo Horizonte volunteered to conduct the meeting
to be held from August 1-4, 1996. We returned to BH excited about the idea but
without considering the consequences of what we had taken on. In mid-April, we
decided to promote “Sunday morning trainings" on four Sundays for the Kerigmas
university prayer teams (Fafi-BH, UNA and PUC), some students from UFMG and from
other colleges such as FUMEC, who participated with us.
Those days we were having a hard time in Belo Horizonte because the different UPTs
were not united. Some members from Charisma, a group that existed at UFMG prior to
PUR, felt that we were invading the pastoral option they had chosen. In 1996, there
were five UPTs across UFMG campus: Veterinary Medicine, Biological Sciences,
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Medicine, Dentistry and Law. Some had fellowship with us, others did not. Generating
the necessary unity was a big challenge. It was then that, taking advantage of
Mococa’s presence in Belo Horizonte, we decided to promote a weekend retreat so
that everyone could participate in. That weekend would also represent the closing
ceremony of the morning training. Thank God, we managed to gather a good number
of people, some with great difficulty in accepting the charismatic spirituality, but they
joined us because they had the same dream in their hearts.
During the meeting, Mococa shared with us a prophetic word that God had placed in
his heart, while he was going to Belo Horizonte. The passage is in the book of Isaiah 26,
15: "You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; you have enlarged the nation. You have
gained glory for yourself; you have extended all the borders of the land." Fernando
shared with us that the work of evangelization in the universities would grow a lot
from the I ENUC, and that the borders of the State of Minas Gerais would be enlarged
so that more and more students could form UPTs in other states. The two-day meeting
was providential, especially for creating unity among us. However, on Saturday night,
he sat with us and said, “Before going back to Araguaina / TO, I need three names: one
will be ENUC’s general coordinator; the second one will be the Secretary; and the third
one, the Treasurer. "What do you mean, Fernando? ENUC’s general coordinator? But
aren’t you and the people from Viçosa the ones who will coordinate? "He replied,
"Ivna, how can I coordinate the meeting from Tocantins? If the event is in Belo
Horizonte, the team has to be here."
We were so unprepared, immature, and innocent that none of us had moved a finger
for the organization of ENUC until that moment. Only then did we realize the big
trouble we had gotten in there at the Seara. "Now what, Lord? What will we have to
do to organize this event? "
On Sunday morning, William Max surprised us with a souvenir of the event: it was a
small sticker (3.5 cm x 6.5 cm ) with the passage of the word of Isaiah, delivered by
Mococa, and three clipart pictures (two hands together in prayer, placed on a globe,
and over the globe, a graduation cap tilted to the left). That could only be William’s
idea. The sticker was a success and everyone pasted it on the cover of his or her Bible.
The end of the meeting was approaching, and the names were finally chosen: Ivna
(coordinator), Eni (Treasurer) and William (Secretary). It would be impossible to find a
more inexperienced trio! But we were willing to serve the Lord, and the dream was
more and more deeply rooted in our hearts.
We left the meeting and immediately scheduled another one for the following
weekend at the CCR Office. This second meeting, held at Mary's Corner - a prayer
room in the office - was at least curious. We were about fifteen people, some of which
in the I'm-here-because-I'm-friends-with-that-girl-or-boy condition. Despite that,
everyone left the place holding positions as team coordinators, regardless of their time
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experience, preparation, or knowledge level. The fact that they had attended the
meeting had been enough to qualify them. From there, the race to prepare for a
meeting that was intended to bring together five hundred students began. But we had
not set anything yet until that moment, we did not even know the name of the event. I
can now recall the meetings we had to decide on that. How funny it was! People said
that ENUCC would be confused with "eunuch,"(sic) among other comments. We
wanted it to be called CONUCC, but the national CCR had determined that the term
“conference” should only be used for the CCR annual event in Aparecida / SP. In its
first edition, ENUC had one "C" only. It was the acronym for Encontro Nacional de
Universitários Católicos (National Meeting of Catholic University Students). The other
"C", after charismatic, was a decision for ENUCC II, because (1) we wanted to
emphasize our way of being as Church, and (2) the first name could cause confusion
with the University Pastoral meetings.
The experience at JUBs
I will now stop talking about ENUC I for a while in order to show how the providence of
God is universal. In July 1996, the 44th Brazilian University Games (JUB's) were going
to be held in Belo Horizonte. Kenya had played volleyball for years for the Federação
Mineira de Esportes (FUME), which was the entity in charge of organizing the event.
Knowing the president of the Federation, she took on the responsibility of carrying out
all the work of Communications Office at the Games. Many were the promises:
sponsorship of large enterprises, the State Government, City of Belo Horizonte, and
other public bodies’ support.
As the work was intense and complex, Kenya invited me (a Journalism student), Wilson
(a Public Relations student), and Brune Montalbao (who had a degree in Advertising
and was getting a minor in Journalism in my class) so that together we would form a
team and be in charge of the communications at the Games. For students like us, it
was an incredible opportunity for learning. We would earn ten percent of sponsorship
quotas, something around R$ 5.000,00 each at the time. Our plans were as diverse as
possible: "I'll buy a car," "I'll buy a powerful computer". These were some of the
projects we were envisioning to do with that money. That opportunity would also be a
way of doing some marketing for our college. We did not waste any time. We met with
the Foundation president and proposed that the college have a display stand at the
event. On the other hand, each of us would get a scholarship amounting to a forty
percent reduction in the fees during the four months to prepare for the Games. In
addition to this, we would have free access to the Laboratory of Advertising to carry
out the activities and meetings of the Games, plus all the necessary material, including
paper, paint for the advisory work as well. The president agreed with everything!
Of the four, only Brune did not participate in the UPT. He was a very shy young man, a
serious, highly intelligent and inquisitive student, whose philosophical background was
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much greater than ours. He used to read (and still reads, I imagine) atheist
existentialist philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Friedrich Niezstche, and
classics of the Russian literature like Fyodor Dostoyevsky. While working with us, he
would hear our stories about the UPTs, ENUCC, and I think he was deeply puzzled,
especially because he was not a Catholic, much less charismatic. The University Games
had been the way found by God for him to join us, slowly at first, but definitively.
We were all first-timers. We boldly learned to develop event design - the creation of
the campaign (involving a multitude of media), sponsorships, the sale of stands, press
office - and we clung to our professors so that they could help us to solve our doubts.
The Laboratory of Advertising also turned out to be the seat of Communications of
ENUC because the dates of the two events ( JUB and ENUC ) were close to each other.
It was there that Kenya, Wilson, Luciano from UFMG (coordinator of the ENUC
communication team), and I burned our brains out in order to create an image that
would symbolize the event, something that could unite faith and reason. There were
many crazy ideas! A professor of Graph Planning told us that we should elect
something that we wanted to show, and from there, create a visual representation.
The tip was valuable, but we were still lost. Then, at one of the preparatory meetings
for the ENUC, Ludmila, who coordinated the UFMG UPTs, suggested that we use the
globe, little hands praying, and a graduation cap (William’s sticker). We all welcomed
the idea! After a visual treat, the image was perfect.
When the date of the Games came, we needed to organize the materials we had
managed to get for the stand in order to spread the word about the UPTs to the
college athletes present at the sports event. One day before the beginning of the
Games, while I was writing a text on the work of evangelization of universities to be
posted on one of the stand panels, I had a concern: the name "CCR and University” will
not go down very well for a sporting event. I ended up typing "Renewed Universities."
It also needed a slogan, so I typed: "a dream of love for our country." I thought it was
cool and sent it to print. There was no time at all even to show it to Kenya, Brune, and
Wilson. I could never imagine that, in those seconds, the name "Renewed Universities
Project" and the slogan "a dream of love for our country" were born there, and
together with the logo made by William would become the theme, slogan and icon of
ENUC I, being later on incorporated to the Project.
When I said above that God’s providence is universal, it is because we did not make
any money with JUBs as expected, on the contrary, we lost! The event was a fiasco in
terms of organization as the government did not release the necessary funds. If any
journalist got there, I would be ashamed to say I was in the press office. However, the
experience was essential for us to learn how to develop projects, raise funds,
structurally organize the ENUCC, and also conquer Brune, who became more than a
friend to those who are near. He is one of the greatest servants that PUR has in Brazil
today. The Newsletter of Sharing was idealized by him, Eni, and Fabricio from Belo
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Horizonte in February 1997. Today, this is an online publication, and a great means of
communion among us.
It looked like a dream, but on August 1, 1996, there we were sitting in the
amphitheater of PUC-Minas (we paid nothing for it), participating in ENUC I. On the
background, a huge panel with the logo designed by William Max read: Renewed
Universities. Students were given folders, notepads, pens, a church document that
deals with the evangelization of the universities, granted by Paullus Publisher. We had
also managed to be sponsored by Irmãs Paulinas, and could buy five hundred T-shirts
that were sold for R$ 5,00 each at the event. The T-shirt became a fad among PUR
members. With the money, we were able to maintain numerous projects like the
website, the Newsletter of Sharing, mission trips, among other ideas that were
emerging from time to time. More than this, ENUC I served to put an end, once and for
all, to the divisions that existed in the community of Belo Horizonte between the
private colleges’ prayer groups and UFMG’s prayer groups. A very important person for
us at this stage was undoubtedly Iacy, who went to Pharmacy School at the Federal
University. Once she took on the coordination of UFMG’s UPTs, Iacy, who had been
with us at the national team meeting in 1997, did a great job by promoting significant
approach between the various teams in the Belo Horizonte Archdiocese.
Starting in 1996, a new era for the PUC UPTs was also inaugurated. The University won
a chapel with more space, an employee was appointed to take care of the University
Pastoral (José Gerbasi the warrior who, even today, at over 60 years old, impresses us
with his enthusiasm and ability to serve. A species of Abraham of our times), and PUC
welcomed our initiative to implement the “Solidarity Pranks”. Today, the event is not
only part of the University calendar, but all financial and structural conditions are
offered to make the event happen each semester. PUC has also sponsored
transportation, at least two buses in recent years, to mark the presence of BH at the
ENUCCs.
Last but not least, we were rewarded with a song written by Alisson Miserani, a UFMG
Law student, so that the first ENUC would never be erased from our memories. His
lyrics and melody to date, and hopefully always, rocks our diocesan, provincial or
national meetings. Its name could not be other than "dreaming". Inspired by
Miserani’s initiative, other students began to write songs that focus on the
evangelization of the universities. In 2000, we promoted a Catholic Music Festival of
PUR, the FESCAN. On that occasion, the song Dreaming was recorded:
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DREAMING
“There are many in this world who do not know Jesus,
or who are deluded by the false science, and cease to believe in the cross.
And so they close themselves to love, and thus destroy their lives,
meanwhile we Christians keep God for us.
Dreaming and believing in love and in the Lord
transforming the world, bringing us peace
giving us the communion, and will be neighbors,
True Christians, forever.
Dreaming and believing in God, renewing our schools,
bringing to all the Word of God to unite faith and reason.
We are children of God, we are the fruit of love
and divine wisdom.
Christ has enriched us with all his gifts.
He only asks us to use them with love and in favor of our neighbor.
May we be good people, always docile to the Spirit,
Without greed, but full of love and wisdom”.
It is impressive, but Alisson Miserani’s song succeeded in putting our dream together:
to renew the university so that professionals, builders of our society, can be renewed.
Back then, I had written a few verses and handed them to Alison for the melody. Poor
him, this was a difficult mission! He really tried, but it did not work. At least, the words
served as the basis for him to write another song that would fit with the melody. One
day before ENUC I ended, the song was finished. We handed out quick copies so
everyone could sing along the song that is undoubtedly the most perfect synthesis of
our dream and mission.
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12 - The boundaries have been expanded
"I must always be filled with gratitude for the graciousness of choice totally
undeserved."
Edith Stein
We expected about five hundred people for the first ENUC, but only two hundredthirty attended. Despite the lower number of students, the representation was
impressive. There were representatives from forty-two colleges and ten states,
including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Goiás, Alagoas, Espirito Santo. There was
also a Brazilian student who was studying medicine in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.
Expanding PUR outside of Brazil had been in God’s plans since ENUC I. This is very
clear to me, because of two other aspects: (1) our logo was not the map of Brazil, but
the globe (in terms of creation, the slogan was inconsistent with the brand, but
nobody thought about it at the time); (2) the prophecy given to Fernando in Isaiah
spoke about expanding the country's borders. Of course, back then we could never
imagine that the dream was so great. If we had imagined that in less than ten years,
we would have reached almost every state in the country plus two other countries,
maybe we would have been afraid to move on, as the responsibility presented to us
was enormous. But God always has its ways to call us. Every day, every time, the call is
renovating, expanding, and when we least realize, we have walked a long way because
we have the Spirit that guides, enlightens and sanctifies us. Mococa’s interpretation
stating that the PUR would grow beyond the state of Minas Gerais has been fulfilled.
The states of Alagoas and Sao Paulo had only one representative each. From Alagoas,
the only northeastern state, came Antônio Becker who was a Public Relations student.
Roberta Galvani (Fernando's sister), a Business Administration student at an evening
course in a private college, came from São Paulo. I cut out some editions of the
Newsletter of Sharings that tell about the fruits of ENUC I in Sao Paulo, Alagoas,
Goiânia, and Rio de Janeiro. Check out below how the seed was sown and the dream
bore fruit.
São Paulo
"August 1996, PUC-BH auditorium, ENUC I. It was there that God revealed to my heart
what He dreamed for the college I go to, and, subsequently, for the State of Sao Paulo.
I was invited to participate in the ENUC. I did not hesitate and here I am sharing the
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fruits. The ‘98 Fraternity Campaign says that 'the farmer patiently expects the fruit of
peace, the university student believes in change and he goes for it.' I am a Business
Administration student in São João da Boa Vista and I live in Mococa.
I remember that in the second half of 1996, there was a prayer team on the bus that
took us from one city to the other. God wanted to extend his grace through college. On
August 4, 1996, ENUC ended, and on the 7thof the same month, the first UPT of PUR
began in Sao Paulo. We were four people, but two did not even attend church. Today,
we are between thirty and forty students at this UPT called "Seed." However, the
dream was not just stuck in São João da Boa Vista. It has spread to several cities in São
Paulo.
Today, we are thirty teams in the state. We meet every two months and, despite the
physical distance, we are united at heart, because our hearts are one in the heart of
Christ. At ENUC I, I was alone in BH, representing Sao Paulo. At ENUCC II, we charted a
bus. At ENUCC III, we will host the event in the city of Presidente Prudente. God has
increased the university nation in Sao Paulo. Two years ago, we were only six people
while at our meeting held on March 21 and 20 in Prudente / SP there were three
hundred thirty participants, with thirty servants. We dream of everything we have
seen and much more. We dream God's dream for São Paulo, and so we know we have
found favor with God, like Mary. Therefore, we offer our hearts and all the brave ones
who started UPTs on their campuses. We praise God for their lives because without
them our joy would not be complete, and without God, none of this would be
possible.” Roberta Galvani, Newsletter of Sharings No. 5, May 1998.
I remember the day when I preached the dream at ENUCC I, and also witnessed how
difficult the formation of the Kerygma UPT had been, but despite this the Lord filled
that college with His doctrine. Roberta sat in the front seat, watching it all. At the end,
she came to me telling about her satisfaction as she listened to that testimony.
"Fernando has always told me to form a group in college, but he had another
reference: federal university, daytime course. With the testimony of your group, now I
see that you can dream of renewed universities everywhere, including at my college.”
Roberta’s words were another confirmation that God really wanted me at Fafi-BH.
Alagoas
"It all started with the arrival of Fernando Galvani in Maceió, April 96, for the State
Youth Conference. Seizing the opportunity, Galvani gathered all university students
present and eagerly reported his experience with the evangelization of the university
in Minas. As it is typical of the 'galvaniana philosophy', after this brief contact, a UPT
was immediately formed with date and time to start: room DCE / UFAL Thursday at 8
p.m.
God has his own ways. This UPT, over time, became a united team that would be the
thread of PUR in Alagoas. But the mentality of the project was not at all a reality for us.
This fact came to pass after ENUC I in Belo Horizonte, where I participated as a
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researcher 'in situ', watching intently, asking, sharing, taking addresses, these things
that he who is new to business does. I went to ENUC, not knowing what to find, I came
back with a definite purpose: to make grace happen to our college students. I was
submitted to herd a group exactly at the University Students Residence of Alagoas,
where young people from the most diverse groups gather. The second UPT was
created, which became historically the reference point of PUR in our state." Anthony
Becker, Newsletter of Sharings, No. 10, April / May 1999.
From ENUC I, PUR grew significantly in Alagoas. New names were added to the state
team as Samuel (coordinator) and Dennis, who has served in the national team as
coordinator of intercession for many years. Dennis is one of those who are present at
ENUCC every year and have a great love for PUR. Maybe that's why we became great
friends! I once asked him why PUR was so important in his life. He said, "There are
many reasons for me to be part of this big family, but I will name just two. The first is
the importance of the UPT as service in the Church. A prayer team in school is a lifechanging experience, a fraternal communion and encounter with God. The second
reason is because the training of new professionals with Christian ideals within the
society really attracts me. These professionals are raised and loved inside the UPTs, in
light of the Holy Spirit. Isn’t that wonderful? "
Goiás
"The dream of seeing the renewed universities project in our state began in February
of 1995, when we, a group of seven students, were in Viçosa to participate in the
Seara. We came back with one certainty: the love of God should be brought to our
universities. With this conviction given to us by the Holy Spirit, we began the first UPT
in Goiania, at the Federal University and at the Catholic University of Goiás as well. We
were two teams of "cowardly-brave" young people with faith in God's action. When
we participated in ENUC I, we were only four students with a small awakening of
awareness of the need to evangelize the future professionals. During the meeting, God
'devastated' our fears and made us truly dream of a better Brazil. Like the song says:
'dream and believe in love, and believe in the Lord transforming the world in bringing
peace, and give us salvation and true Christians will be neighbors forever. Dreaming
and believing in God, renewing our schools, bring all the Word of God, to unite faith
and reason. We are children of God, we are the fruit of love and divine wisdom. " Little
by little we understood that He chooses not only the skilled but also enables the elect.
Whoever says a YES is chosen of the Lord. " Lucimar Pereira Franco, Newletter of
Sharings No. 14, May 2000.
Rio de Janeiro
"The year was 1996 when two students from Rio attended ENUC, and walked away
with their hearts marked by a dream: to see the wonderful city radiating God's love.
Thereafter, the first UPT was formed at UERJ. Like a seed that takes some time to
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germinate, so was the dream of God for Rio in 1997. We were already seven people at
ENUCC II. We had 'nothing', just a dream planted by the Holy Spirit in our hearts and
the certainty of the calling to evangelize. Such strong feelings have made us endure to
this day. We have sought to develop partnership by working with the people from
Espirito Santo and by attending some training meetings in Minas in order to grow
spiritually. In all these experiences, we have made great friends, which makes us feel
that we are really in a big family."Cristiane Lucena, Newsletter of Sharings No. 13,
March 2000.
In the state of Paraná, the University Prayer Team was not exactly a novelty, but the
idea of a project that sought to renew all the universities in Brazil, of course, was new
there.
Paraná
"The year was 1982 when some young people in the course of Civil Engineering and a
professor of Agronomy (Antonio Carlos Lugnani), all members of CCR (which began to
emerge in Maringá) and UEM students felt the need to meet during breaktime to
praise God and share His Word. Thus, they began to meet weekly on a bench in the
shade of a tree, on the main walkway at UEM. There emerged the embryo of the Miles
Domini Prayer Team. In August 1983, motivated by the desire to allow other young
people to experience Pentecost, the first experience of prayer at UEM was held. About
a hundred people, all employees and / or academics, participated in this meeting. The
following Saturday saw the first meeting of the Miles Domini Prayer Team. This name
had been suggested by students of literature, who were the majority in the group, and
means "Soldier of the Lord" in Latin. I took part in this first meeting as a kitchen aide.
At the time, I was a Law School freshman at UEM, and had been a CCR member for
three months. Since then I have never failed to participate in this prayer team, even
after graduation. The history of the team started to melt into my life story because it
was there that I met Oscar, my beloved husband for thirteen years, our wedding
witnesses and our children’s godparents, our true and best friends, our baptism
godchildren, all belong to the group.
I had the honor, by God's mercy, of coordinating this prayer team for almost a decade,
and precisely in its most difficult times, I mean, when the group needed to discover its
true mission. It was a time in which literally everyone around me gave up, and I had to
start over from scratch with a new generation, with new challenges. Deep in my heart,
I knew that the Lord had something new to perform there, something big, and I could
not give up. So I committed myself to the Lord, and even if everyone gave up, I would
continue, even alone. And, in fact, I was humanly alone. This period was very painful
and difficult. I only trusted the promise that the Lord made me through the word of
Isaiah 60 especially verses 15 and 22 (on which I stood in prayer for a long time), and
the power of the Holy Spirit that drove me by mercy to be faithful to God. There were
many tears, many kneeling moments, many Masses.
In February 1996, I received a phone call from Belo Horizonte inviting me to the Seara
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in Viçosa. The previous year I had asked the people who went to the National Youth
Meeting for as much information as they could get about the work with college
evangelism that was beginning to emerge in Brazil. I had learned about that through
Sydney Telles, CCR’s Marcos National Secretary then. Not getting much information,
the boys had left my details with the staff there in Viçosa. But I wouldn’t be able to
attend that Seara because there wasn’t enough time, we were only a week away from
it .Then I was told that ENUC was going to be held in August in Belo Horizonte, so I
asked them to send me the application form. The form arrived, but the difficulties
were many for me that month (I was short of money, had an eleven-month-old child,
my husband was in Medical School, etc.). I tried desperately to find someone to go
with me, but did not succeed. However, I was certain that I could not let go that
opportunity, because I would find answers to many of my concerns there. We asked
the community for help, and in the end we could afford to pay for the expenses of four
people. Yes, four, because as soon as I gave my YES, the other three appeared. It took
us eighteen hours to get to Viçosa. We four were the only people from southern Brazil
attending the first ENUC, which was undoubtedly a watershed moment in our lives. Of
the four who went to the first ENUC only Luciene and I continue with PUR, but Claudia
and Darlei gave a valuable contribution in the beginning of the work in our diocese. I
say “beginning of the work”because Miles Domini began to take on its true ministry
from ENUC I. It was no longer a CCR prayer team that occupied a physical space in the
UME premises with a handful of participants. From that moment on, they took on their
rightful place in the body of Jesus, and embraced the Great Project of God for the
colleges in Paraná and in the world. Along with the few university prayer teams that
existed in Brazil, we accepted the challenge of the Church to evangelize the university
environment and, driven by the new Baptism of the Holy Spirit that the Lord was
sending us, we ended up conducting PUR in Paraná. Today we operate in seventeen
dioceses in the state, we have fifty-six UPTs, we have weekly Masses at various
colleges, and have already held five state meetings for university students and many
diocesan meetings. Also, we have promoted meetings of Experience of Prayer for
teachers, Christian freshmen parties, besides relevant participation in all ENUCCs. This
year particularly, when we celebrate PUR’s tenth anniversary in Brazil, we have the
honor and grace of hosting ENUCC IX. Looking back, we see how rich God is in His
mercy and faithful in His promises. However, as we look at the present and the future
we realize that we still have much work ahead."Ierecê Jussara Gilberto Correia, PUR /
PR, April 2004.
In order for you to have an accurate idea of how much we grew from ENUC I, we shall
look at the numbers of ENUCC II, also held in Belo Horizonte, from July 31 to August 3,
1997. We doubled the number of participants to five hundred twenty, and eighty-four
at college. There were already twelve states represented then. Belo Horizonte has
lived a very special grace for hosting the first two meetings and pioneered many
initiatives inside PUR. There was no more division between the teams Charisma
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(UFMG) and Kerygma (private colleges). It was a time of great harvest! Eventually we
had twenty-three UPTs only in Belo Horizonte.
ENUCC II inaugurated a new model for CCR meetings. Being a university event, we
thought there should be different moments of formation. Then we chose to start off
roundtable discussions, initially divided into three major areas: Humanities, Sciences
and Biomedical Sciences. We invited professors, principals and specialists in certain
subjects to compose the tables. There was always a mediator and three participants.
Years later, we changed the idea of roundtables by field of study because this model
did not address all issues, so we created theme-based roundtables instead. During an
afternoon at ENUCC, university students could choose a topic of interest to participate
in the roundtables discussions. This initiative was valuable for us to achieve the longawaited goal of obtaining certification for ENUCC, which occurred at its eighth edition
in 2003, by the Catholic University of Goiânia.
In its third edition, the meeting was held in Presidente Prudente / SP, bringing together
1,050 people from one hundred eighty-eight colleges and seventeen Brazilian states.
The growth of the movement was impressive year after year all over Brazil. The
number of participants at ENUCC as well as the number of UPTs increased every year.
Different initiatives popped up everywhere such as solidarity pranks, outreach projects
involving PUR and College, like the one in Joinville (SC); the Andorinhas22 Project ( visits
to hospitals) in the Triangulo Mineiro23; the Adopt-a-child Project (a partnership
between UCS, Caxias do Sul’s PUR, and the Juvenile Court Guardianship Council for
Children and Adolescents); campaign for life and against abortion; missions in
underserved communities; solidarity week, and systematic work of evangelization
among pre-university students as it occurs in many places, especially in Belo Horizonte
and Maceió / AL. Without a doubt, the borders have been truly expanded!
22
Andorinhas is the Portuguese word for swallows. Translator’s note.
23
Triângulo Mineiro is one of the ten planning regions in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil,
located between the rivers Grande and Paranaíba. It is one of the most developed regions in the
state.
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13 - Preparing for the Great Jubilee
“What we know about ourselves is just the surface; the greater part of our depths
remains hidden, even to ourselves. But God knows them.”
Edith Stein
In 1997, the Church in Brazil launched the document Toward the New Millennium
whose proposal was to prepare Christians for the Great Jubilee of the birth of Jesus in
2000. Thus, each subsequent year would focus on one of the persons of the Trinity.
PUR used this motion coming from the bishops of Brazil for the themes at ENUCCs. In
1997, we deepened our understanding of the Son with the theme "Jesus, Lord and
Savior"; in 1998, it was the Holy Spirit, with the theme "Holy Spirit, our hope"; in 1999,
we studied the Father by reflecting upon the passage of the letter of Paul to the
Romans: "Abba, Father!" This way we would be able to get to the year 2000 and enter
the mystery of the Trinity. In that holy year, our theme at ENUCC was "For everyone to
be one", a serious request from the Lord Jesus.
During those years, PUR was increasingly growing. The ways people started the UPTs
were the most unusual ones. I can recall now a funny, providential story. In 1998, I was
invited to participate in the Tribuna Independente Show of Rede Vida. It's a live TV
show with the participation of some interviewers in the studio, but viewers from
around the country may also send in their queries via email, fax or telephone. We had
spread the word about the program previously so that a large number of people
connected to PUR could watch it. Suddenly, I was asked the following question, read
by the TV host: "Journalist Ivna Sá dos Santos, Sérgio Caldeira, from Belo Horizonte, is
sending you a hug, and he says you look very well on the screen. Also, he asks you to
explain why your nickname is ‘Eagle’."
Well, I had to refrain myself from laughing. Sergio, who went to Law School at UFMG,
was a great servant of BH-PUR and a man of great sensitivity. That question could only
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come from him. I replied, "They say I'm an eagle, because we were at a retreat one
day, and in order to introduce ourselves we had to say with which animal we identified
the most. That's when I said I looked like an eagle, because I liked to fly high, dream
big, especially with the renewed universities." The TV host joked about it, and said that
I had responded very well. At the end of the show, he asked me to leave a contact
telephone number. Since we did not have an office, I decided to leave my home
telephone number. My parents say that during the show, which was broadcast live in
the interior of São Paulo State, people called wanting to talk to me in Belo Horizonte.
The situation was very funny, because it was not the university students who were
calling but their parents and grandparents. "My granddaughter's a college student and
is very ill in hospital. I wanted to ask the interviewee of the show to pray for her." Or:
"Ask the interviewee to call my son and convince him to quit drugs. He is a college
student." The TV show finished, and I went back to Belo Horizonte. At my parents’
house, everyone had fun saying that I was Saint Ivna, "protector of the university
students."
That week, the phone rang several times as a consequence of the TV show, but many
were prank calls. I got tired of answering phone calls in the wee hours of the night,
some of which were even indecent, and lost my patience. Then, one day, a man calls
and says, "I would like to speak with Eagle." I did not think twice and answered as
rudely as possible, saying that I had a phone number identifier, and I would report the
person to the police. He insisted, "I'm not kidding, it's because I could not write down
the interviewee’s name, her name is a bit different. I can only remember that her
nickname is Eagle. My name is Everaldo, I'm a college student, and I’m speaking from
Santarém, Pará." I took a deep breath and said, "This is Eagle.” Talking to the guy, I
found out that he was going to attend a meeting on Communications to be held in Belo
Horizonte (BH), the 1st Brazilian Communications Effort. I managed to convince him to
come to BH, and from here we could go to Presidente Prudente together for ENUCC III.
He accepted the invitation and became the first student from the northern region of
the country to contact us and attend our meetings. He was also the founder of the first
UPT in the north, in the city of Santarem / PA. The following year, in 1999, during
ENUCC IV in the capital city of Sao Paulo, Everaldo brought a new song for PUR,
entitled "Dream Again". This song was born at around 1 a.m. of a certain day, a few
weeks before the event. Everaldo had called me to share some of his difficulties as he
was feeling very sad and discouraged. By the grace of God, I’ve always had a talent for
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motivating people and that day wasn’t different. Everaldo hung up, but, about an hour
later, he called me again. He sounded really happy this time. He said he could not
contain himself and had composed a song. "Ivna,” he said, “I’ve just written a song
inspired by our conversation. I wanted to play and sing it for you, okay?” When he
finished singing (the song is just too good), I said, "Everaldo, burn it to a tape and send
it to me tomorrow please. I'll pass it on to ENUCC’s music team so everybody can learn
the song." Needless to say, this was the song that marked the ENUCC held at
Pacaembu.
“Dreaming is to believe that God will do all that we do not know how it will happen.
Dreaming is to believe that God will do everything in us. We will be the seeds of
tomorrow.
And then, a new day will be born. A new world comes from the heart.
And then, a new earth will rise. Peace will win war.
We will firmly step on our ground.”
In 1999, it was Mococa’s turn to participate in the Tribuna Independente TV show. As a
result of his interview, a girl from Manaus arrived for the IV ENUCC all by herself,
without knowing a thing about the event. I often say that she was as lost as a blind
man in a gunfight.
"And there I was, feeling sadness and grief because of my mother’s death, seeking
comfort in the Heart of God, wanting to find 'something' to revive my walk. It was June
1999. The magazine of the Association of the Lord Jesus - ALJ with the image of the
Sacred Heart on the cover had just arrived in my house. Seeing the picture, I did not
resist flipping through it when I came across an article titled ‘Jesus and the Youth’, two
subjects that have always interested me. At the end of the story, the advertisement of
a meeting for university students in Sao Paulo caught my attention. I was excited about
the possibility of being in a new environment, meeting new people, finally having a
chance of resuscitation. I went to get information about the event, and I was really
excited. But the excitement was short lived. Soon I fell into the old routine and forgot
about it.
A few days later, arriving home at night, I turned on the TV and tuned it to Rede Vida
to watch the Tribuna Independente show. One of the interviewees that night was
Professor Fernando Galvani, Coordinator of the Renewed Universities Project that,
among other things, talked about the IV National Meeting of Catholic Charismatic
University Students - ENUCC that would be held in Sao Paulo in July. I remembered the
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advertisement in the ALJ magazine right away. That interview was such a strong 'call'
of God that I decided to go to ENUCC IV. The next day I bought the plane ticket and a
few days later embarked on this adventure of God's heart, not realizing what awaited
me.
Few know, but I was really scared of flying. I confess that this trip was different,
though. Despite my fear, I went on, and during the flight I felt calm and happy. Upon
arriving in Sao Paulo, I got lost at the airport, and was so discouraged that I almost
took a plane back home. After all, I was in a strange land, and did not know anyone
there. But as God had a purpose for me and for the state of Amazonas, He
strengthened me. I decided to go straight to the Pacaembu gymnasium where ENUCC
was being held. I was warmly welcomed by everyone. It was funny to see that
everybody knew I had come from Amazonas, and they were scared because of the
distance. I had not realized it was so far. They took me to a meeting between the
coordinators of the event. I recognized Professor Fernando Galvani, and stayed there
with them. I felt "lost" with all that talk, but, at the same time, I was having a new
experience with God that made me feel safe and comfortable with all those new
things. I no longer felt in a "strange land".
I did not realize, but God was writing a beautiful story for me and for the university
students in Amazonas. However afraid and scared of everything, I was 'chosen' to be
the pioneer of this beautiful dream of love that today is also a reality in our state. I just
have to thank. My life is another life after ENUCC, and I am very happy because the
seed of PUR has germinated in Amazonas and it is bearing many fruits. God Be
Praised!” Sandra Marizete dos Santos Ferreira, Manaus / AM, April 2004.
Unlike ENUCC in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo’s ENUCC, held in the Pacaembu
gymnasium, presented major structural problems in terms of feeding and housing. It
was a cold winter week - 8 ° C. The vast majority of the participants was not used to
low temperatures, and had not taken along appropriate clothing, let alone blankets.
How to solve a problem like this, with more than a thousand participants coming from
various places and tired of the long journey? It was then that the mercy of the Father,
the theme of that year, spoke up. The event was supposed to be a failure, but it was a
success. A success because God is good and always surprises us; it was a success
thanks to the tireless service and testimony of those few servants, all students in a
huge capital city, where the distance from one place to another had hindered the
preparatory meetings and the participation of more people organizing the event.
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At the time, the most observant people could already see another short thin young
woman (she had a hoarse voice) who went from one place to another, organizing
teams and seeking a solution to every problem. Her sweet, tender way, when many
were desperate, was not of this world. It could only be a precious gift from God. Her
name is Elen Resende. Graduated in Food Engineering in Viçosa, she was doing her
master’s degree at UNICAMP in Campinas. Her ability to serve and love the cause,
discovered in a quite different way, led her to the coordination of the Renewed
Universities Project in 2001.
"I joined CCR in 1984. With that, I found a God who loves me, surrounds me, as he did
with Mary and understands my nature, transforming me and fulfilling me more and
more each day. Since then I have participated in prayer teams, sometimes with more,
sometimes with less ardor and zeal. In 1993, I passed the entrance exam and got into
Food Engineering in Viçosa / MG. Like any freshman, I got to Viçosa and felt a little
scared. Despite the experience of having lived by myself for a year, everything was
new and challenging. The classes began in March, new relationships were being
established and the "warmth" of Viçosa was winning me over and over. But it was in
1994 that I was invited to a prayer experience. I met then the prayer team, the work of
CCR in Viçosa, and many of those people would become my best friends.
For the first time in all those years of participation in CCR (ten years, only now I realize
that!), I began to get more involved and serve. There have been many prayers, vigils,
prayer experiences. In Viçosa, we lived a true community. We put together our time,
our friendship, and our love. How many meetings, how many prayers in common ... It
is even difficult to put so many dreams down on paper! I got integrated with the
community, and, in November 1996, I met Eni Soares from Belo Horizonte, during a
preaching held in an afternoon of praise at the University of Viçosa. She told us of the
"Duquesne weekend" and the dream of PUR. I am reporting this because I remember
like it was today. It was a very special and strong moment for me. I believe that God
revealed to me not only the dream of PUR, but truly His dream to my life!
In December 1997, I graduated. With a mixture of joy, for achieving the dream
diploma, and sadness, for leaving my dear Viçosa, and friends, the joys and struggles, I
left Viçosa (where I had lived wonderful five years) to get into a master's degree
program at Unicamp. I didn’t know what going to Campinas would be like. I did not
know anyone there, and also would no longer have the community that so warmly had
welcomed me and upheld in Viçosa. But I still had a two-month vacation. Classes
would begin in March at Unicamp, and I had already arranged a place to live. I
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remember that at the time my thought was that I had done a lot for CCR at the
university and that my time was over. It was time to invest in my career. Others would
continue my work. However, two events that occurred during this time made me see
that God still had a plan for me within PUR.
The first one was in January 1998. Mococa invited me to attend the meeting of the
national team of the Renewed Universities Project (PUR), then Marcos Secretariat.
Knowing little about what was happening, I ended up in Goiânia. We spent five days
there. At this time, PUR was growing a lot, and some new people were joining in the
national team (like me). At this meeting, I began to feel that God still wanted me to be
involved in this dream. In Sao Paulo, PUR was beginning to expand, and Roberta
Galvani (the state representative) did not have many people she could count on. I
talked to her right there at the meeting and told her that she could count on me. A
great friendship was born, which would greatly help to expand PUR in the lands of São
Paulo.
The other fact occurred in February of that year. My cousin and I had long planned a
trip to visit Europe. Once graduated, we decided to fulfill that dream. It was a gift from
God to me, especially because, on this trip, God was showing me how much he still
trusted me. I lived a beautiful experience with the Lord at every place we visited. But
one was special. In Germany (one of the countries we visited), we had the opportunity
to do an optional tour to the city of Dahaus. Dahaus was a Nazi concentration camp.
My cousin did not want to go, but I went on the tour. Arriving there, we saw how much
had been destroyed, but a few places remained such as the cafeteria (which now has
given way to a museum), the crematorium (one of the worst places I've ever visited),
and the gas chamber. As we walked through the camp, getting to know the place, we
realized that there was a city around it. So one of the people in the group (we were six,
plus the guide) asked, "But this place is very close to the city. Didn’t people know what
was happening here?" Well, I did not pay much attention to the guide’s response
because, at this point, a turmoil of thoughts invaded me. I thought of people starving,
friends dying of overdose, depression or suicide in my college, I thought about the
people who had no access to a decent life ... I also thought about my children and my
grandchildren, watching the world and asking, "But did you not know, did you not see
what was going on?" I remember that at this time, I thought it was my responsibility to
do something about it, and that society could only be changed by the power of the
Spirit and the love of Jesus. So I knew that God wanted me to keep dreaming the
dream of PUR (ô, ooo, oh, the civilization of love "!) And I decided that, whatever
happened, I wanted to give priority to God's plan in my life.
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As soon as I returned to Brazil, I went to Campinas. On the first day, I took a bus and
got off at Unicamp. Walking through the university campus in order to get to know it, I
was praying with that one word of Joshua: "Be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be
dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1, 9) I took
possession of this word and understood that God wanted to give us a UPT there. At the
time, Roberta used to have a bimonthly meeting with people who had already formed
UPT's at their colleges in the state of Sao Paulo. The meetings were held at her family’s
country house in Mococa. There we would spend the weekend praying together,
listening to God, getting strengthened, making plans, and setting goals to advance our
work across the state. All UPTs were small, and we often had hard times working. But
we supported one another.
At that time, I prayed that God would send someone so we could form a UPT at
Unicamp. Then, in May, I received this email: "Elen, I do not know if you are Elen, the
girl I want to talk to. If you’re not, I’m sorry. But if you are, I’d like to know when and
where your prayer team meets for I want to join you guys. Cheers, Panda. " I
remember that I was very happy. Not wanting to disencourage him, I emailed him
back: "Hi Panda, I am Elen with whom you want to talk. Our UPT is at 12:30 p.m. on
Wednesday at the Ciclo Básico building (which is where the classrooms are). I'll see you
there! "
On Wednesday, I went to the agreed place, opened my bible and waited. Suddenly a
guy comes in and says, "Hi, are you Elen?" I replied, "I am, and are you Panda?" He said
"That’s right. What about the prayer team?" Then I said, "Actually, it’s you and me.
Shall we pray? " He smiled, but from that moment on we would meet at the Ciclo
Básico building every Wednesday, where we looked for an empty room and prayed.
Then, little by little, the UPT began to grow; other people were invited to come along
and began to pray with us.
I searched for some CCR leaders in Campinas who received me as a daughter. Even
today, when I meet them, my heart fills with joy and gratitude. They were supportive
and encouraging. I began to attend CCR meetings, and my work in colleges was then
gaining more and more strength. The 1998 and 1999 ENUCCs brought many new
people and new UPTs also in other colleges. In 2000, I was the state coordinator (SP) of
the Lucas Secretariat, and went to live in Taubaté. But I left two UPTs at Unicamp,
some others at PUC, and at other private colleges too. Besides this, the people I was
leaving behind were full of excitement and missionary zeal.
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In 2001, when Reinaldo Bezerra became the president of the CCR National Council,
Mococa thought it was time for someone else to be in charge of the national
secretariat, and Reinaldo invited me. Since then I have had the mission to encourage
everyone so they will take that dream forward. The grace and anointing of God have
held the decision I made in Dahaus and my mission as well. Also the grace and love of
God have constantly ensured that others allow themselves to be seduced by this
dream and by His love! And every day I believe that God trustingly wants us to build a
better world." Elen Santos Resende, national coordinator of the Renewed
Universities Project (Ministry of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Brazil).
The mysterious and amazing designs of the Father
Before keeping on speaking of God’s grace in our lives in the year of the FATHER, I will
go back to 1998 to testify about how mysterious and surprising the designs of the
FATHER are. I graduated in the second half of 1997. At the time, I had a good salary
because, even though I had not finished my university studies yet, I was working for a
small newspaper in a town near Belo Horizonte and, at the same time, was in charge of
the CCR newsletter in the Belo Horizonte Archdiocese, which yielded me a few more
bucks. Still, professionally speaking, many were my expectations for that year. Then, a
very good friend of mine, journalist Adriano Ventura, suggested that I send a project
on pastoral communication to CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Council), via the
Raízes de Jessé community, a Catholic community in Belo Horizonte. Adriano is one of
its founders. If they approved my project (which included setting up a Catholic
educational radio station in the town of Brumadinho / MG), I would get a scholarship
to take a specialization course in Pastoral Communications, recognized by the Brazilian
Ministry of Education and Culture. The course was offered in four countries: Mexico,
Colombia, Chile and Brazil (São Leopoldo / RS, Porto Alegre metropolitan area).
I found the idea very interesting as long as I could travel to another country. It would
be great for my résumé, and I would be able to learn another language as well. I sent
the documents, the project, the bishop’s cover letter, and added another letter asking
them to send me to Mexico. In prayer, I even said to God, "Lord, if I go to Mexico,
maybe I will meet some college students there, and we may even start a university
prayer team." Around mid-April 1998, the result of the selection came out. My project
had been approved, but I had to take the course in Brazil. I had mixed feelings about
this result. On the one hand, I liked it because it had been positive but, on the other
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hand, I felt a bit frustrated because I would have to stay in Brazil. I even wondered if it
would be worthwhile, because I would have to quit my job in BH. Besides, a course on
pastoral communications would not be of great value for the labor market. Luciano
Ladeia from UFMG was the one who encouraged me, saying that I would be crazy if I
did not accept it. He was more than right!
On August 10, 1998, one week after ENUCC III, I left for Rio Grande do Sul where I
should take the course. It was my first airplane trip with all expenses paid. The
scholarship also included the full 480-hour course, housing, half-board, plus a lodging
allowance of US$ 300.00 per month. The course began in August and ended in
December, with classes in the morning and afternoon. We were a somewhat eclectic
group: twenty-nine people (five priests, two nuns and twenty-two lay people) from
eight different countries in Latin America: Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Chile,
Bolivia, Uruguay, and Brazil. Classes took place at Unisinos, a Jesuit Catholic university,
simply wonderful. When I entered that university, I felt the love of God there. It was as
if I were at the long-awaited UFMG. Getting out of the library, walking toward the
rooms, relaxing around the lake, eating in the cafeteria, living the routine of a college
student, those were things that had not been possible at the private college night
course. All professors were masters and doctors, and the classes were fantastic. Not
taking this opportunity would have surely been crazy. But the best was yet to come.
On the first day of school, I went to the chapel, where I said the following prayer:
"Jesus, I’m going to stay here at this college for four months only. Show me the people
with whom I will start a UPT here. But please don’t take too long as at Fafi, because
time is much shorter now." Every day after lunch, I stood before Jesus in the
tabernacle, begging him to send me a" Flavia "with whom I could begin the prayer
team, or I simply stayed there to rest in the presence of the Lord. My colleagues were
intrigued by that craze for going to the chapel every day after lunch. I would not
explain why because the vast majority of them was not very sympathetic to the
Charismatic Renewal. A strong feature of the group was their engagement with work
that had inspired the Theology of Liberation. To most of them, CCR was a superficial
movement with little involvement in social issues. Thank God, however, with my
testimony, some of them could see that things were not the way they thought. The
only person in the group that identified herself with CCR was the Peruvian student Emy
Mirtha. She was the one who took some information about PUR to her country, and
encouraged some students to begin the project there. But, during the course, our
contacts were not very intense.
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A great friendship started between me and Alicia Ortiz, a Mexican missionary of
Perpetual Help, who had made her vows just before coming to Brazil. We became very
close friends. Alicia had entered religious life at the age of fifteen. Now, for the first
time, she was taking part in a routine different than the one she lived as a nun. Due to
that, great was her curiosity and desire to talk to me about many subjects. As to me,
there was also curiosity because I kept some vocational doubts and, from time to time,
I felt compelled to quit everything and devote myself to religious life. We became
great friends, but Alicia did not care about forming a UPT at Unisinos.
As PUR already existed in Rio Grande do Sul at the time, on weekends I would find a
way to go to Porto Alegre or Caxias do Sul, where Cristiane Notari, one of PUR’s
pioneers in the state lived. She ended up becoming a very special friend of mine. On
one of those occasions, a prayer experience was going to be held at a state meeting. It
was there that I met Luciane, Lilia, and Nubia, who were students at Unisinos.
Together, we started a UPT, and gradually others joined us. I invited my classmates so
that they could see what UPT was about but no one welcomed the invitation.
December was approaching and, therefore, the end of the course. The prayer team,
then, decided to hold a Mass of Thanksgiving. That would be the last 'meeting' I would
take part in. I made a special invitation to all "celamitas", a nickname that we, CELAM
students, had made up. I asked Father Ernando, a Colombian priest, to preside over
the celebration; another colleague played the guitar to liven the Mass up; and I asked
Mirtha to do one of the readings.
On the day of the celebration, there were many people in the chapel, and among them
twelve were UPT’s members. Great was my joy to return to BH, leaving those twelve
people who would continue the dream of God for Unisinos. I delivered the homily in
the Mass, and took the opportunity to explain what PUR was, who those twelve
students were, and what the mission that the Lord had entrusted to them was. In
2000, when I went to Mexico, Alicia told me that Jesus had touched her heart about
the importance of PUR in the universities at that Mass. To me, however, my friends
had only been polite when they accepted the invitation to participate in that end-ofcourse celebration.
On our way back home after the course ended, Alicia was granted another week to
stay in Brazil. During those seven days, she fulfilled her dream of visiting Rio de Janeiro
and Christ the Redeemer. She also came over to visit me, and even went to the Basilica
of Our Lady Aparecida. Before her departure, I prepared a "PUR-Kit". In a small box, I
put a primer, a folder, church documents about the importance of evangelizing the
University, and a letter where I asked her that if she met any college student, she
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should talk to him or her about the dream of renewal of the universities. This kit was
wrapped in gift paper, delivered at the time of her departure, with the following
recommendation: "Alicia, you can only open this gift in Mexico."
Upon arriving, Alicia was transferred to a needy community in another state. She went
to the city of Monte Blanco, in the state of Vera Cruz. She met some young people in
that parish, among whom there were two medical students from the State University
of Vera Cruz. Alicia and I used to exchange emails at least once a week. One day I
received an e-mail from a young man named Jorge Vasquez, saying that he wanted
some information about PUR because Sister Alicia had commented on it. I could hardly
believe what that young man was telling me. I thought the world of him, and we began
to exchange mail.
Suddenly, when I least expected, Jorge told me that he had begun meeting with Lino,
his cousin and colleague at the Medical School. That was crazy to me. I kept thinking:
"Here in Brazil, people attend the meetings, get as much motivation as possible and,
more often than not, UPTs are just a dream during the ENUCC. My God, how can this
young man be serious? A UPT in Mexico? This is unbelievable!" Days later, I got
another email from the Mexican guy asking me for more material about PUR, because
there was going to be a meeting of the University Pastoral in a city near Monte Blanco,
and they would like to talk about the dream of PUR to the participants of the event.
As fast as I could, I prepared a box with photos, newsletters of sharing, a video about
ENUCC, all we had, and mailed to him. I was curious to know whether or not they
knew CCR, what the meetings were like, and many other things, while I reveled in
those good news from time to time.
It was still the first half of 1999, before ENUCC IV, when I got another email from the
Mexican boys. This time they asked me to go to the Ouro Minas Hotel in Belo
Horizonte to meet a Mexican guy who was staying there. This man had a parcel for
me, sent by Jorge and Lino. And there we went: me, Brune and Eder from UFMG. It
was a big box. My curiosity was such that I could not wait to get home to see what was
inside. We went to the mall near the hotel and opened the package right there in the
food court. Brune and Eder are witnesses to my happiness that day. There were
pictures of them with the Mexican version of the PUR’s shirt; brochures in Spanish;
PUR posters, postcards of Mexico; pictures of them with dear Alicia, and a videotape.
When I got home and put the tape into the player, my amazement reached its peak.
Speaking carefully and slowly so I could understand his Spanish, Jorge said, "Hello Ivna,
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I'm Jorge, your Mexican friend who now carries in his heart the same dream you have.
We prepared this tape so you can know who we are. We look forward to meeting you
in Brazil, and hope you will come to visit us in Mexico too. The seed has been planted
here and PUR will bear much fruit, or rather, many UPTs. Do not forget us."After his
speech, there were images showing Jorge making a statement about PUR to about
twenty young people in a classroom. People flipped through the Newsletters of
Sharing that I had sent them, and Jorge spoke with the authority of someone who has
known and lived that experience for many years. He pretty much summed up the
entire Seara seminar, speaking about the experience of Duquesne, Viçosa, our dream
and Jesus' command: 'You give them something to eat.' And, finally, how PUR had
reached him. "Once upon a time, there was this CELAM course where a Mexican nun
met a Brazilian journalist. They became great friends and ... ".
As I saw and listened to everything, I shed tears in a mixture of joy, amazement, and
gratitude to the Lord for allowing me to live so many experiences in this beautiful work
called 'Renewed University'. How could the Holy Spirit unite hearts, minds, ideas, and
dreams of young people from different nations? Who is this Jesus that has given Jorge
and Lino the same vision PUR had in Brazil without even meeting in person or speaking
on the phone? What a loving Father is this that, from our nothingness, makes
everything spring up? So I decided that somehow I would go to Mexico in 2000. I had
no money for the trip, but the Lord would provide a way. Brazil was too small for such
missionary zeal.
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14 - A Holy Year in pain and joy
“Love is life in the highest perfection. For everything
that is infinite is unending love, consuming fire.”
Edith Stein
Finally, the year 2000 arrives. There had been so many speculations about the world at
the end of the century and the millennium, expectations and reflections in all areas of
knowledge that no one could be indifferent to what was going on around the globe.
But for Christians, the year 2000 had an extra special meaning: there was this certainty
that, after 2000 years, Jesus continued to be the greatest leader in history, founder of
the strongest "institution" in the world that is the Church (People of God). It is an
institution that is able to heal, convert, change the hearts of men and women, to
reconcile those who were apart, rebuild families, attract the young and the old, inspire
several initiatives of solidarity, peace and justice, bring old and new things together.
Finally, the Church is able to present its lost sheep a love that the world does not
know, the conjugation of the Verb that has not been conjugated yet: “In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the
beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came
to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human
race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”(Jn 1: 15).
For me, the Holy Year had a very special meaning because, among so many reasons, at
ENUCC II (in Belo Horizonte, 1997), during the preaching that I made about the dream
of the Renewed Universities, I visualized the map of Brazil. And inside this map, I saw
children dying of hunger in the Northeast and in poor regions of the country, the
march of the landless, corruption, unemployment, young people dying prematurely in
accidents because of alcohol consumption, drugs, elderly patients being treated
without dignity. At this point, I made a pact with the Lord that the Renewed
Universities Project would offer Him a better Brazil in 2000. I could then imagine the
many Professionals of the Kingdom that would be generated, and the living testimony
that they would convey to society. I also envisioned many UPTs being formed within
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the following three years, and how many lives that would be transformed by those
prayer teams.
In 2000, the entire Church was celebrating the Jubilee, and PUR could not be apart
from that. In this spirit of celebration, we carried out many activities: we promoted a
Song Festival; we published an expanded revised edition of our primer with the
necessary training for UPT members; we consolidated our mission toward CCR and the
Church with the support of many lay people, priests and bishops; we took the first
steps to work with professionals. We also set up special committees such as a
professional committee, pre-school students committee, and international
communication committee. The year 2000 surely represented a harvest where many
seeds were sown.
My contacts with the students from Mexico (Jorge and Lino) and also with the dear
Alicia would feed my dream of going to Mexico that year. I even set the trip date for
the month of April, thinking of staying in that country for a month. However, in early
March, there was absolutely nothing that guaranteed my trip, except the dream in my
heart. The reason was simple: I did not have enough money! Besides this, I could not
get the visa because I was originally from Governador Valadares24, and did not have a
steady job. But somehow I was sure I would travel there. The trip in April was strategic.
In addition to living for some time with the Mexicans, I would like to convince them to
be with us at ENUCC V, at the PUR’s Jubilee. In addition to this, there would be a
vocational meeting organized by the Perpetual Help missionaries (my friend Alicia's
congregation), which would be an opportunity for me to discern my vocation: to follow
dating or to quit everything and live a consecrated life. (I ended up choosing the first
option. I got married on June 21, 2003, to Antonio Alves de Paula, and now I am very
happy with my beloved husband, companion, friend and great supporter.)
To fulfill the dream of going to Mexico, the doors were opening slowly. The first door
was the air ticket that Fernando gave to me. For the expenses in the country, I had
saved some money and also got some help from Eni Soares and Valmir Paixão, her
husband. I got the visa, but there was something that still distressed me. This was the
uncertainty over a job that I really wanted to get and that could be mine. Such
professional accomplishment, however, could stop the mission trip to Mexico, but it
was all in God's hands.
The anxiety of waiting
24
Governador Valadares / MG is known for "illegally exporting" Brazilians to the United States. There is
even a joke that tells the city was renamed Valadólares. It was there that I was born and lived until age 18.
After that, I moved to Belo Horizonte where I am today. My parents also moved, leaving no family in
town. Still, I found it difficult to get the Mexican visa.
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I would like to take a break in the preceding narrative to testify a little what the pain of
waiting in professional life meant to me. In my heart, I believe that this testimony may
help many of those who may be going through the same ordeal. However, I will divide
it into two parts: one is in this chapter, and the other is in Chapter 17.
I graduated in December 1997, having had the opportunity to take many internships
and even to open doors for some of my classmates. When I returned from Rio Grande
do Sul (December 1998), great was my anxiety for a job because it was unacceptable to
think that, as a student, I had had financial independence and, after graduation, I
would have to depend on my parents. Then, one day, a journalist I had met when I
worked for Folha de Matozinhos called me to be a free-lancer at the newspaper
company he had just set up. It may sound funny, but the proposal was to work for
Folha de Pedro Leopoldo. Maybe one day, from one Folha to another, I would manage
to get to Folha de Sao Paulo25! As I had no option, I decided to accept the invitation,
while looking for another job.
At Folha de Pedro Leopoldo, I had no formal contract and earned by newspaper issue.
The problem is that there were only two issues per month. With this, the money was
little even for my personal expenses. I started in January 1999 and ended up staying
there until May 2002. The fact that I was granted another specialization course by the
newspaper company, this time in Marketing, besides the opportunity to do community
journalism made me stay there. During that time, I participated in various selection
processes, seeking both financial and professional achievement. I couldn’t wait to work
for an employer that offered the benefits a typical employee has in Brazil! Of these
selection processes, I would cite three.
The first one was for the State of Minas Gerais Newspaper (the largest paper in the
state). They opened a selection program for New Talents. This program aimed to build
a database of professionals. The journalists selected, after a training period in the
newspaper, could be hired in cases of replacement. Employment was not guaranteed
to anyone, but even so all my classmates were there. The first step was a psychometric
test, followed by others: written and oral English test, and interview with a
psychologist, an interview with the editor, training with the group.
In the first training program, all my classmates (including those that had skipped most
of the classes and shown mediocre performance) passed, leaving me behind.
Worthless had been the internships taken, the seriousness with which I had attended
the course, because a psychometric test took me out the chance of competing in the
remaining steps. Of course, that really shook me and made me wonder, "How serious
25
“Folha” is a very common name for newspapers in Brazil. “Folha de São Paulo” is a Brazilian
daily newspaper published in São Paulo. It is considered one of the most influential newspapers in the
country. Translator’s note.
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is this problem, detected in the test, that can exclude me from the process?" I had had
drawing classes as a teenager and, therefore, had been able to draw everything they
requested very carefully. I felt devastated. What a terrible pain!
The second selection process I participated in was for a position at Mater Dei Hospital,
one of the most traditional hospitals in Belo Horizonte. They needed a journalist to
work in the hospital communication and marketing area. Besides a good salary
(equivalent to the amount of five issues at Folha de Pedro Leopoldo), guaranteed labor
rights, I would also have a full health plan. A professor from the College where I was
doing a specialization in marketing appointed my name with the best
recommendations. On the day of the interview, the way the hospital’s psychologist
conducted the conversation puzzled me. She asked me what I used to do on weekends.
I said that I took part in meetings, and briefly explained what PUR was. Then she said,
"I was looking at your résumé and saw that you have good experience. I also saw that
you have this religious profile." Well, when she said that, a feeling of deep sadness
struck me because it meant the same as "you are not good enough for us”. Two days
later, I received a phone call and was informed that someone else had taken the job.
That was in late 1999, when I was finishing the second specialization course. It was
another unsuccessful attempt, which made me feel helpless and disappointed.
In March 2000, there would be another "selection", only this time with different
characteristics. I was appointed and recommended to work as a communication
advisor at a diocese in Minas Gerais. Even though I had to move to another town, that
opportunity filled my eyes and my heart, especially because I would be hired to do
much of what I had been doing as a volunteer for the Renewed Universities Project
and courses that I had been teaching at the Pastoral Communication in Belo Horizonte.
There was also the fact that I had a specialization degree in Pastoral Communication,
which qualified me even more for the job. When the priest responsible for the
communications sector of that diocese received my résumé, he called me to check if,
in fact, I would be willing to quit everything in BH and move to that town. I said I
would, so we kept on with our contacts. My biggest fear at the time was the trip to
Mexico because the diocese had not stated clearly when they were going to hire the
journalist they needed. So I decided to call the priest and explain my situation. He
promptly said, "Ivna, we liked your résumé very much, and do not want to hold you.
You can travel as you please because we will only hire a journalist from May on. When
you arrive from your trip, you can call me to schedule your visit here." Uff, what a
relief! Now I could travel to Mexico.
In Aztec lands
I could hardly believe it, but on April 12, there we were: Brune, Wilson, and I attending
the Mass presided by Frei Jorge Correia, our spiritual director at the time. It was
unbelievable to think that this Ivna, full of questions and fears in 1994, was now being
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sent as a Brazilian missionary to another country, precisely in the Jubilee year. On April
14, we set off for Mexico. Upon arrival in Mexico City, we had a nasty surprise at
Customs. While Brune was easily released, Wilson and I got trapped there for about an
hour and a half. I still do not understand why because none of the agents told us
anything.
After those troubled moments, we finally met with Alicia. We hugged, cried, smiled,
and finally went to the convent. From there, Brune and Wilson left for the state of
Vera Cruz, where Jorge and Lino lived. I stayed at the convent to attend the vocational
meeting that was going to happen during Holy Week. But I could hardly wait for the
moment when I would meet the boys personally.
We stayed in Mexico for nearly a month (we arrived on April 14 and returned on May
12). We were able to visit three different states during that time, and we also managed
to attend the meeting with the university students from May 5 through 7, 2000. But
before reaching the long-awaited meeting, something so strong happened that I do
not know whether I will be able to describe it here through words.
The professional disappointments, the distress over whether or not I would go to
Mexico plus some tiredness of the service of communication that I had been doing for
PUR was eventually causing me some stress. After a period of intense productivity, my
resistance level dropped exactly as I arrived in Mexico. The Mexicans, with whom we
contacted, had welcomed us very well and wanted to take us sightseeing all the time.
But my desire was to stay in quietly and preferably lying down. It was as if I lacked the
strength to get out of that situation. All this deeply saddened me because I needed
that strength and that enthusiasm, the marks of my ministry, and could not find them.
The situation became more specifically serious between 27 and 30 of April. Alicia’s
birthday was on the 28thand, because of our trip to Mexico, she ended up getting
permission to spend it with her family. So, we traveled to Leon, another state in the
country. Brune and Wilson came from Vera Cruz to Mexico City, and went to Leon
along with us. There, we stayed at Alicia's parents' house and met Jose Guadalupe (Mr.
Lupe), a family friend and the father of five girls. The oldest was a senior in High
School. Upon learning of the Renewed Universities Project, Mr. Lupe was so enchanted
with everything that he was willing to take his whole family to the meeting on the
following week.
Before that, though, Mr. Lupe offered us a lunch on Sunday, April 30. I could not refuse
such a kind invitation, but my body just wanted to stay in bed. I seemed to be living an
onset of depression. In addition, food in Mexico is completely different from ours, and
I started to feel sick with it, having nausea and dizziness. Picture the situation. You are
in another country, people do their best to please you, and, suddenly, you begin to say
that you do not want to walk, do not want to eat, get sad and discouraged.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, I did not have that right!
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When Sunday came, we went to Mr. Lupe’s house. We had been given a missionary
cross necklace blessed by Frei Jorge Correa at our last Mass in Brazil. But on that day, I
was not wearing that cross. At one point during lunchtime, I felt so bad (I hadn’t eaten
in about 20 hours, just drunk liquid) that I left the house aimlessly, looking for a place
where I could at least cry, without being afraid that someone would be watching me. I
ended up locking myself in the bathroom, sat down and started to cry compulsively,
asking Jesus to set me free from that terrible evil. Then, I remembered a conversation I
had had with Dennis Maceio, weeks before leaving for Mexico. Dennis was the
coordinator of intercession of the PUR national team, and has always been a great
friend and my intercessor. In that talk, he warned me against the spiritual battle26 that
I would go through during my mission in Mexico, and asked me to stay vigilant so that
nothing would obstruct the design of the Father. Then I felt how much the enemy of
God was using my fragile health to get the most precious things I have: life, vigor and
enthusiasm to proclaim the Good News of the Lord. How could I be a witness, motivate
Jorge, Lino and many others who were eagerly awaiting the encounter if I felt such
weakness, prostration and malaise? Not to mention the language problem.
Crying, I went on asking the Lord to keep those terrible feelings away from me, and to
reinvigorate me. That was my prayer: "Jesus, you know how much I dreamed of being
here. You know the meaning of this mission, you know how much I love this work. If
you really want to count on me, help me to keep all this evil away. After the retreat, I
won’t need anything else in this life. You can even take me along with You if you like.
But I must fulfill my mission."As I prayed, I visualized the scenes of the Passion of Jesus,
his agony in Gethsemane (cf. Mt 26: 36-46, Mark 14, 32 -42, Luke 22, 40-46) and his
death on the cross. Amidst that confusion of feelings, I realized that the Lord had
allowed me to dive into the mystery of the Cross and live there one of the strongest
experiences of his mercy. But where was the cross? Not even on my chest did I have
one! I spent about thirty minutes there trying to understand what was happening,
before I could get back to the social gathering.
When we were saying goodbye, Mr. Lupe got, from the top of a cupboard, a large
wooden crucifix with Christ in black metal and some details in gold, totally handmade
and unusual, and said to me: "Ivna, many years ago I bought this crucifix and wanted
to give it to someone but that person never showed up. Today, when you set foot in
this house, it was like I could hear a voice inside, saying that this cross was for you.
Take it as a present, and thus, you will never forget us." Really, Mr. Lupe was right. I
never forgot and I will never forget them! It was the Cross that came for our salvation,
and we were freed from all oppression of evil. Therefore, that cross I got on April 30
meant much more than a mere gift. After pain comes joy, after the Friday of Passion
26
Sobre Combate Espiritual, cf.: ALMEIDA, Juan Carlos. Spiritual Combat. Sao Paulo: Loyola,
1997, 3rd ed.
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comes Easter Sunday. In other words, after death always comes life. While I am writing
these lines, I remember a song from Seara. "Unless a grain of wheat dies, it will live in
solitude. Whoever clings to life itself, dies without realizing it. Therefore, at this altar
Lord, I offer what is inside of me. Transform my desire to be better. Let me live
donation." That's the word that sums it all: donation. Jesus gave himself away to the
end for his love for each of us. As his disciple, He allowed me to experience a little of
this mystery: give away my pain for those who receive the proclamation of joy. Most
amazing of all was to hear from Dennis, at ENUCC V later on in July, a confirmation of
what had happened:
"I can never forget that day, 30 April 2000. It was my birthday and I decided to attend
the Mass in the cathedral at 6 p.m., as I always do. At the Eucharist, I offered you, your
trip and everything that would happen to the Lord. When the Mass finished, I went
home at around 7:20.On that day, a retreat with the Maceió-PUR and Sergipe-PUR was
also going on in Aracaju. I didn’t have a birthday party, but my mother, as usual, had
made a small iced cake. We sang “Happy Birthday”, and soon after I decided to go to
sleep. First, however, I felt like praying for you, starting with the rosary of Our Lady
and then the word of the Lord. While I was meditating, I had the view of a woman in a
bathroom, suffering great pain, and wanting to embrace a crucifix. At that moment, I
somehow knew that this woman was you. I still remember that, that night, I prayed a
lot for you and especially asked the Lord to reveal himself as truly the Good Shepherd.
All my prayer was based on Psalm 22, and it was confirmed and revealed by the Lord
on that day. Ivna, I strongly believe that the Lord took care of you in that very special
situation, truly revealing His wonders and allowing you to have an experience of love
and mercy. "(Dennis Martinez, in April 2004. I asked him for a written account of
what he had told me back in 2000).
That Cross meant a watershed in the mission that took place in Mexico, and also in my
service to the Lord. I have found a way to better express what I cannot accomplish
with my own words in the words of Edith Stein:
"There is a state of rest in God, in cessation of all spiritual activity, in which one does
not make any kind of projects, does not make any decision and, above all, absolutely
no longer acts, however, in which one abandons all future to the will of God, handing
Him totally one’s own destiny. Maybe this was my state after an event, which
exceeded my strength, consumed entirely my spiritual strength and deprived me of all
activity. This rest in God, compared to the impotence to act because of lack of vital
force, was something completely new and particular. It was the silence of death. It
follows the feeling of being protected. As I surrender to this feeling, a new life begins
to fill me little by little. This vivifying influx seems to be the expansion of an activity
that is not mine. "(Edith Stein, Causalidade Psíquica, in: W. Herbstrith, A Verdadeira
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Face de Edith Stein, pg. 57).27
So, from that moment on, the mission time in Aztec lands was another one. God was
already granting me strength to endure a "surprise" that awaited me in Brazil. We
traveled to the state of Vera Cruz, and finally I got to meet my brothers Jorge and Lino,
their families and friends. At the retreat, we were about twenty-five people, including
Alicia who was named "Angel Gabriel", because she was the one who had been chosen
by God to bring the announcement of good news to the Mexican university students.
At the time we also met Father Rafael Perea, the CCR responsible for the state and
diocese. Our meeting with him was really curious, because at first the priest proved to
be quite elusive, seemingly unwilling to serve us. However, as we were sharing what
PUR meant, the fruits that could already be harvested in Brazil, among other subjects
such as devotion to the "Santa Teresita de Niño Jesus" (as he put it), everything
changed. Suddenly, Father Perea invited us to dinner, to show his home, to meet the
parishioners, and he also cancelled the meeting he had over the weekend to be with
us on Sunday at the retreat. His excitement was such that he decided to show up on
Saturday too, causing us wonder and amazement.
Needless to say that the excitement was mutual: we, Brune, Wilson and I, as we heard
their testimony of the dream rooted in their hearts, and they, because we were there
with them, sharing the experiences and testimonies of Brazil. It was there, preaching
once again the dream of renewed universities (with a first-class portunhol28), that I
understood, with the reflection made by Alicia, why it had been necessary to wait for
nine months for the Kerygma UPT to be born. Nine months is a gestation period, and
all those joys and pains until Flavia came in, were part of God's plan. The birth of the
UPT on October 25 was like a delivery. The retreat finished, and the dream of seeing
Jorge and Lino at ENUCC was increasingly bigger. So, I decided to encourage them to
be with us, and surprisingly they said yes, they would come to Brazil for ENUCC. Some
details are important so we can understand the significance of this YES. The first one
was that ENUCC was going to be held about two months away only, and they needed
money to travel. There was no money, though. Brune, Wilson, and I are witnesses to
the simple life they used to have; we stayed in their homes and could see the poor
community they lived in. Furthermore, it was Jorge’s last year at Medical School. His
graduation ceremony was scheduled for August 15 and they would be able to leave
Mexico on July 27 only. We all desired that they could come for ENUCC and also stay in
Brazil for a few more days. In other words, Jorge and Lino coming to Brazil seemed
something totally irrational, insane in the eyes of men. Still, on May 11, 2000, we said
goodbye at the international airport of Mexico City, with the certainty that, within two
months, we would be meeting again.
27
This quote was extracted from the Portuguese edition of the book. Translator’s note.
“Portunhol” is a word used by Brazilians to refer to badly spoken Spanish, a mix of
Portuguese and Spanish language (sic). Translator’s note.
28
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Back to Brazil
After we got back to Brazil, Brune, Wilson, and I enjoyed any opportunity to share and
to witness the grace experienced in Mexico with any PUR member in Belo Horizonte.
At the same time, I wrote many emails to PUR’s mailing lists, saying that at ENUCC in
2000, God would give us the grace to welcome students from two Latin American
countries: Mexico and Peru. And again I received some news from some young people
in Peru saying that they would like to form a UPT there. All of this was fueling my
missionary heart and further increasing the dream of universities renewal no longer in
Brazil only, but all over America, and perhaps one day in the world. However, I could
not feel the same from the members of the national team, Fernando Mococa and
many other leaders. The feeling I had was that, for them, the idea of expanding PUR to
other places was something very distant and even a bit of fantasy on my part. It hurt
me to know that some people would comment, "I do not understand Ivna. All this
excitement with PUR in other countries, while in Brazil there is still so much to be
done," or "She provides assistance to other states, even abroad, but ignores Belo
Horizonte." During that time, three years after my graduation, Belo Horizonte had
other leaders, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to be present at all
meetings in the capital city, because there was almost always a coincidence of dates,
and I often had invitations to preach somewhere else. Upon hearing these comments, I
always thought: A missionary heart cannot have a homeland, because even the heart
of Jesus is universal. Imagine if Apostle Paul stayed in a community until it was totally
converted, and only then would leave for other places? So, I expected that "nuestros
hermanos" would come for ENUCC and that their presence here would help us to take
this dream all over Brazil.
I had never worked so hard for PUR as during those two months that preceded ENUCC.
We were finalizing the Song Festival and editing the primer, and I spent hours in front
of the computer sending emails to various places, answering people’s queries sent via
our website. I can clearly remember the day I received an email from William Max:
"Ivna, this Argentinian guy wrote this to us. Please reply to him." The guy’s name was
Juan Ramon Lopes (a seminarian). Immediately, with a breath of the Holy Spirit that I
can scale only today, I returned Juan’s e-mail telling him what PUR was, what our
structure was like, what our dream was, and ended the email by saying: "Juan, this
year the whole Church is celebrating the Jubilee of the year 2000, a celebration of the
2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ. For us, the Jubilee will take place at ENUCC
next month. I am inviting you to join us and share this dream that is not only for Brazil
but for the entire American continent. Jesus made Peter a fisher of men, and He wants
to make you a fisher of college students."
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A week later, I got a reply from Juan. He said that he was very impressed with
everything I had written. He had talked about it with a fellow seminarian (Carlos), and
the two of them were coming to Brazil. I almost jumped up and broke the chair where I
was sitting because, actually, I could never imagine that Juan would come. I had
written that because it was my duty, nothing more! Two days before ENUCC, he sent
us an email saying they had had a few problems, he would not be able to come, but
that his friend Carlos would be with us. And, indeed, he was. I haven’t heard of any
UPT in Argentina after the ENUCC yet, but the seed has been planted. It will germinate
one day.
Meanwhile, I was anxiously awaiting the call from the diocese where I intended to
work as a communication advisor. I kept thinking to myself: "I haven’t been successful
yet because Jesus wants me to work for his Church not only in a missionary dimension,
but also professionally." Suddenly the phone rings: the priest wanted to set the day of
the interview on May 29, Monday. My parents drove me there, and enjoyed the
opportunity to walk around the town while I was being interviewed by the bishop and
the priest. I was welcomed affectionately, and we talked about salary, housing
allowance, among other things. Talking to the bishop, I found out that there was
another candidate, who did not have the same experience, though. Occasionally, the
bishop would let out some information. I left the town after setting a new date to
spend one more day in the diocese when I would learn what they had already
produced in terms of communication. Thus, I was supposed to go back there on
Thursday of that week, June 1st, my birthday eve. After that, we would finally set up
the date of my move. On the way back to Belo Horizonte, I told my parents that that
employment in the diocese would be my birthday present.
On June 1, I went to the bus station and got on the bus that would take me to that
town. The priest picked me up, we talked a lot, had lunch together, talked about
various subjects, including politics. His choice to be Church through the Basic Ecclesial
Communities was pretty clear, which was a mark of pastoral work in that diocese. That
did not bother me at all because I was not there to defend CCR, but to work as a
journalist. Moreover, I never had any difficulty discussing with Protestants, let alone
Catholics29. Later on in the afternoon, I decided to show him my portfolio with the
papers and materials that I had already produced. He got the PUR’s primer (a bluecovered one) and was impressed with the quality of the material.
29
When I was still participating in the Kerygma UPT, a great classmate of mine, Francis Rose, founded an
evangelical group. The "Clubhouse" was connected to the UBA (University Biblical Alliance). She came
to play guitar at our UPT a few times, and I attended some meetings of her group. We even dreamt of an
"Ecumenical Week for life" in college, when we would denounce abortion, we would do lectures, etc..
But members of the Clubhouse, who belonged to several different churches, did not reach a consensus.
Then I realized that we were not mature enough to implement the event together.
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"Ivna, was it you who made this?"
"Yes, basically yes, but there is a team working with me. I coordinate the
communication work of the Renewed Universities Project." He kept looking at the
booklet and suddenly asked me:
"What is this? Lucas Secretariat of CCR? "
"Well, Father, the Project is a department of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal."
His facial expression changed completely as if disappointed. And he said:
"I thought this project was something connected to the Student Movement, Pastoral
University, more politically and socially engaged. I could never imagine that you
belonged to CCR."
That moment I felt the same thing I had felt at the interview at that hospital in Belo
Horizonte. The job was no longer mine, which was confirmed with the parting
comment:
"Well, Ivna. We've already talked. Now, I'll invite the other journalist to spend a day
here with us and see how he goes about things. He also has very good experience, not
in pastoral work like you, but in video work, what could be useful for us. Would you like
to ask me anything else?"
Until that moment, the possibility of calling another journalist to spend one day there
had not even been mentioned. That was odd!
When I realized that being a "charismatic Catholic" would define whether or not I
would be hired, I decided to get it off my chest:
"I would like to thank you for the opportunity to participate in the selection process,
saying once again that working here is more than a necessity or professional
achievement, it is also part of my mission as a journalist. My only regret is that I have
disappointed you with the fact that I belong to CCR.”
"Come on, Ivna! Come on! I was surprised, that's all! I do not identify with CCR, I think
it's a movement..."
"You know, Father, I am very happy in the Renewal because it was there that I had the
experience of the living God, just like you have had this experience in the Theology of
Liberation and others that are in the Focolare Movement, or as Vincentians, etc.. If I
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come to work here, you can be assured that you will not be hiring a charismatic but a
journalist, a professional who studied and specialized. I am deeply sad to know that my
choice to be Church is an obstacle for me to work in this same church, which is based on
the same Christ, the Lord himself. "
"Ivna, please, I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. It was a surprise to me. But
you can wait for my phone call. I will contact you to tell you who will get the job. Now
let me take you to the bus station."
"Thank you, Father, it isn’t necessary. I’ll take a bus around here, and everything will be
fine. I’ll be waiting for your contact. See you later.”
I got on the bus with so great a sorrow, a pain so deep that my eyes are filled with
tears as I am writing these lines. On this trip back to BH, I compared the joys of the
mission in Mexico with the sadness of not getting fulfilled professionally. A video made
by Mirela for my graduation party wouldn’t get out of my mind. She had collected
testimonies from family and friends to surprise me. All without exception declared that
my career would be successful and blessed by God. I can clearly remember my
godmother’s words, Aunt Clerinha: "Success, success, success. I have no doubt, Ivna,
that your career will be brilliant." I also remembered a conversation I once had with
Everaldo from Pará. He told me how impressed he was with my love for the Project.
"Ivna, everything you put your hand on turns into gold in this project." But what was
the point if nothing in my life seemed to succeed? How could I become a Professional
of the Kingdom if I had no job? In fact, it was really distressing to confront such
antagonistic moments of pain and joy.
Obviously, June 2, 2000, was not the happiest birthday in my life, at least not until the
moment I received a call from Mexico and heard the PUR group singing there: "Un
sueño de amor entre tu y yo,” a song composed on the occasion of the retreat. I had
mixed feelings: pain and joy were continuously mingling. Two months later, a phone
call from the priest confirmed what I already knew: "Ivna, I'd like to thank you for your
interest, but unfortunately you don’t meet our requirements. We understand that Mr.
So and So has a more adequate profile for our needs. But please do not forget us."
At that point, ENUCC had already finished, and I was still rejoicing with so many good
things I had experienced there. So, my heart was better prepared to receive the news
that I was actually expecting.
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Before that, however, I had received an email from Lino telling me this: "Ivna, when we
tell our families, colleagues and college classmates that we are going to Brazil, they
think we're crazy. This is because they haven’t yet met the God of the impossible that
we know. We will do our best and God does the impossible. Only one thing is certain,
we are going to ENUCC." They really did everything they could: raffles, loans, requests
for donations. God did the impossible, that is, He encouraged them to seize the
opportunity and let go any constraint.
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15 -The Jubilee of a God who does
the impossible
“The deeper one is drawn into God, the more he needs to go out of himself - out into
the world, that is, to carry the divine life into it.”
Edith Stein
In the year 2000, ENUCC was different. I will not say it was special because I do not
know of a single ENUCC that has not been particularly strong and deep! But in 2000 it
was different because we have never delved into the mystery of the Trinity like in that
year. The theme was "Trinity, the mystery of love and unity", the motto was "So that
they may be one" (Jn 17, 11). There were three countries: Brazil, Mexico, and
Argentina. Peru was not present as I had thought, but God had and has His ways.
ENUCC always begins on Thursday evening and ends on Sunday afternoon. It is a
common practice: the members of the national team (state coordinators, committee,
counselors and spiritual director) arrive early and, together, they participate in a
meeting on Thursday morning and afternoon. That year the meeting took place at Our
Lady of Lourdes Retreat in the capital city of São Paulo from July 27 to 30.
There was a house in this place, where all staff could attend the meeting and also sleep
over. Praying is a special feature of this meeting. For us, no decisions can be made
without first listening to the Lord. As there was a chapel on the site, we all headed
there. We began to pray, and suddenly the Spirit inspired us to pray over the word
"YES". Father Antonio Jacaúna, who had known PUR in Goias, then in Sao Paulo, and
was now in Belo Horizonte, was taking part in ENUCC for the first time, and had been
invited to be with us at the meeting. While we were praying, he prepared the Blessed
Sacrament so that altogether we could make a prayer of adoration. As there wasn’t a
large communion wafer already consecrated, priest Jacaúna, instead of putting just a
speck in the monstrance, ended up putting three: two at the base and on top right in
the middle of the other two, as if to form a sort of triangle.
The prayer was intense. All of us prayed and sang, praising the Lord. We began to sing
a little old song that went like: "I say yes, yes, yes. I say, yes, yes, yes. I say yes, Lord, I
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say yes, Lord. I say, yes, yes, yes.” People were talking loudly of the difficulties in the
mission, the joys of service, the lack of courage to faithfully follow God's call, and the
verses of the song would be alternating between a prayer and another. All eyes were
fixed on the Blessed Sacrament, some of us were sitting, others standing, others
kneeling. But all of us witnessed the moment the three wafers merged into one. It was
a beautiful, inexplicable, strong, deep moment, like everything that comes from the
Lord. We interpreted this event as a sign of the mystery of love and unity that is in the
Trinity and that we would be celebrating those days. Of course, I also saw there the
three countries, and this confirmed in my heart that the dream of renewed universities
was a dream for the world as well. A few days after ENUCC, Fernando shared on our
mailing list on the Internet:
"Dear children, friends, brothers and servants in PUR,
PEACE! I'm still digesting some of the ENUCC thanks, knowing, however, that some of
them will take time to be completely digested, if they will be. An outstanding moment
for me was when the three communion wafers merged into one while we were
praying. God spoke to my heart very strongly about the importance of YES. Everything
may be summarized in one word: YES. Here I urge each of you, and I do hope you will
insist with yours that it’s important to say YES, not only in the excitement, but
consciously and faithfully. I confess to you that God has given me the grace to say YES
to Him on many occasions, even before knowing what the mission is, how and when it
will happen.
Meditating in the event of our meeting (I'm still in retreat and meditation, trying to
understand what the Father wanted to tell us with that manifestation), I remembered
the Gospel of the Annunciation, when Mary said, 'How can this be?' (Lk 1:34). Let’s
look at something interesting. Before Maria said the YES that changed the history of
mankind, she asked the angel announcing how that would happen. This shows what
the disposition of the heart of Our Lady was: before fully knowing God's plan, she
already wanted to do it. HOW? This is willingness to act, and then I think God wants to
speak to us strongly in this direction. When we say our YES, our will merges with the
will of God and vice-versa. Here, we are one with the Trinity, as it is one in Itself. I
therefore urge you as a parent, friend and brother in the faith to say YES in a concrete,
responsible way and, above all, in faith, by asking: How? How are we going to move
forward in our universities, and increase the nation of renewed universities? Do not
doubt that the work has already been envisioned in the heart of God, He is just waiting
for the YES, or rather your HOW. Courage, my brothers and sisters, courage! We will
not be disappointed. Let's go to the supernatural, we can experience new things in
faith. At no time did I doubt that it was worth saying YES, and twenty years have
already passed.
Still on ENUCC, I’d like to share a little more about the new Rhema of PUR: the word I
used to sum up ENUCC, in John 5, 'The healing of the paralytic at the pool of
Bethsaida.' This word, already familiar to us, is burning in my heart, mainly because we
can associate the reality of the pool with five porticos, with the reality of our
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universities, where there are crowds of sick, blind, lame, handicapped people. All that
is worthless in the eyes of the world is not only in the porticoes of the pool, but it is a
real portrait of our schools and colleges. I confess that I feel great pain in my heart,
because I can see many of my brothers and sisters who are in college hoping that an
angel descends from heaven to stir the water. This word in John is directly connected
with the meditation above.
The mission of agitating the water (baptism in the Holy Spirit) is mine, it is yours, it is
ours. Otherwise, our neighbors will remain lame. Upon arriving in our UPT's, may our
neighbors find water being stirred, and thus receive the healing they need. We can
also observe that, in the Gospels, there is the service after the cure. That is our mission
after ENUCC V: keep the water stirred at the porticoes, i.e., in our universities. This
way we will be a sign of hope and life. Remember what Mary did. She just asked: How
will it be? And you, what would have to say? I say yes, Lord. I say yes, Lord. I say YES,
YES, YES. May we be able to penetrate this mystery.A warm hug from a friend, brother
and servant.
Fernando Mococa (August 16, 2000). "
We left the meeting on Thursday morning confident that many graces would be
experienced during ENUCC V. I was looking forward to meeting with Jorge and Lino,
but unfortunately they would only arrive in Brazil on Friday (28/07), around 3p.m..
Thus, the desire I had in my heart to participate in workshop 130with them would not
be accomplished. But God the Father had reserved a surprise to me, one that I could
have scarcely believed, if I had not seen with my own eyes. When it was around 1p.m.,
that is, two hours earlier, Brune, Wilson and Eveline from São Paulo went to the
airport to pick the boys up, in an attempt to avoid traffic problems or something like
that. But the flight arrived earlier, there was no heavy traffic in Sao Paulo that
afternoon, I do not know what happened. I only remember that exactly when I was
telling about Lino’s email, and saying that the God of the impossible would bring them
to Brazil - after witnessing the Kerygma UPT, the fruits of PUR, and the mission in
Mexico – I saw them there at the back of the gymnasium, 'mis beloved hermanos
coming in'.
I cannot express in words how magical that moment was! Totally entranced, I said to
those six hundred people who were gathered there, "And the God of the impossible
has not only brought them here, but He also made them get here right now. People,
they’ve just got into the gymnasium. Jorge and Lino, come over here quickly!"
Everyone stood up, started clapping, and together they were thrilled with our emotion.
30
When I say a seminar, I am referring to the PUR seminar for starters, those who are receiving
the announcement of the first dream. They are usually three or four seminars offered in the afternoons at
Enucc. At a seminar, there are two moments. First, we talk about the history of the dream (Second
Vatican Council and Duquesne) and the dream itself (Viçosa, FernandoMococa). When I preach, what
I've been doing over these nine Enuccs, I always testify the beginning of the Kerygma UPT, and the
expansion of PUR to other countries. On the second moment, we speak of the loaves with the approach
that you saw in the chapter "You give them something to eat."
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That Jubilee, my Lord! What a gift! What infinite grace! It was on this day, while
preaching, that I understood the Word that God had sent me on October 25, 1994,
when I began the Kerygma UPT. "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of
wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they
will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led
before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are
to say. You will be given what you are to say at that moment. For it will not be you who
speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. "(Mt 10, 16-20). The Lord
with His Holy Spirit has always been with me. Since the day I went to Seara for the first
time in 1992, passing through my failure at the UFMG entrance exam and the joy of
seeing the Kerygma UPT , the Belo Horizonte’s UPTs, the Unisinos UPT in RS; the
achievement of ENUCCs; projects implemented within PUR; and professional
disappointments, the Lord with His Holy Spirit has been in everything to anoint me,
strengthen me and renew my hope. What more could I live within this work? To date,
there has never been a strongest moment for me at PUR. I believe that only the
commemoration of the tenth anniversary will be able to exceed such joy in serving the
Lord. "When something that has long been prayed for tenaciously takes place, it
impresses me more than its immediate compliance. And this continues to enrapture
me on this magnificent grace that was given to me. "(Edith Stein).
Elen Santos, then coordinator of ENUCC V and today our national coordinator, wrote
these fine lines:
"God is writing a beautiful story and is using our hands. It is a rich moment in our
history. Sometimes we want to have had the opportunity to be with Peter, John,
following Jesus, or among those who knew and lived with St. Francis of Assisi or
Mother Teresa. Likewise, I believe that many, ahead of us, will look back and also wish
to have had the opportunity we're having. Living the Jubilee year, seeing the first
FESCAN Project, meeting people from other Latin American countries at our events,
seeing our dream, our beautiful dream of love reach new heights and grow even bigger
than our own dream, being part of a dream that God is planting in the hearts of so
many others , and transforming lives and realities so different from ours. And yet God,
for mercy and love, even though we are so weak and small before such a big dream
and work, continues to use our hands. How much love God has poured out for us! How
happy we are because God is doing all through us!"
(Elen Santos, July 18, 2000, in an e-mail written days before ENUCC V to motivate us
to participate in this great event.)
ENUCC V finished. Fruits multiplied over and over, especially in my home. Mirela, my
kid sister already mentioned a few times in this book, was a freshman at the College of
Nursing at PUC-Minas. I was assured that as soon as she entered college, PUR would
be a priority for her as it was for me. But like that saying goes: "the shoemaker’s son
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always goes barefoot," Mirela did not show the needed enthusiasm to make the
dream come true in her reality, although she knew about PUR much better than
several UPT coordinators. She had already participated in four ENUCCs, several Searas,
and the simple fact that she was living with me, made her participate in it even
indirectly. Over the fourteen days after ENUCC, Mirela was the one who mostly shared
everyday life with Jorge and Lino. My job at Folha de Pedro Leopoldo was steady, with
four monthly issues now due to election year. As a consequence, I had to be at least
three days a week in another city because of work appointments. So Mirela spent
more time with the Mexicans, and as she saw their testimony, their detachment of
everything just believing in God's mercy so that they could participate in ENUCC (that
part I will leave for another book), many things started changing in her heart.
Their coming to Brazil was a watershed in Mirela’s missionary life. From a girl who did
not even go to the UPT, she began to participate in everything that surrounded the
project with an admirable passion. She joined the PUR staff in the state of Minas
Gerais, and is currently the state coordinator. Whenever I heard her preach the dream,
my heart was filled with pride and satisfaction, which also helped to increase my desire
to keep serving the Lord. She said that, before seeing the testimony of the Mexican
students, she was willing to form a prayer team in college, mostly because she was
Ivna’s sister. "Now it is different. I want to form a UPT, I want to renew my college."
That was the big difference, because there is a chasm away between “being willing to”
and “wanting to”. When we quit the idea of duty and tap into the desire of serving, we
are approaching the mystery of Jesus' words when he told us that we are his friends
rather than his servants. (Jn 15:15). The servant must be close to the boss, the friend
wants to stand next to another friend. There is a great difference, especially when this
friend is the Master, Lord, Savior, King, Redeemer, is the God who became incarnate
for love of each one of us.
On August 14, Lino and Jorge traveled back to Mexico, and we were filled with longing
to see them again. Jorge’s father was waiting for them at the airport there, and they
headed straight to the graduation ceremony. The journey took them five hours by car.
Little did that father knew that his son, so grateful to God for the experience of the
jubilee year, would break the protocol and, upon receiving his diploma, would display
a white shirt that I had given to him in which one could read: "Renewed Universities."
When he shared this crazy experience with us, he said, "The white shirt was a symbol
of my commitment to God as a doctor of the Kingdom, of my future and of the faith I
have in God and in you guys. Now, I understand what nostalgia means; it is a feeling
that only love can create."(Jorge Vasquez, excerpt from an email sent on August 20,
2000).
This story of manifesting the love for PUR during a graduation ceremony was also
taken seriously by Mirela in December 2003. Without anyone knowing it, she painted a
large banner in white satin with the PUR logo and our slogan. This banner was hidden
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inside her gown. I was there sitting in the audience, cheering and celebrating with
friends from PUR, when Mirela gets her diploma, looks at everyone, and takes the
banner out of her chest. I am glad I was not the one who was taking pictures because I
would not guarantee the quality of the photos. That flag symbolized many things: a
commitment to serve God with your life, gratitude to the Father to be part of that
dream, a tribute to God and all brothers and sisters of PUR that were there, and
ultimately a testimony to the professors, pro-deans and people who attended the
ceremony. As a sister, friend and godmother, I was more than proud of that unusual
gesture.
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16 – We must definitely continue
"It all depends on having a quiet little corner where you can talk with God on a daily
basis as if nothing else existed, and on regarding yourself completely as an instrument,
so that you treat your most frequently demanded talents not as something that you
use but as God working through you."
Edith Stein
"Why are you standing there looking at the sky?" We must definitely continue and
move into deeper waters. If I had to summarize in few words what the years following
the Jubilee meant for PUR, I would say that the synthesis can be found in the first two
sentences of this chapter. In fact, they embody the themes of ENUCC in 2001 (Bauru /
SP), 2002 (Vila Velha / ES), 2003 (Goiânia / GO), and summarize the challenges that we
have brought with us in the last four years. I would list them as follows:
1) to increase the number of UPTs and train the existing ones. When I say ‘to train’, I'm
referring to a wide training that requires an understanding of what CCR is (experience
of charismas and gifts of the Holy Spirit, the life of Baptism in the Spirit, reading the
Word, taking the Sacraments of the Church, among other topics); understanding of
what the Church asks of us as students and professionals, based on the Word of God
and Holy Tradition, papal encyclicals, pastoral letters, CNBB documents, the Social
Doctrine of the Church and the Catechism, and finally understanding what the society
asks : a critical reflection on public policies, professional ethics, the exercise of
citizenship, the effects of globalization and neoliberalism, especially in developing
countries and many other specific problems of our time;
2) to expand the dream of the renewal of universities to other countries. But how? Are
we prepared for such growth? Where will we find people with the right skills for this
specific mission, including language skills? Where will the resources come from? Is our
dream of love for Brazil, for America or for the world? I refer to this aspect of our
slogan, because, oddly enough, that was the subject of discussion at our meetings of
the national team, but for me, since 1996 our dream has taken continental
dimensions. And that was prophesied in Isaiah 26, 15, long before ENUC I;
3) to act at other levels effectively, as in college preparatory courses. The number of
students in high school increases every year, and they are eager to start prayer teams
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in their schools and courses. Most of these students, as they put together their dream
of renewing universities and their dream of getting into college to pursue higher
education, leverage their strengths to the study, while they represent the future of the
Project itself. Their time within the UPT will tend to be their residence time in college:
four, five or six years. Within PUR, there are numerous testimonies related to the work
of evangelization in the workshops, especially in the cities of Maceió and Belo
Horizonte;
4) to ensure that, out of college, recent undergraduates do not get lost in the
professional world, leaving behind the experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit, lived in
the UPTs,at PUR and CCR meetings, and through a life of personal and community
prayer. Indeed, in recent years, we have seen how difficult it is for many of these
professionals to be engaged in ecclesial movements after leaving their colleges.
Several factors contribute to this departure such as: (1) when they began to participate
in the UPT, they had been away from the Church for a long time; (2) the little time they
had for a more effective training; (3) the first job-related troubles; (4) they have to
return to their parents’ home or move away to another city, which makes it difficult for
them to adapt. However, it seems to me that this challenge is not new and exclusive to
the Renewed Universities Project. Movements of the Church, present at the university
in the 50s and 60s such as JUC (Catholic University Youth), or UP (University Pastoral)
in the 80s/90s31, also went through the same problem: to ensure that college
graduates kept the experience of God alive –experience that takes place in different
ways in each of these movements - in the course of their lives and professional
practices as well;
5) to create alternatives within PUR, so that this professional will go on dreaming of a
renewed society. One of the conditions for that to happen might be the coexistence of
this professional and those who were part of his generation. This sense of community,
family, of belonging, which is one of PUR’s hallmarks in the lives of its members, has
spurred the perseverance sharing groups of the professionals (the GPPs). However, by
31
About JUC, UP and PUR, there is a study by a member of PUR/ BH, ArianeLeite. Although she did not
come to the same conclusion as far as the common challenge of the three movements (the continuity of
the professional life in the Church), it is possible to raise this hypothesis, especially because some JUC’s
former leaders, for example, are political authorities today no longer engaged in a religious practice. The
work of ArianeLeite is rich and worth reading, cf. LEITE, Ariane Vieira. As concepções de
transformação social que embasam dois importantes movimentos de juventude universitária católica:
Projeto Universidades Renovadas (PUR) e Pastoral Universitária (PU) – uma abordagem circunscrita
aos anos 90. (The concepts of social change that underlie two important movements of Catholic
university students: Project Renewed Universities (PUR) and Pastoral University (PU) - an approach
limited to the 90s.) Belo Horizonte: Catholic University of Minas Gerais, scholarship program for
undergraduate research - PROBIC: 2000.
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2001, CCR in Brazil had not yet deliberated on a decision that was already somewhat
obvious, that is, it is the Renewed Universities Project’s responsibility to care for the
"professionals of the Kingdom". Only then did the national team set up a special
committee to deal with the issue of graduates. However, we had already been tackling
such issues in some older communities, such as Belo Horizonte, since 1996. In other
words, there were people who had already been part of a UPT and, after graduating,
had difficulty finding their places in the Church as servants, whether because they did
not have this practice earlier or because they did not adapt to the parish dynamics,
which, by the way , is very different from the university dynamics. I will not go farther
in this issue because this is the subject of the next chapter, written by Brune
Montalvão / BH.
He is part of the national committee of professionals and, since his graduation, has
been critically and faithfully engaged to help us to reach some conclusions. His
testimony was one of the aspects that made me invite him to write the next chapter.
These challenges have been, somehow, indications of a possible crisis, necessary for us
to continue growing, always evaluating our attitudes, and more than that, with the
Lord's mercy. It is He who reveals to us, day to day, from grace to grace, the secrets of
His plans and the depth of His dream of love for humanity. More precisely in the year
2001, we were able to take a Biblical word again, much used in 1997 and 1998, which
is found in the book of the Prophet Jeremiah:
"Call to me, and I will answer you; I will tell to you things great beyond reach of your knowledge." (cf. Jer
33,3). Since it was a time of many questions, it was necessary to seek answers with the Lord more than
ever. That word made it clear that many things were still to be revealed, but first of all, it was necessary
to call upon the Lord. Also in 2001, the Lord allowed us to dive into the words he spoke to the Apostle
Paul, when he came out of Athens toward Corinth. "One night in a vision the Lord said to Paul, "Do not
be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I
have many people in this city." (Acts 18: 9-10).
Paul and the early Christians suffered persecution, had many questions unanswered,
and faced many challenges. On every mission trip, at every decision he had to make,
Paul would hear what the will of the Lord was, and invoked Him so that great and
mysterious things would be revealed. In this case specifically, the will of God was that
Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and six months, and kept on teaching the word of the
Lord. (Acts 18, 11). And what was God's will for the Renewed Universities Project in
2001 and throughout the years that followed? If His plan was not yet clear enough to
us, at least we were sure that we should go ahead fearlessly, we shouldn’t stop and
stare at the sky, hoping that the solutions would magically come to us. Rather, the Lord
asked us for faithfulness and perseverance to continue fulfilling the mission he had
entrusted us. It was necessary to persevere in hope, knowing that He never abandons
us. And that loyalty and perseverance are not only for those who have remained in
PUR, but for all those who once had the opportunity to be part of this story. PUR is
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not, in principle, a place where people come and stay while they are servants, because
we believe that leaders formed in the university prayer teams must take specific places
within other CCR ministries or other pastoral initiatives. What can never die is the
dream that God planted in our hearts. If it dies, the mission will die too.
ENUCC VI held in Bauru had a verse from the Acts of the Apostles as its motto - "Why
are you standing here looking at the sky?" (Acts 1, 11). In this passage, while the
disciples were following with their eyes a cloud that hid the Lord and withdrew Him to
the sky, at His Ascension, two men dressed in white questioned why they were
standing there. All sermons then emphasized the need of not standing still, on the
contrary, we must move on, trusting in the Lord's mercy. I was supposed to preach the
word of God addressed to the Apostle Paul, as mentioned earlier. As an inspiration of
Heaven, I had the motion to reflect on one of the oldest songs of the Charismatic
Renewal, the "Vocation of the Prophet," which is based on a dialogue between the
prophet Jeremiah and the Lord (cf. Jer 1, 4-8). The beauty of this song lies precisely in
its content, because it shows the fear of the prophet and the Lord's response
encouraging him at the same time. During the preaching, we listened to it, stanza by
stanza, alternating reflections and prayers. I'll try to summarize the main points that
reflect that moment, and go a little further with other considerations which I am sure
the Holy Spirit will inspire me right now while I'm writing the lines that follow. The
stanzas of the song are italicized and between quotation marks.
“My chosen people have been living in sin. I cannot find even a contrite heart. The Lord
told me, “go and speak on my behalf, announce me. Speak on my behalf, announce me.
I cannot speak, I'm just a child. Oh, I cannot speak, I'm just a child. I'm afraid, Lord,
come talk for me, mercy. Come talk for me, mercy. "
In this part, the Lord shows the condition in which the world has been: a state of sin.
And as the Apostle Paul says, the wage of sin is death (Rom 6.23). God’s chosen
people, this large population which we previously mentioned, are in many places,
especially in our universities or workplaces. These people need to receive the
announcement of Life and we are the prophets who have the mission to announce this
great news. However, the prophet (each of us) says he does not know how to speak,
he is just a child. And who is the child other than a being that is totally dependent on
parents? In fact, we feel this way: unsafe, incompetent, immature to proclaim the One
who is much bigger than us. But this is no reason for discouragement, as well as the
child who is totally dependent on his or her parents, the prophet must be dependent
on Him who sent him. Furthermore, Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do
not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (cf. Mt 19, 1315). When the Lord was referring to children, he was not referring only to a specific
age group, but especially to those who are children at heart: pure, sincere, dependent.
When we understand this mystery, we give up our "omnipotence" and let Him, the
Lord, occupy this place that belongs to Him alone.
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"You do not shut the vocation of my voice, come on, courage, scream my love to all
nations. The Lord told me, ‘Speak on my behalf, announce me. Speak on my behalf,
announce me. I am so small, even men I fear. How can I speak, Lord, of a God so great
and tender? I'm afraid, Lord, come talk for me. Mercy. Come talk for me, mercy! "
We are geared not to silence the voice of the Lord. And if we shut our voices, the
stones will speak (cf. Lk 19:40). This is strong, deep and must be clear to every one of
us. We have a vocation not to silence the voice of God in this world that is constantly
creating new idols, especially in universities. It is not the great philosophers and
theorists the ones who support our YES, likewise it is not an ideology the reason why
we are united around a common dream. God has surrounded us with His love, resting
His hands upon us. Such knowledge is so deep that we are unable to reach it (cf. Ps
138). Only the Holy Spirit can give us the necessary understanding of God's plan. No
science (either human or exact), however perfect it may be, can account for a
"research subject" as complex, mysterious, magnificent and extraordinary. It is by
faith, a precious gift from God, that we are invited to dive into the depths of this
maxim: Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (cf. Jn 14, 6). Like the fathers of the
Enlightenment, who argued that the distinctive human rationality is that everyone,
without exception, is a rational being and that, outside of reason, everything boils
down to passion, darkness, vertigo, we, as Christians, are called to defend, with our
life, that our distinctive trait is not just rationality, but that we all, without exception,
are children of God: a God who is the creator of all things, and also a merciful Father
who gives us His love and consequently freedom (cf. Lk 15, 11-32).
Outside this perfect synthesis between faith and reason, everything is vain. It's like
walking to get nowhere, or perhaps, to live a whole life and, near death, to come to
the conclusion that we are all “God’s guinea pigs." This is one of the songs in Cazuza’s
latest album titled "Bourgeoisie." Cazuza32, like so many others around us, was a young
man who denounced schemes, spoke of love, infected hearts, all through his working
tool: his songs. However, at least until the recording of his latest album, he hadn’t
found out the Essential in his life. The Essential is precisely this that we are geared to
"shout about" wherever we go, including and especially in the university and in our
workplaces. The inspiring song of our reflection also says: "Scream MY LOVE to the
nations." How can we make this cry echo clearly and effectively? I believe that we
must cry louder with our own lives rather than with our voices.
"There is nothing to fear, I will speak in you. There is nothing to fear, I will speak in you.
For I am with you to save you, trust me. Go, trust me, announce me, go."
32
Cazuza (1958-1990) was a Brazilian singer and songwriter whose songs spoke of themes that
ranged from lyricism to political and social criticism. Translator’s note.
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Very often we fail to do what we dream of or what we are convinced that should be
done because of fear. We fear doctors and masters of the academy because they could
overthrow our arguments. We fear the intellectual, political and religious authorities.
We fear our colleagues, friends or family who have chosen other ways of living
because they might call us pious, blessed, or alienated fanatics. We fear this. We fear
the future. Faced with so many fears, it is more than natural to ask, “How can I talk,
Lord, of a God so great and tender, much bigger than ourselves?” The Lord's answer is
clear, "There is nothing to fear, I will speak in you. For I am with you to save you. Trust
me."If you could listen to the song, as I do now, you would realize that this final part "
trust me" is like a cry of the Lord, "Ivna, trust me." "John, Peter, Marcia, Adriana, Luke,
whoever you are, child of mine, trust me." We need to increase our faith so we can
understand the meaning of these few words. Have we really placed our trust in the
Lord? Or has that trust been entrusted to another without our knowledge?
Another important detail in this song is the Lord's command, explicit in the conjugation
of the verb "go." The verb is in the imperative mode (go). With this, we understand
that the answers appear from the moment we decide to go, to walk ahead, to go
forward. The Hebrew people walked for forty years in the desert, and to every new
problem, every new challenge, a new solution was presented by the Lord. Similarly,
two disciples met the Master, when they were on their way to Emmaus. "And it
happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and
walked with them." (cf. Lk 24, 13-35). The disciples did not recognize Jesus while he
was walking with them, but indifferent to this, He was there, next to his chosen
people. They recognized Him in the breaking of bread (cf. Lk 24, 31). Similarly, we
recognize the Lord in the Eucharist, we celebrate life, then we go out on a mission.
Therefore, it is necessary to walk in faith, knowing that we will find the answers so that
the challenges listed at the beginning of this chapter will be overcome.
In 2001, at ENUCC, I received an email from Jorge directly from Mexico, greeting the
participants of the meeting. In his text, there was an interesting, relevant discussion
that I would like to share with you. He wrote: "Doctors, heal people's hearts;
communicators, proclaim the great news; architects, build brotherhood; lawyers,
defend the faith; nurses, take care of love; engineers, build communion work;
psychologists, analyze with mercy; accountants, administer with charity; university
students renew your universities. Let us not be stopped, because otherwise, when
Jesus returns, we run the risk of being unable to move. Our feet will be so stuck to the
ground that we may not be able to walk toward the Master."
In fact, it is urgent to understand that:
"(...) the presentation of the Gospel message is not an optional contribution for the Church. It is the duty
incumbent on her by the command of the Lord Jesus, so that people can believe and be saved. This
message is indeed necessary. It is unique. It cannot be replaced. It does not permit indifference,
syncretism or accommodation. It is a question of people's salvation. It is the beauty of the Revelation
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that it represents. It brings with it a wisdom that is not of this world. It is able to stir up by itself faith -faith that rests on the power of God. It is truth. It merits having the apostle consecrate to it all his time
and all his energies, and to sacrifice for it, if necessary, his own life."(Evangelli Nuntiandi, p. 9).
Mission to Peru
“Mientras exista un profesor, un estudiante o un empleado sin evangelizar, Universidades
Renovadas no va a parar.” (José Rey/PUR-PERU)
The dream I had in my heart of seeing the Peruvians participating at ENUCC V with us
in the Jubilee year couldn’t be fulfilled. But without our knowledge of the scale of the
work of God, PUR was already well advanced there in the land of the Incas. That was
the feeling Ulla and I had when we attended the 1st PUR Meeting in that country on
April 12-15, 2001. We arrived in Lima on April 10 and came back on the 16th. It was a
short time, but enough for our talks with the CCR leaders, to participate in the
meeting, share some of our experiences and, above all, learn from them.
As soon as we arrived, we were impressed with the structure that PUR had made
available not only in terms of organization (shirts, brochures, folders, everything in
"Spanish version”), but also with the support and participation of professors. Many
young people who attended the retreat were members of the National Youth Ministry,
because there wasn’t a specific ministry for the work of evangelization in the university
like in Brazil.
We had the opportunity to meet a dynamic trio of service to God: Jose Rey (Pepe), the
great articulator of the Project that had learned about PUR through Emy Mirtha (the
Peruvian girl who had been my classmate in Rio Grande do Sul); Hugo, professor of
the Engineering course (so humble that he could well be taken for a regular employee
of the University); Michael, a Business Administration student, whose life story moved
us. At the time, Michael was in charge of PUR in Lima, but his difficulties were great.
He went to college by day and worked at a gas station during the night to pay for his
college expenses. If in Mexico students had great financial difficulties, in Peru the
situation was even worse. Still, when Ulla and I returned to Brazil, we were sure that
we would see "nuestros hermanos Peruvians" again at ENUCC VI.
They could not come to Brazil, though, but we had the participation of Peruvian
students at ENUCC in Bauru. Oddly enough, there were four countries represented at
ENUCC in 2001: Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador. Two young people that Brune,
Wilson, and I had met in 2000 came from Mexico: Marisol and Robert, architecture
students. As to Peru and Ecuador, young people from these two nations, who were
doing their master’s or doctorate programs in the state of Sao Paulo, attended the
meeting. One of them, Jose from Peru, embraced the dream so strongly that now he is
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coordinating PUR’s international committee, seeking to make the Latin American
discussion list as active as possible, and integrate "los hermanos de otros paises en
torno de un sueño comum"(brothers and sisters from other countries around a
common dream) because, as Jorge from Mexico said, “las Universidades Renovadas
pueden ser el punto de union entre la utopia de desear un mundo diferente y la
realidad de poder tenerlo" (Renewed Universities may be the junction between the
utopia of wishing a different world and the reality of being able to have it).
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17 - Growth and Recognition
“God knows what He has in store for me. There is no need for me to worry.”
Edith Stein
From Bauru to Vila Velha, and then to Goiania. In the meantime, our growth and
recognition had been increasingly higher day after day. Members of the clergy, such as
the Archbishop of Palmas, Archbishop Alberto Taveira, and the priests Fray Jorge
Jacinto Correa (ocd), João Carlos Almeida (SCJ), Antônio Jacaúna (css), and Javier Pérez
Enciso (sj) have become benchmarks for our formation. Fray Jorge was our spiritual
advisor from 1998 to 2001, a barefoot Carmelite priest who introduced us to the
doctors of the Church, namely St. John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux
and Edith Stein. He was undoubtedly a kind of spiritual father, counselor and trainer.
Father João Carlos, known as Father João, has been an effective presence at our
national meetings since 1999. He is a musician, writer, director general of Dehonian
college, CCR’s theological advisor, and even with so many duties, he still finds time to
do two doctorate programs simultaneously. Such adventures can only be
accomplished by God’s grace, as it is the case of this book that was written in only
three months.
Father Jacaúna, who wrote the presentation to this book (where he himself can testify
his adherence to PUR) has a master’s degree in Theology, is responsible for the
vocational pastoral of his congregation and has been with us since 2000. Young,
cheerful and friendly, he is part of many luquinhas’ life, not only as a priest, but also as
a friend and brother, especially in communities of Goiania, São Paulo and Belo
Horizonte. He is our current spiritual advisor. And finally, I must mention the valuable
collaboration of Father Javier, a Jesuit priest, Doctor of Education, who has an
extensive experience in his ministry with Pastoral University. He was our spiritual
advisor from 2002 to 2004 and lived within PUR an experience he had never had
before. When he wrote the lines that follow, Father Javier, now with the wisdom from
years lived, titled the text as "The testimony of an old coach."
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"Since 1982, when I was entrusted by the Rector of PUC-Rio (the Pontifical Catholic
University of Rio de Janeiro) the Pastoral of the University, I have always dreamed
about the right training of university students, competent both in knowledge and
professional skills, able to collaborate in building a new world: The Kingdom of Christ
(cf. Conc Vat II, Gravissimum educationis, 10). I carried out promising experiments,
helped by trained professors, with student groups in areas such as: faith and politics,
science and faith, faith and social action. Afterwards, I set up a project called "Builders
of a new world"; I began with students of communication: it was a kind of paid
internship, devoting 20 hours a week for two semesters to the study of relevant
documents of the Church and to contacts with organizations and professionals of this
area. During that time, I always gave full support to existing groups of Catholic
university student movements, and to the University Pastoral (PU) connected to the
archdiocese and CNBB. For several years, I attended the PU’s national meetings,
bringing together the forces of pastoral care in universities. Those were long years and
the experiences in the evangelizing mission of the Church in the university world were
varied, but nothing can compare to what I would experience with the Renewed
Universities Project (PUR), which has the UPTs as its "mother cell".
In the 90s, I saw the birth of UPTs (University Prayer Teams) at PUC-Rio. Because they
were as fragile as a brood of chicks, I hosted them, prayed with them, helped them in
their Retreats (Expo). Those who know our university world know how difficult it is to
balance studies with group meetings, to endure adherence to the Gospel, to grow in
faith. I cannot forget the enthusiasm and vigor of the coordinators. The support was
mutual. Then, in the Jubilee Year (2000), at the invitation of Braulio, coordinator at the
time, I agreed to be the archdiocesan and state PUR’s Spiritual Advisor. And in late
2001, I accepted the mission as the National Team’s Spiritual Advisor for a period of
two years. The Meetings (ENUCCs) in Bauru (SP), Vila Velha (ES) and Goiânia (GO), as
well as the meetings of the National Team showed me the vitality, strength and
progress of the Project. Characteristics that we feel every day pounding on the website
and PUR’s lists on the Internet, magnificent instruments that the Providence has placed
within reach of students in order to facilitate the goals and the future of the
Movement.
But what raises great hope in my heart is PUR’s professional dimension, the Groups of
Professionals of the Kingdom. They are educators, scientists, philosophers,
administrators, excellent professionals in their areas who walk together in the living of
Christian values, and in generous apostolic zeal. They are builders of a new world and
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therefore they need to multiply and grow. You can count on my cooperation. May the
Risen Jesus bless us.” Fr Javier Pérez Enciso, sj. Rio de Janeiro, April 2004.
Naturally, these priests are not the only ones who support PUR. There are many who,
from their daily routines in their dioceses, give us full support. Some of them come to
participate in ENUCCS, others don’t. But either way, what matters is that they are
faithful to the mission of shepherding, and testify in front of other priests and bishops
of what PUR really means for the Church and the society. However, it is worth
remembering that this enhanced recognition over the last three years has not been
restricted to the clergy. On the contrary, intellectuals of the academy have also been
touched by our dream, like professor Jean Lauand, who is on the team of intellectuals
who have joined PUR. As journalist Ariana Virginia Pereira, author of the book There is
faith in the land of reason, would say, the professor is a major milestone in the history
of "rational" Renewed Universities Project. Besides being a professor of philosophy at
the Faculty of Education, University of São Paulo (FEUSP), Jean Lauand is a researcher
at the Interdisciplinary Legal Institute of Porto University, has published articles in
several languages, and is the director of a publishing house. Not to mention his
countless texts and publications. His contact with PUR took place initially with
members of USP’s prayer team. But later, his vision of the project was expanded,
especially after ENUCC 2002, held in Vitória /ES. Excited by what he saw, heard and
felt, the professor sent an e-mail to all PUR’s mailing lists, sharing his impressions:
"Before sharing 'intra-PUR’ what ENUCC meant to me (and I thank each and everyone
for this wonderful event), I wrote to my friends who do not participate in PUR (or do
not know about it, and in some cases do not understand it right ...) the following
message. And then it occurred to me that it could perhaps be interesting to send it also
to PUR’s lists, as a vision "for export" (and the corrections they deem appropriate). I
have just got back from and I am very impressed with ENUCC VII – the Catholic
Charismatic University Students National Meeting, held in Vila Velha (ES) from August
1-4. I attended the meeting on the last two days. There I gave a conference, which is
posted at: http://jean_lauand.tripod.com/page27.html.
I do not have exact data, but I think I am not exaggerating when I say that this VII
ENUCC brought together nearly 2,000 college students from across the country! That
PUR’s young people (CCR Renewed Universities Project), with their University Prayer
Teams, are a leaven of renewal, of joy and holiness for the Church is already a wellknown fact, and I am not going to address it here. What I'm most interested in showing
in this message (and for me it is by no means a new fact!) is another aspect: the high
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intellectual level of the meeting program. Contrary to what some think –those who
want to unify the Catholic Church according to their own standards - social concern and
intellectual training are not incompatible with joy, relaxation, affection and
extraordinary kindness that radiates magnetically from these young people who know
how to achieve their faith in important concrete initiatives. With great joy I found in
ENUCC (again ...) an extraordinary interest of these young people in intellectually
deepening the Church's doctrine and forming a Christian criterion on our great political
and social issues. There were, for example, four conferences of the highest intellectual
level (one of the essential objectives of PUR is to unite faith and reason).
The only irresponsibility that these young people committed throughout the meeting
was to choose me as a lecturer (on "Ethics and Social Responsibility"). I had before me,
for four hours (not even Fidel Castro would do better), hundreds of young people
listening ( 28-degree heat) to me speaking of S. Thomas Aquinas, with questions and
discussions of extraordinary intelligence. And as I said, the other four conferences
(Father Jesus Hortal, Prof. Wamberti from PUC-RS, Prof. Andre Marcelo Machado
Soares from PUC-Rio and Prof. Felipe Aquino) were of the highest intellectual level. All
with an organization and professionalism to be the envy of the Swiss (ten minutes after
closure of the conferences, they were already available in audio tapes of high quality
...). Besides this, we could also witness the immense generosity and fine Christian spirit
of service of the university students who organized the event, and hundreds of local
families that hosted the participants with unsurpassed warmth and nobility. There I
had the opportunity to talk at length with leaders and collaborators of the Project (Fr
John, Fr Javier Fr Jacaúna, Fernando Galvani, Elen Santos Resende, and so many other
young people whom I already knew from the Internet). In all of them, a high academic
level and a wonderful faith united with extraordinary judgement. For example, I
attended a sermon by Father João, that (besides his incredible sensitivity in the
liturgical celebration of the Mass) was a genuine show of intelligence. And Father
Jacaúna, showing as usual that Christian joy that comes out from each of his pores,
made a solid study on S. Thomas. I could see an intellectual of the stature of Father
Javier Enciso (PUR’s spiritual coordinator), visibly and understandably moved at the end
of ENUCC, perhaps thinking that none of this would be possible in aging Europe.
One may also note that the PUR’s "boys and girls" are growing: there are already many
professionals and graduate students looking for, and they will (rightly) find, ways to
deepen their faith and act in society as professionals seeking to establish the Kingdom
of Christ. Here in São Paulo, for example, besides a fruitful social work, they hold
weekly meetings to further promote the Catechism of the Church (I attend these
meetings and learn a lot with the academic seriousness with which they are prepared
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and conducted). It was PUR’s initiative to conduct international seminars on Catholic
thinking here at USP (like the one which will be held in September –it will have been
four in less than a year!). Add this professional and intellectual training to their effusive
joy and harmony with the Church and we will have all the features of the yeast to the
dough; of the salt and light to the world.
A final testimony, a point that made me particularly happy about ENUCC’s youth: since
they do not know how to assess the strength they have, they are refractory to any
fanaticism (joy and good humor –Gilberto Freyre and S. Thomas himself had already
warned us - are the antidote to fanaticism) as well as tolerant: I participated in various
ENUCC activities, but at no time I felt embarrassed to be an old introvert among 20year-olds. Not even the fact that I was the only smoker among those 2,000 abstainers
(apparently), or the only out-of-tune person who did not know the songs that everyone
was singing made any difference in the way they talked and shared with me. And
besides, they pretended not to notice that I am absolutely devoid of any rhythmic
talent and couldn’t clap to the beat! Anyway, this ENUCC VII was an important
milestone for the Church in Brazil because it seems they are determined to follow the
guideline that was the very theme of the meeting: "We must definitely continue."
Sincerely, Jean Lauand, August 2002.
ENUCC in Vila Velha / ES, marked by the word of Paul in his letter to the Philippians
(Phil. 3, 16), had extremely beautiful testimonies like the story of Shirlei de Souza from
Foz do Iguaçu, in the Brazilian border with Paraguay. She had heard about PUR in
Toronto / Canada, days before ENUCC VII through some PUR members from São Paulo
who were attending the World Youth Day there. Even without understanding what
was going on, Shirlei arrived from Canada and went straight to Vila Velha / ES. There,
stunned by what she saw and heard, she wrote a letter to me, after hearing the
preaching of the dream. In one particular passage she wrote: "Ivna, I wonder if I really
needed to go to Canada to meet those young people who introduced me to PUR, and
then come down to Vila Velha so that God would inspire me the dream of the first UPT
in Paraguay." Well, she did not come to me to hear the answer. But if I had the
opportunity, I would simply say that she should be docile and faithful to the designs of
the Father because coincidences like this one hardly happen by chance in our lives.
Time has gone by, and I have never heard of Shirlei again. I do not know whether or
not the dream of her heart is still alive, but in my heart I am sure about one thing: this
is how PUR has grown, is growing and will grow, and this is how we will expand to
more colleges, more cities and more countries. The seed has been planted and will
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germinate at the right time." He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or
epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’
(cf. Acts 1: 7-8).
Two other testimonies that deserve to be mentioned here are the ones I referred to in
my preaching, which was based on the passage of Acts of the Apostles: "for we cannot
stop speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4, 20). I testified before all
the participants at ENUCC VII about two facts that have really impressed me. The first
is about a Uni-Rio Medical School freshman called Jaider. He had taken his college
prep-course in Belo Horizonte for three years, and soon captivated everyone with his
kindness and service to the PUR-BH. He, Willy, Fernando, and Simonelly have been
living witnesses of perseverance for all of us. They had struggled for two, three and
even four consecutive years for a place at UFMG before they finally passed the
entrance exam. Jaider was the only one who did not stay in Minas, having to move to
Rio de Janeiro. But before starting the course, I met with him to celebrate his victory.
Then I heard from his own mouth, that he, Jaider, had logged onto Uni-Rio website and
printed a list of all the newly approved students in his course. With the list in his
hands, Jaider told me that he stayed hours before the Blessed Sacrament, praying for
each one of those who would be his classmates. "I asked Jesus to take care of each one
of them, their families, the place where they would live in Rio de Janeiro, and finally to
prepare the heart of those who along with me would form the UPT at Uni-Rio." My jaw
almost dropped when I heard Jaider’s words. Once again, I could only thank God for
the opportunity to participate in this work which, of course, has spawned many saints
to the Church of the twenty-first century.
The second testimony is related to an online chat I had with Jorge from Mexico, a few
months before ENUCC VII in Vila Velha / ES. At the time he was feeling very
discouraged and going through a crisis due to problems typical of those who work in a
hospital and must learn how to cope with death. Since "mi hermano" was so
geographically distant, I decided to schedule a chat with him on a Sunday morning.
Early on, I was inspired to pray, over the internet, the prayer of the Holy Spirit (Come
Holy Spirit, fill the hearts ....). I wrote one line, he wrote the next in his own language. I
also asked the Lord that this conversation could revive Jorge’s heart as well as the
dream planted in 2000. After talking, or rather, chatting for nearly two hours, he
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ended the dialogue by saying: "Ivna, my angel, talking with you is always a new
outpouring of the Holy Spirit in my life." That experience marked me deeply because I
had never heard anything so strong. Now I can better understand what it meant to
announce timely and untimely, with power and boldness, like the disciples did. I also
understand that God has given me a very special gift to motivate others and to
communicate. Not much is required to use such gift, just docility toward His Holy Will.
Your career is also important to continue ...
Two thousand and one and 2002 were pivotal years also in my professional life. After
going through the experiences already mentioned in chapter 14, I had two more
disappointments in the first half of 2001. The last one was at an association where I
provided some services. Thrilled with the results of my work there and with the
directors’ satisfaction, I made a project and presented it to them so that I could be
formally hired. Both the president and the office manager found the proposal
excellent. The other directors should also approve, and I assured myself that they
would. However, contrary to all my expectations, the proposal was not approved, and
my contract was not even renewed because of some internal issues. That was in midFebruary 2001. The day I received this sad news, I experienced once again the pain of
abandonment. I felt as if God did not look at me. I could not take so many "no's"
anymore. What did the Lord want to show me with that? I came back home at
lunchtime, my parents asked me what had happened, but I was unable to talk. I went
straight to my room, knelt down resting my hands on the bed, and stayed there crying,
steeped in pain. I began to pray and at the beginning of the prayer, the Lord showed
me three people: my husband Tom (my boyfriend at the time), Father Jacaúna, and
Raquel Araujo, a psychologist and founder of Comunidade Raízes de Jessé. Without my
knowledge, God wanted to help me with affectionate, spiritual and emotional support
because it was necessary to cure these three dimensions.
In a conversation with Raquel, she asked me why I had difficulty accepting the
condition of professional autonomy. Why couldn’t I be happy by being self-employed?
Actually, I was already working for Folha de Pedro Leopoldo, was a free-lancer for the
Christian Family Magazine (published in São Paulo), but I just could not feel fulfilled.
Because Raquel had already known me for some time, she told me many things, and I
would not want to externalize them now, but one was very liberating. "Ivna, by your
history, mission and way of life I could never imagine you trapped in a single
workplace. It's like putting an eagle in a cage." Then, my old nickname came to my
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mind, and I reflected a little on God's plan. I went home, thinking about every detail of
the conversation. On the same week, I talked to Father Jacaúna. By the way, it was the
first time he had seen me so distressed, different from the way I used to be at ENUCCS:
always strong, determined, confident. I can still remember my anguish when I told him
that I did not feel a Professional of the Kingdom. Then, he asked me the key question,
whose answer I thought I knew, but actually I did not: "Ivna, what does being a
Professional of the Kingdom mean?" I started to reply with beautiful, elaborate words,
but I did not get anywhere. My vision of a Professional of the Kingdom was rooted in
the idea of success, prosperity, great demand for labor, financial return, all that, of
course, with ethics, simplicity and expertise. I lacked, however, the understanding of
what should come first in all things: being a Professional of the Kingdom means, above
all, to be sure that God is my boss and the Lord of all things, and that all the dreams
will come true in due time.
In that conversation with the priest, I understood the difference between theology of
prosperity and theology of grace. To the first, everything that I have experienced
means nothing, only the future matters. To the second, all that I have been living and
will live means grace. While listening to him, a movie was going through my head. I
could see how many things the Lord had done at PUR through the services that I
coordinated or was involved in mainly during that professional waiting time: booklets,
organization of a music festival, videos, organization of ENUCCS, expansion out of the
country, graduation and communication committees, several missionary journeys.
While thinking about all this, a new hope was born. I told Jacaúna about the idea of
starting a business. And he, as enthusiastic as ever, said: "Go ahead! Do not think
about money. Trust in your Boss, He will provide for your needs.” Finally, I went to
speak with Tom who has always been my great supporter. I got my portfolio and,
sharing with him the conversation I had had with Raquel and Jacaúna, showed him the
various projects I had made since the internship days. He immediately encouraged me,
and said that he would sell his car if necessary so I could set up my office. That was my
morale booster. And all this happened during one week only.
On the following week, I received a phone call from the Association I worked for. They
wanted to renew the contract of employment for a one-year’s period. The money I
was going to earn there plus my wage at Folha de Pedro Leopoldo (where I worked
three times a week, every fifteen days) would be enough for me to afford the expenses
of the office and even save some bucks. I rented a nice room very close to my house,
bought the furniture, decorated it the way I had always dreamed of, and hung a
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picture of Jerusalem on the wall right in front of my desk so that I would never forget
the origin of everything. From a frustrated journalist, I became a professional
entrepreneur. Nobody would be able to stop me now!
Thereafter, times changed. It was time to reap and sow new seeds. In May 2002, I was
invited to substitute for a teacher at the Faculty of Education at Funcec in João
Monlevade, a town two hours away from BH. I remember exactly the day when, for
the first time, I set foot in a college classroom, fulfilling a dream that seemed far away
for not having a master's degree. It was on May 22, 2002, Tom’s birthday. I remember
it very well because we were going to get engaged within twenty-five days, and the
wonderful news only added to our joy and to the celebration. From a self-employed
professional, I became a college professor of a subject that studies media convergence
in education. I had already been studying this topic on my own because it was my
research interest for the Master’s Program. Also in the second half of 2002, I started
teaching at another college, this time in BH. At the end of the year, after passing a
contest at UEMG, I began teaching at this University in the first half of 2003. It was all
set for 2003: besides buying a house and preparing for the wedding, I would keep on
working, going on mission trips, and nothing else.
But there was more ahead. On a Monday, exactly on November 4, 2002, while
returning home from downtown BH by bus, I received a call on my cell phone. It was
about 5 p.m. A professor from PUC-Minas, Sandra Tosta, whom I had had the
opportunity to see at a conference, presenting a paper, was on the other end.
"Ivna, you do not know me. My name is Sandra. I am a professor at the Faculty of
Education at PUC. Claudia Fonseca gave me your phone number.” (I didn’t have a clue
who that Claudia was.) She went on, “I am promoting a series of debates with my
students and I would like to invite you to give a lecture on the use of media in
education. It is this Thursday at 7 in the morning. Is it okay by you? "
"I’d love to do that,” I replied, “but I'll be in another city on Thursday morning. Could it
be on another day? "
"It could be tomorrow only, at seven a.m. too. But this is too soon for you, I guess. "
"For me, Sandra, that's okay. I'll be there tomorrow. "
I got home, quickly prepared the topics that I would address, and on the following day
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there I was in Professor Tosta’s classroom. She analyzed everything I said, and stared
at me in such a way that if I was not confident enough, I might have got lost. I finished
the lecture, she thanked and introduced me to her students as "a consultant on media
and education." That was awesome! I had to hold back my laughter because I had no
idea where she could have possibly taken that phrase from. However, before I left,
Professor Tosta asked me, "Aren’t you going to apply for the master's degree program
in Education at PUC?" I said that I wasn’t because there was no topic of interest, and I
was going to get married in 2003. Besides, my English wasn’t so good, and wouldn’t be
able to afford tuition. But she blurted out, "How come? What do you mean this area of
research doesn’t exist? At the anthropology line that I coordinate with another
professor, there is a sideline for the study of media. It’s about time PUC started
research in this area. I have great interest in it. "
Wow, I was thrilled! I was going to take the test that year. Yes, I would give it a try. It
was Tuesday, and application deadline was Friday. I would have to handle all my
activities at work, and prepare the pre-project within very short time. But I managed to
do all that. I arrived at PUC with the pre-project, all required documents, plus a 10page career memorial, at exactly 5:05 p.m. that Friday, just in time to apply. The tests
of English and knowledge of Education were scheduled for a Monday morning, shortly
after the PUR state meeting in Manaus /AM where I would be preaching. I dared not
clear my participation at the meeting, though. I went to Manaus on Friday and had to
return on Saturday because there was no flight on Sunday. If the Lord had taken care
of everything up to that moment, He would take care of the rest. I passed the first
phase, and then, the interview. Classes would begin in February, but where would the
money for tuition come from? But God already knew everything. It’s worth telling
about a special detail on that trip to Manaus. Upon arriving at the meeting campsite, I
headed off to the chapel to pray before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The time there
in the presence of Jesus was short because pretty soon they called me for the lectures.
Time was short, but long enough for the gentleness of God to be manifested. A very
humble lady who was there at the intersection stopped me when I was leaving, and
told me, "Sweetie, I was amazed at the love Jesus has for you. When you came in, it
was like I could see the smiling face of the Lord. You are very special, and He will take
care of all you left behind to be here. Go in peace and may the Holy Spirit be with
you.”
In June, the month of our wedding, we were getting short of money (we were doing up
the house we had purchased), but then I got a scholarship from PUC, worth 33%,
retroactive to January. Thus, in the months of June and July I did not have to pay
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anything. In August, shortly after the wedding, I was told that FUNCEC, the college
where I taught (I am still teaching there), would pay 50% of tuition. I could hardly
believe it! Who knew?! From a frustrated journalist to an entrepreneur! From an
entrepreneur to a university teacher! From a teacher to a graduate student! From a
graduate student to a wife! From a wife to a master! Mind you! And in the future, God
willing, wife, and master, and mother ... and everything else that the Lord will give me!
But on all these steps, by God’s grace, you will always find a dreamy and forever
grateful heart that belongs to Ivna.
Today I know that professional fulfillment is not synonymous with recognition or
financial reward. It is much more than that. It means to be in the place where God calls
me to be. And this place is no other than that "where your deep gladness and the
world's deep hunger meet.” (Buechner, Frederick). In my specific case, this place was
not a major mass-media vehicle, a hospital or a diocese press officer. This place had
been reserved by God: it was the university. Whether I work as a journalist or as a
teacher, I know I have a sublime mission, as well as all Professionals of the Kingdom,
but it will only take place as far as my technical and humanistic background, my joy
and silent listening to the will of the Father operate in unison. Now I can say as Edith
Stein: "God knows what he wants me to do. I have no concern about it. What does not
enter into my plans depends on the divine plane. "
Eight years later: two daughters and a new profession!
Before writing this addition to this chapter, I wondered if I should do it. I say this
because I always lay out a lot when I share my story. This exposure has never bothered
me, quite the contrary, it has made me and it makes me more human. It has always
bothered me a lot the fact that some preachers, spiritual leaders or coordinators
recount great deeds, unwavering faith, and convey the idea that they are super
heroes, someone above good and evil, and completely settled. As for me things have
always been the other way round, perhaps that’s why many people identify
themselves with my story. I believe that, in order to speak to people’s hearts, we have
to take on our fragility and the beauty of our humanity.
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It is strange to start a text that has a title as suggestive as the one I chose above. In
fact, I just wanted to prepare you for my sincere sharing. Over these past eight years, I
got two great gifts: my daughters. There are no words to explain the greatness of
motherhood. It is a wonderful mystery and constant learning. I would say that it is the
largest mission entrusted to human beings: to be a father and a mother. I quote here
Jose Saramago, Nobel Prize-Winning Portuguese writer, when he says:
"A son is a being loaned to us for a crash course in how to love someone other than ourselves so that we
might change our faults in order to present a worthy example and learn how to be brave. That’s right!
To be a father or a mother is the greatest act of courage anyone can undertake because it means
exposing oneself to every kind of pain, especially that which comes from wondering whether one is
behaving correctly or that fear which comes from the [possibility] of losing one you love so much. Loss?
How? It’s not ours, remember? It was merely a loan.”
Living the experience of motherhood requires a lot of resignation. You choose to love
above anything else daily, you place your children as a priority in your mission to
enhance the sacredness of marriage. The announcement of my first pregnancy came
just after ENUCC Maringá in 2004. It was in September of that year that we found out I
was pregnant. Immense was our joy, despite the fear of not being able to accomplish
the master's degree before the baby’s birth. It was very, very difficult to travel the 800kilometer road every week to teach in the countryside, write the dissertation, and feel
all the discomfort in the first months of pregnancy. How sleepy I was, my Jesus!
I wanted to enjoy the letters that arrived daily telling me about the impact that the
book had brought about, I wanted to enjoy my pregnancy, buy little things for the
baby’s layette, enjoy my husband’s company, our house, finally I wanted to do what
any woman would do on that occasion. However, time was too cruel. The martyrdom
of sending the first texts to my supervisor began. Then, they were returned for review,
they were sent back once again, and then another review in what seemed an endless
process. I strongly thought about giving up, but Jesus had compassion on me and used
my husband to call me. "Where is the warrior, brave Ivna that does not let anything
beat her? Seek Jesus in your heart and take courage. Everything will pass. You need to
get this degree for your career, and then you may decide what to do," said Tom. And
so it was...
I defended the dissertation on April 14, 2005. I was the second student in the class to
do it. The panel consisted of four professors, and the room was filled with about one
hundred people (friends and relatives invited) plus an entire class of students of the
Faculty of Education at PUC. I finished the presentation with an image of Maria Clara
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taken from an ultrasound picture: it was a moment that I will never forget. After the
minutes were read (approval with honors), I addressed the panel and told them
something that let them kind of astonished: "During this time, Professor Sandra and
dear professors, besides keeping my professional activities, bringing forth a new life
with all the sickness of a typical pregnancy, I even wrote a 263-page book that tells the
story of many university students widespread all over this country who are desirous of
reconciling faith with science, and thus better serve society. I would like to give each
one of you a copy of this book. "
At that moment, dear reader, I had full conviction that the Father was carrying me on
his lap the whole time. Now I only had to await the arrival of this child who was born a
master and a close friend of her mother’s. Only she and God know how hard it had
been to get there, to earn that victory. Maria Clara arrived on May 20, 2005. She was a
beautiful red-haired baby, and she is still red-haired today. A young man from the
ministry here in Belo Horizonte used to say that the baby’s mother was filled with so
much fire of the Spirit that her daughter came with red hair!
During the four-month maternity leave, everything happened as expected: a baby
cries, we stay awake all night long, there are cramps, joys, discoveries. Then, one day, I
had to return to work, and the greatest difficulties began. It was no easy task to travel
to João Monlevade twice a week (a round trip), and to Divinópolis also twice a week. In
order to go to Monlevade, I had to leave home at 2 pm and arrived back home at 1
a.m. To go to Divinópolis, I used to leave home at 4:30 a.m., returning only at 3 pm.
With a young child to breastfeed, my God! I feel sick when I remember those days!
But God, who knew about all my needs, had reserved some very good news for me.
Even today I cannot understand it very well. I'll try to be brief: a few months before
Maria Clara was born, I had taken some pictures of my niece so that my sister Lara
could use them at her daughter’s first birthday party. I took the photos with a Canon
compact camera, a very simple one, actually, that I had bought in Ciudad East during
ENUCC in Maringá. The photos were very delicate in spite of their improvised
production. The fact is that one of those pictures fell into the hands of the owner of a
magazine specialized in products for babies and pregnant women in Belo Horizonte,
and she ended up using that image for a magazine cover.
With Maria Clara’s arrival and the nice result of the photos of Larinha, I began to take
pleasure in baby pictures, and started photographing friends and close relatives’
children, all with the compact camera on automatic mode. People liked the photos,
and they started telling me to invest in this segment because I had talent to be a
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photographer. Well, all went in one ear and out the other, once my great dream was
to be a college professor. Then, the same magazine asked me for another photo. I
forwarded them a photo of Maria Clara at five months. Her red hair has always been
extremely successful wherever she goes, and it was not different then. So she was on
the cover of another magazine number. When the magazine owner and I had to settle
payment for the use of the image, I decided to make a deal with her. As a result, an
advertisement with professional information was added to the magazine. At that time I
had already registered my domain name (www.ivnasa.com.br), so I posted some
photos and included my work phone number (my office was in our home). The
magazine was circulating, and the telephone would never stop ringing. People wanted
to visit the studio, schedule photos, and so on... It was decision time. I was only an
amateur photographer but could not go on that way. So, my husband and I sat down
to talk and tried to figure out what we would do. He was afraid, he said I was
unfocused, that I had struggled so much to be a college professor, and now I was
coming up with another job option. Despite his many questions and counterarguments, I decided to follow my heart and invest in this new career, but after I
gained his support, of course.
Thus, we bought a professional camera, and put up an improvised studio in the living
room of our house. I hired a tutor and said to him: "Teach me how to use this camera
because I don’t know a thing about photography.” Meanwhile, we would dismiss
prospective clients, who kept calling for the service, by saying that I was taking a
refresher course on photography and would be ready in two months only. That's right:
two months was the time I needed to learn another profession.
The photography business added to the family budget. In addition, I had the jobs in
those two towns and another job in Belo Horizonte. I was working like a machine! It is
important to mention that our house (with the studio) was very old. The roof, for
example, was not waterproof so, on rainy days, drips were everywhere. It was chaotic.
That lack of basic infrastructure to serve customers made me really depressed. I will
never forget the day when the pregnancy photo session of a district attorney ended. It
was raining heavily, and a lot of water was spilling over a bad gutter flooding the stairs
and even my studio. So, in order to get my client outside safely without being dragged
by the water, I had to pick up a bucket and try to stop the water flow a little. Jesus,
what a pathetic scene! That was embarrassing!
That day, my husband and I came to the conclusion that the money from the
photography business was not being saved, it disappeared with the household
expenses. We urgently needed to rebuild the house, or even better, we had to put it
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down and build another one. The great trap began! We set a very high goal and, in
order to achieve it, we did anything and everything: pictures on weekends, on
Saturday afternoon, on Sundays, whenever our clients wanted. Classes followed,
fatigue was taking hold in such a way that I often felt that I would not be able to
accomplish everything. The most difficult thing, however, was to handle so many
different tasks: motherhood plus the journeys to João Monlevade. On those occasions
I suffered a lot, I always felt sick because of the winding road there.
On January 31, 2007, we had just returned from our vacation when my housemaid, the
one who had taken care of Maria Clara since her birth, called me and said she wasn’t
going to work for us anymore. That was really bad news. I didn’t know how I would
handle everything. At the time my husband worked all day long and went to college in
the evening. Things were getting increasingly worse until one night, in mid-May, when
I was arriving from Monlevade, I passed out while trying to climb the stairs. Then I had
bleeding, started crying, felt helpless, and could not find support in anything and
anyone. As I write about this I feel like crying again, and tears come to my eyes. I ask
myself: "Why did I struggle so much, my God"?
After undergoing medical tests, God led me to a neurologist who reached this almost
obvious conclusion: "Ivna, you really believe in God, don’t you? Then, thank Him for all
that you've been through. I hope this warning will help your growth. You're not a
machine, but if you continue to do everything you have been doing, you will die.
Clinically, you have nothing; at the same time, you have everything: an occupational
disease. You are a workaholic33. At first, I will give you fifty days off so you can be with
your daughter and enjoy her growth. You will seek psychotherapy, and will need to
take some drugs to help you because you will not succeed by yourself."
And so it was. I took fifty days out of work... and could rethink many things in my life.
From 2003 to 2007 (when I got sick), I started a master's degree course, bought a
house, got married, wrote a book, finished a dissertation, had a daughter, started a
new profession, renovated an entire house without a single day off . That had been at
least irrational. In late 2007, our house was ready and beautiful. The studio was set
33
The term workaholic was created by Americans. It is the junction of alcoholic (addicted to alcohol) and
work, used to designate a kind of syndrome that, contrary to alcoholism, is accepted and well-seen by
society. This type of professional is growing every day, finding the perfect alibi in globalization for their
own existence. It is an evil that must be fought because it represents the gateway to many diseases typical
of this century: depression, obesity, diabetes, anxiety, among others.
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tidily, I had a separate office, our client base was growing. The goal had been
accomplished, but at such a high cost that I do not recommend it to anyone. That
happy, enthusiastic dreamer appeared to be dead. It was too difficult to rise again!
And worst of all is that when we get sick, the environment we live in and the
relationships we have also become ill. It took a lot of love from my husband so that
together we could overcome this difficult phase in our marriage.
And why am I sharing this with you, dear reader? Simply to say that Life is a precious
gift and it is our responsibility to take care of it. God has not called us to lead the
overwhelming, oppressive life of postmodern society. He called us to the Full Life, Life
in abundance.
Last year, while reading the encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, titled Spe Salvi on
Christian Hope, my attention was drawn to the following passage:
“Certainly, in our many different sufferings and trials, we always need the lesser and greater hopes
too—a kind visit, the healing of internal and external wounds, a favorable resolution of a crisis, and so
on. In our lesser trials these kinds of hope may even be sufficient. But in truly great trials, where I must
make a definitive decision to place the truth before my own welfare, career and possessions, I need the
certitude of that true, great hope of which we have spoken here.(…) The saints were able to make the
great journey of human existence in the way that Christ had done before them, because they were
brimming with great hope.”
I experienced the quiet force of the Great Hope. Surely, it was this force that made me
get up. Also because of this force, I learned I needed to make a choice. As much as
teaching was the fulfillment of a dream, I could not handle the two careers. I chose to
prioritize photography, because then I would have better quality of life, could spend
more time with my daughter, or rather, with my daughters. Yes, in 2009, our second
princess was born: Amanda Luisa. She is the joy of the house, a cute naughty girl. After
her arrival, I had to get better organized, so I hired a couple of professionals, and
taught them what I knew about photography so they would replace me during
maternity leave. Also, my husband and I realized and agreed that he should quit his job
at the school, and help me run our business. That was a great decision, and today we
are partners in literally everything.
However, my career as a teacher had not ended with those changes. Soon, I was
invited to teach at the course of Theology at PUC-Minas and at the St. Thomas Aquinas
Institute here in Belo Horizonte. Helping future priests to communicate better has
been a very rewarding experience. I also teach graduate courses during vacation time.
Over four days, I have the opportunity to discuss the media, religion and education
issues in modern society with future priests and teachers. I feel really fulfilled. God
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took care of everything. He gave me a new job in which I can experience the greatness
of motherhood, talk to pregnant women, live with children of various ages, and
gradually be part of their family history.
I found that, through photography, I can make people happier. As Henri CartierBresson would say, "to photograph is to put on the same line of sight, the head, the
eye and the heart." But this is a subject for another book. The most beautiful of all is
that now I can see that things on which I put my hands become gold also in
professional life. Do you remember Chapter 14, when I described my distress for not
being able to boost my career and succeed? Well, here is the answer. Believing in the
Great Hope has made all the difference!
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18 - The Professionals of the Kingdom
“The deeper one is drawn into God, the more he needs to go out of himself- out into the
world, that is, to carry the divine life into it.”
Edith Stein
To reconcile faith with reason; to keep the flame of baptism in the Holy Spirit; to keep
dreaming of the renewed univers(city); to be a Professional of the Kingdom that will
live the evangelical teachings in his or her profession, in his or her social and ecclesial
practice - I do not mean here deontology (ethics code) of a professional category only,
but an ethos that has the Gospel as its greatest foundation. These were some of our
dreams and desires when we graduated, after going through a spiritual, communal,
and transformational experience within the university prayer teams. However, is it
possible to meet these demands without a community that can sustain us, or rather,
without being among those with whom we have learned to dream? Based on these
needs, diversified experiences toward work with college graduates, the so-called
Professionals of the Kingdom34, have popped up here and there. Experiences such as
the one held in the Beira Linha Community in Belo Horizonte, an underprivileged area
located near the PUC-Minas São Gabriel Campus.
The Sharing and Perseverance Team of Professionals (GPP) in Belo Horizonte has been
conducting a systematic study of human development with residents of the
community. The initiative is the result of the Solidarity Freshman Prank movement
34
It is important to clarify two key points regarding this terminology "Professional of the
Kingdom", because we run the risk of being misinterpreted. The first refers to the place of origin of this
person. This place is somewhat "unknown" because we are aware that training the "Professional of the
Kingdom" is not an exclusive competence of PUR. Thank God, there are many professionals who give
living testimony of the Kingdom of Jesus in their daily practices. They are not only in PUR, the CCR or in
the Catholic Church. The other point relates to the understanding of the word professional itself that
means "one who accomplishes an office."The term professional is not restricted to academic formation,
obviously. We use this terminology only for identification and by virtue of the expression, not willing,
therefore, to exclude the street cleaners who sweep the streets and collect trash, the driver and the bus
collector, the salesperson at the pharmacy or the bakery, and finally all those who struggle daily to
accomplish their tasks.
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conducted by PUC-Minas (BH, Betim, Contagem, and Sao Gabriel) with the support of
the PUR-luquinhas from BH. Basically, the Solidarity Freshman Prank consists of this: all
freshmen are invited to donate non-perishable food, clothes, shoes and school
supplies; the group that donates the greatest amount of items is awarded at an event
called "closing festival". At this festival, all freshmen gather together, attend a lively
and dynamic Mass, watch stage performances or watch PUR’s videos, and so on.
Awards may range from a TV set to shirts for all students in the group, or books (it
depends on the college), and are offered by the school itself. Then, all freshmen are
invited to meet the community that will benefit from the donations. In the case of BH,
these donations are intended for the Beira Linha Community, where the so-called
"academic missions" are held every semester. Students visit the family houses, play
with the children, feel the reality of those brothers and sisters, evangelize and are
evangelized.
The experience in Beira Linha Community became so important to some members of
PUR / BH, like Veronica, José Gerbasi, and Kenya, that GPP decided to develop a
project on human promotion, working more closely with the community, what has
been happening since 2002. In two years’ time, they have offered local people
handcraft lessons such as dish towel painting, decorative candles, paper crafts, gift
boxes, among others. The community also had the opportunity to participate in a
talent competition, an event that encouraged young people to read and write.
Currently, the education level of the residents is being surveyed through the
application of a questionnaire. Then, with specific, detailed data, GPP wants to offer
supplementary elementary school and high school classes to adults and young adults,
besides keeping the above mentioned lessons that may help families to generate
income. The next workshops will be on curtains and carpets. Moreover, the
Community will soon get two great presents, I mean, they will have two social work
professionals assisting them, and also the multidisciplinary work of PUR’s Health team
from UFMG. PUR Health Service is an initiative of UFMG students belonging to the
university’s UPTs, and has become an extension activity of that institution.
"Several possibilities for action of solidarity present in the different levels within the
Church in America. A path of solidarity between the Christian communities of North,
Central-South of the continent has been opened (...) also remains open to the
creativity of new forms of solidarity the path initiated by many lay people, especially
professionals, who give generously of their time and knowledge to help the most
needy. "(Lineamenta, 59.Encounter with the living Jesus Christ: the Way to Conversion,
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Communion and Solidarity in America, p.79).
I invited the journalist, publicist and film expert Brune Montalvao to tell a little story
on the "Professionals of the Kingdom". You have already heard of him in previous
chapters, so further presentations are unnecessary. Actually, I had asked him to
recount the experience of the Beira Linha Community, but as he forgot about it, I
decided to describe it above. After all, this book is an antidote to the newspapers we
read daily. Good news can and should be given here.
Lord, make us a perfect offering!
On February 27, 1998, Friday, 7 p.m., a newly graduate college group met to begin one
of the first experiences of PUR’s graduate university students at the Office of the
Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Belo Horizonte. This information has merely historical
value, as each new experience is also essential to achieve the "Kingdom of God on
earth." Just like at the multiplication of the loaves, this group found themselves before
the "hungry crowd" and, like the apostles, at first, hesitated to take on the task they
had been entrusted with. But the whole miracle of God renews those who volunteer,
including the "have-nothing" ones.
Today, with the dream still before us, but with the certainty that "the shore" is being
left behind, the "professionals of the Kingdom" already deserve a chapter in "the
memoir of PUR" (by Ivna Sa). It is a story that has many fronts, several beginnings,
various characters, several cities. Here, however, we will begin with Belo Horizonte
and its particular (and universal) story that somehow merges with the issue of
graduate college students within PUR! In Belo Horizonte, PUR traditionally used to
hold the so-called Vacation Groups. The intention was to keep up, even during periods
of school vacation, the experience with the Holy Spirit - so well experienced in the
UPTs. Another benefit was the ability to bring members of diverse prayer teams
together, extending the local community spirit. On the date that opens this chapter,
the students were back to UPTs, and the group consisted of newly graduate college
students facing a new reality.
Experience in the university prayer teams had sown in their souls the desire to go into
"deeper waters". From the beginning, there was common sense that the group should
take a new kind of attitude, different from that experienced during college. However,
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they maintained not only the name of baptism (GOP35 - Prayer Team of Professionals),
but also UPT’s features and the “new times” were not quite clear yet. With “CCR’s
manual in hand," we envisioned our condition as a team of sharing and perseverance.
However, practice sets its own concepts. At first, GOP ran as a team of "self-help." We
classify this period as the "couch phase”. We were a group of people that consumed
their energies sharing personal dilemmas of the early stages in their careers, and
promoted an endless metalinguistic debate about the group’s rationale. The initial
name was quickly dismissed! We were not supposed to be an "elite prayer team (PT)”,
since prayer teams should be open to everyone without distinction. Thus, a prayer
team that harbored only skilled professionals seemed inappropriate. Therefore, GOP
came out and GPP36 (Sharing and Perseverance Team) came in. However, it is
noteworthy that this conclusion is not definitive and, legitimately, there are prayer
teams of professionals formed by PUR members.
Life goes on, the team was gradually building their own ways! The "therapy" dragged
on for a few good years while the discomfort with the call to "go into deeper waters"
was increasing. This tension brought about a polarity in the team: on the one hand,
those who defended the practices of a "permanent cure for broken hearts", on the
other, those who advocated greater pastoral commitment of the group and a rupture
with that "self-absorbed" practice. The certainty is that neither side had the full truth.
However, from the sum of the two concepts, the group finally moved into a new stage.
At this time, the term "Professional of the Kingdom" became the core of the
discussions, and the sense of the group took on clearer contours as its tripod support
was defined:
1 - PUR: the group must act together with the UPTs and university students, playing a
role model as supporter, trainer, server, etc..
2 - Spiritual: GPP / BH should promote spiritual and doctrinal improvement among its
members. Collaborate so that members won’t lose sight of the mystique of renewal
and, above all, Christian mysticism.
3 - Social action: the GPP / BH must articulate social actions, ensuring that the
professional gifts are effectively placed in the service of the needy.
We were in 2001 and, finally, it was time for active construction! Seeking to put into
35
GOP is the Portuguese acronym and stands for Grupo de Oração de Profissionais.Translator’s
36
GPP is the Portuguese acronym and stands for Grupo de Partilha e Perseverança.Translator’s
note.
note.
176
practice that tripod, we came across a really unusual fact: we had no structural link
with PUR. We were only UPT’s former participants. There was no formal space for
graduate students’ action. In the local community, a large gap separated the two
realities: the graduates and the academics. At first, PUR’s national coordination,
headed by Fernando Mococa, understood that this situation was a specific problem of
PUR in Belo Horizonte.
At unofficial contacts at the Minas Gerais Charismatic Catholic University Students
State Meeting (EEUCC), held in Governador Valadares (MG), from April 21 to 23, 2001,
members of the GPP-BH, committed to raising the discussion about graduate students’
role within PUR, realized that there were other professionals in Minas Gerais’ towns
also concerned with the issue. In an even broader sense, PUR was apparently leaving
several former luquinhas orphans. Definitely, it was not a local problem. Definitely, the
Holy Spirit raised hearts willing to assume the role of the "Professional of the
Kingdom" not only in Belo Horizonte! Therefore, it was necessary to establish links
with graduates from all over the country.
A space for sharing was necessary, so the PUR-GPP mailing list was created on June 19,
2001. “It aims to cooperate in the reflection (insight) of how the professional will place
himself within PUR," it was announced. The national debate had been launched.
Another milestone in the effort to nationalize and institutionalize the issue of
graduates was ENUCC Bauru (also in 2001). Although the meeting was not included in
the official program, at one of the intervals, about one hundred professionals gathered
to share their experiences as graduate students and their motivations toward the work
with PUR. Once again, we were sure about the urgent need to have PUR think about
the "Professionals of the Kingdom" and mobilize them as well. We had many
questions, many dreams, but also the same conviction that we should accept the
invitation to take on our role as "renewed professionals" in the world.
From this impromptu meeting in Bauru, two ideas were sown: the first PUR Graduates
National Meeting, and the need to create a national commission to deal with the issue
of graduates in the national team. Another pivotal event at ENUCC was the speech by
the President of the CCR National Council, Reinaldo Beserra, openly declaring that the
Renewed Universities Project was responsible for those professionals. Thus, the
"official doors" were opened for us to start a more systematic work.
In November 2001, during the meeting of the national team in Guarapari / ES, the
Graduates National Committee was established under the coordination of Ivna Sa. At
this same meeting, the suggestion to hold the first PUR Graduates National Meeting in
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Belo Horizonte was also approved. At the meeting, held from May 30 to June 2, 2002,
it was determined that the graduates have space within PUR. Through a rich sharing,
within a community spirit, participants listed a number of ideas about the ways of
acting and ways of organizing to be adopted by the "professionals". The seed was
planted, and from that event on, several “communities of graduates” have arisen and
strengthened across the country, with the most diverse forms of organization and
work.
In some communities, such as in Rio de Janeiro, professionals decided to hold a prayer
team structure. In others, the GPPs put on social and doctrinal motivations. The two
cases together cooperate for the construction of the vocational meaning of PUR’s
professionals. Despite the "official" character of the graduates as PUR members,
announced at the ENUCC in Bauru and reinforced at our First National Meeting,
communities of graduates in practice have had difficulty articulating with the rest of
the "body". The gap between us and the university students remained large. It was
necessary to build bridges on two fronts: locally and nationally.
Ivna was in charge of the newly created committee until the end of the meeting held in
BH. Then psychologist Fabiana Ramos Pinheiro took over the coordination. Fabiana is
one of PUR’s pioneers in Espírito Santo, and was the coordinator of Vitoria’s GPP,
contemporary to Belo Horizonte’s GPP. The Committee was in charge of encouraging
local experiences with the graduates. However, this ended up not happening on the
ground of difficulty in structuring the Committee and making it function, including
within the national team. What is certain is that for those who were out of the official
structure, there was a large institutional apathy and little space for official discussion!
However, it was in the local communities that the great transformations happened. In
São Paulo, the question of the graduates took great strength. The paulistas37 were the
ones who pioneered and promoted regional sharing retreats of professionals, seminars
at the State Meetings, etc. Following this pioneering vocation, it was also in Sao Paulo
that the first State Committee of Graduates was created. Wisely, Sao Paulo was
gradually shortening the distance between university students and graduates.
At ENUCC 2003 (Goiânia), graduates, in theory, would have again another opportunity
to advance in structural disputes. Although it had not been included in the official
program once again, a one-shift period meeting was scheduled between the graduates
and the coordinator of the Committee, Fabiana Pinheiro. Such an unusual meeting,
however, was restricted to fifteen minutes between a lecture and the final Mass. Still,
37
Paulista is a person who was born in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.Translator’s note.
178
it served as motivation to start the expansion of the Committees of Graduates! Each
community appointed a name, which would subsequently be evaluated to be
integrated with the committee. In Minas Gerais, at the EEUCC held in Coronel
Fabriciano from October 3 to 5, 2003, the State Team created and set up the Minas
Gerais State Committee of Graduates. Subsequently, toward the end of that year, the
publicist and journalist, Kenya Valadares, one of the members of the Kerygma UPT in
BH, took on the task of coordinating the committee, at the invitation of PUR’s National
Coordinator, Elen Resende. What is new is that, since 2003, committee members have
begun to be appointed by the professionals themselves, engaged in their communities,
rather than by the national coordination as before. Currently, the committee of
graduates is formed by representatives from Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, Paraná, Goiás,
Tocantins, Alagoas, and Rio de Janeiro. These are the signs of the new times, which will
be recorded in new books!
A few more words
Well ... I’ve made my point, but Ivna asked me to add, "what is expected of
professionals’ work" and "your (my) own vision." I do not know if this is like Antonio
Abujamra (Provocações) TV show38, in which he says to the respondent: "Look at that
camera and say anything you would like to say." I'll take this license and if I'm wrong ...
well ... you will not read this part and it will be the author’s fault! Anyway, what can we
expect from graduates’ work? I would say this:
I hope it will be a permanent and immovable response of all the good that we have
lived within PUR, as another sign of the eternal mercy of God. Like Jean Valjean,
seduced by the Light in Victor Hugo (Les Miserables), let us seek it every moment,
always placing ourselves on the path of righteousness. Everything else will be built
along the way and, here, I refuse the role of a "foreshadower." I will share this in my
daily dialogue with the local, the state, and the national communities, and, in the
future, with the international community. And you too are called to it!
What I can say now, and have borrowed Leandro Alberione’s39 idea, is that I want us to
be a "perfect offering" to God so that He will turn us into a sign of His hope for the
world! In communities of graduates (whatever model we choose), may each member
38
“Provocações” is a Brazilian TV show hosted by Antonio Abujamra on TV Cultura, São Paulo,
Brazil.Translator’s note
39
Leandro Alberione is a member of PUR/ São Paulo. Translator’s note
179
exercise his or her entirety, sharing their goods, whether material or spiritual;
becoming increasingly and foremost good human beings! Men and women who see all
their surroundings with the eyes of God and do not shirk from the role of "agent of
social transformation" sowing now the "Kingdom of God", especially in the condition
of ordinary people!
May we live in communal spirit, not as a form of protection, but in order to create in us
a growing desire to include the "lost sheep", to generate in us the ability to handle the
diverse, and have a sympathetic, fraternal heart! May we put our gifts, our strengths
together for the benefit of the hungry for "bread" and "Bread", while we are also
satisfied! May communities be formed to keep alive the flame of dreams, the legacy of
justice, the power of Love! So be it!
Brune Montalvão
The journey of professionals today
With the increasing number of graduates coming out of UPTs, the work with the professionals
should naturally grow and expand. Today this work has a national committee, CNP,
coordinated by Rosiane Ferreira from the state of Goiás. CNP accompanies GPPs and
GOPs (Prayer Teams of Professionals – currently seventy teams) throughout Brazil,
organizes activities nationally, advises state and diocesan committees, and establishes
communication between MUR’s state coordinators and professionals. Since the launch
of the book eight years ago, CNP has consolidated the five pillars that should guide
GPPs’ journey: a friendly and fraternal community; Pentecostal spirituality; integral
education; dialogue; mission and work in the society. In addition to GPP’s pillars, CNP
also instituted the event known as "May 1st". The idea is to bring together different
professionals in all of the dioceses in Brazil on this date: it’s a way of promoting an
encounter between the new and the old members, and at the same time, an
opportunity to invite a co-worker who wants to know about the life experience of a
renewed professional. I had the opportunity to participate in this event in Belo
Horizonte last year (2011). It was a simple day, with no great pretensions, but which
filled our hearts. As a witness of history, seeing this generation of professionals in their
twenties talking about social justice, a call to holiness, a dream of a renewed society is
very exciting. I was assured that the dream has not ended. It is a dream of God and it
continues to grow.
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After the May 1st event, CNP's desire is that prayer experiences are offered to those
professionals who did not have the grace of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (BHS) at the
university. "Whereas the experience of Pentecost produces a sense of responsibility to
spread the gospel in the heart of a man and makes him want to do missionary work,
one realizes the need to increasingly provide the same experience of Pentecost more
consistently."40 To this end, CNP is constructing a methodology for this experience of
prayer based on kerygmatic preaching and on the reality that surrounds the
professional world today. Another important step is to conduct meetings by area of
knowledge or expertise, a response to the calls of the Church that asks Christian lay
people to be promoters of a new culture.
"Imagine the advantage, in the short and long term, of an ecclesial group of
researchers in the field of health sciences, that start to meet regularly in order to
discuss issues of public health, biomedical ethics and so on; or lawyers that propose to
study the way the law is applied in Brazil; or economists that examine the economic
conjuncture or the distribution of wealth in the country. All this, of course, within a
critical view, based on the values of the kingdom. "(CNBB Studies 56 no. 521)
The objective of the meeting is to motivate the creation of teams of Christians who,
according to their vocation and training under the action of the Holy Spirit, come
together periodically to reflect on the local and national realities by networking.
"For example, a team of educators of different disciplines who meet to pray and
discuss the situation of public education in their state or city, and from there propose
projects and provide solutions to the problems encountered, as a result of such regular
meetings; or health professionals that present alternatives for a more humane and
universal public health; or engineers and architects that propose solutions to the issue
of housing with construction projects for low-cost homes; social scientists, historians
and social workers that examine critically the social circumstances and local policy,
overseeing how public funds are being applied; or researchers who debate on ethics in
scientific research."41
The first meeting by areas has been scheduled for September 2012 in Sao Paulo,
40
2011 CNP Report, delivered by the committee coordinator, Rosiane Ferreira, to the
participants of the MUR’s national team service meeting, held in Campinas in October2011.
41
2011 CNP Report.
181
bringing together the following CCR ministries: Renewed Universities Ministry, Human
Promotion Ministry, and Ministry of Faith and Politics.
The view of someone who started along with GPPs journey
I'm not allowed to write about current professionals’ walk, because I am not a
Committee or GPP member. I would like, however, to address a few issues that might
be useful in our journey. When we started the first sharing team of professionals in
Belo Horizonte, we did not have anything very clear in mind. The only sure thing we
brought along was that we needed to stay together so that the flame of the dream
would not extinguish.
Over time, GPP grew, the number of participants increased, and suddenly there were
several generations of graduates in one place. I will explain better: there was the first
generation: me, Kenya, Brune, Eni, Paul, William, Sergio, among others that had
graduated around the same year. Later on, graduates in subsequent years also began
to be part of GPP-BH. Thus, it was natural that the professional and personal demands
gradually became more and more different among us.
Eventually, we were in a group where there were people concerned about their first
job, others were concerned with their coming wedding, others were preparing for
parenthood, and there were also the ones who did not know whether they returned to
their hometowns or kept on struggling to make a living in BH. In addition to this, there
was that co-worker of one of the participants, or someone’s boyfriend who had
decided to attend the meetings. Most often, these people were not charismatic and
sometimes not even Catholic. This means that a meeting based on the Social Doctrine
of the Church came up against, for example, basic issues of Christian faith. In short, the
group was losing focus and often crisis set in. After all, who are we? Okay, we were
under construction. There was no one who could say or teach us anything about what
a GPP should be like. The path is made by walking.
I make it clear here that this was the portrait of the Belo Horizonte team by the year
2002, when I took part in it. But I had to quit because I started teaching in the evening,
and I never went back again. Why? Because then I got married, had children, and
increasingly, the group did not meet my expectations. The same occurred with
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colleagues of my generation who also got married, had children, etc. Today, as I look at
the journey of GPPs and find that older professionals of the Kingdom, who are married
and have children, no longer participate in GPPs42, I wonder if we had quit if the GPPs
format were different, I mean, if they were more restricted, with fewer members,
same age group. This flag was raised during my time in Belo Horizonte but the local
community never accepted it.
I understand GPP as a place where I can share my experiences, grow in matured faith,
confront challenges that may arise at any time in my life with my neighbors. Is this
sharing possible in a large group with significant participant turnover and different
expectations? At the time I defended the idea of a cell-like team, that is, one that
multiplied over time. For example, at the end of each year, one of the members would
leave the team to help set up another one, and encourage them, and help to boost
their growth. After that, the process would be repeated, so that today we would have
a lot of GPPs and, occasionally, as on May 1st, they would gather in a great time of
worship, sharing and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The groups might have different
dynamics: some could meet weekly, others fortnightly, others monthly, according to
the reality of their participants. They could meet in a church, in the workplace, at a
member’s home. For example, a GPP that intended to meet the demands of
professionals of MUR’s first, second and third generations would have to consider
these professionals’ children and include them. I know that the proposal is bold,
challenging, but it cannot be otherwise. It would not be evangelical! But the Master
said that the way through the door is narrow…
It is not my intention to disqualify the exemplary work of the CNP by sharing these
ideas with you. On the contrary, I only want to present a piece of information because
this experience may help us. Even though, at times, the team format I have proposed
could resemble a therapy group, because it is closed, the benefit of seeing the dream
fueled by sharing with the brothers and sisters who grew up together in the same
hope would be greater. Each professional could carry out his or her pastoral work in
the Church or CCR and this would not "compete" at all with his or her participation in
GPP. Actually, I believe that one action would feed the other. I am sure that you, the
42
I make this remark based on my reality in Belo Horizonte, on the reality in Vitória /ES(places
that kicked off the graduates teams). I do not know the path of GPPs elsewhere. There is a CNP project
to write a book about the "Professional of the Kingdom."I see this demand as urgent because, if history
is recorded, we run less risk of making the same mistakes of the past. In addition to this, the experience
of a community helps the other and so we walk toward the will of the Father.
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reader, who live a similar situation, fervently wish you could have a group of sharing
and perseverance that met regularly with those who had been with you at the
University, those who dreamed the same dream... Ah, just thinking about it makes my
mouth water!43
Today, we would be a large army of professionals who would take on specific
vocations, even within the CCR Ministries. At a meeting by areas, for example, it would
be so much easier to reach many of those professionals who passed by the UPTs, but,
unfortunately, we no longer know where they are, what they have been doing, and
what they have been dreaming about. The work with professionals is of utmost
importance to the very legitimacy of the dream. The generations that are now in the
universities will not see any sense in fighting for a dream if we, the ones who came
before, allow ourselves to get lost along the way. The song “Sol de Primavera”
(Springtime Sun) by singer Beto Guedes well illustrates what I mean:
"When September comes and the good news walks on the fields
I want to see spring forgiveness where we planted together again
We have dreamed together of sowing the songs in the wind
I want to see our voice grow in the dream that is missing.
We have cried a lot, many were lost on the way
Yet it’s worth inventing a new song that will bring us
Spring sunshine opens the windows of my chest
The lesson we know by heart. We must only learn it."(my italics)
When I refer to professionals who "got lost on the way", I do not want to present a
simplistic view such as: they no longer attend church, they no longer take part in a
prayer team, they do not belong to any GPP, etc. I go beyond: I refer to those who no
longer see any sense in the facts, those who look back and think that the renewed
universities was a phase, an excitement of youth, nothing else! This is the saddest of all
sorrows. I once heard somebody say, "Are you still in?" I chose not to reply. I think that
deep down many people still do not understand what the dream of love of the
43
I tried to gather the "luquinhas" of my generation looking to find a group format that could serve their
husbands and wives who did not participate in the MUR and also their children. We lacked the strength to
persist, especially because many of us had very young children, with all the difficulties adapting ourselves
to the condition. This page of the book of my life has yet to be written. I feel so sorry to know that the
rush of life takes so many essential things from us such as living with people who are so important in our
lives. Dear reader, we need to take care of those professionals who have built the story that you continue
today. We can use social networks to gather this group, organize meetings and let the Holy Spirit pour
into our hearts, like it occurred in the community of disciples in Acts.
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Renewed Universities is.
The meetings of professionals held by April 2012
I PUR Graduates National Meeting
May 30 to June 2, 2002 (Belo Horizonte - MG)
Theme: Professionals of the Kingdom, rekindling the flame.
II PUR Graduates National Meetin
October 16 and 17, 2004 (Campinas - SP)
Theme: Professionals of the Kingdom, commitment to the civilization of love!
Motto: "What the soul is inthe body, be the professional of the Kingdom in the world."
III Professionals National Meeting
October 12 to 15, 2006 - Maringá / PR
Theme: Professionals of the Kingdom: ‘Do whatever he tells you’. Jn 2: 5
Motto: “Glory and praise to the Father who in Christ reconciled us.”
Transverse Axis: The dignity of a human being and Christian life in a pluralistic world.
IV Professionals National Meeting
September 18 to 21, 2008 - Palmas-TO
Theme: Life and Conversion.
Motto: "It is because you have been saved."
V Professionals National Meeting
September 03 to 07, 2010 - Brasília - DF
Theme: "Proclaim the Word, preach the Good News"
Motto:"United byYourWord, we will rebuildthe walls"
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19 - Tomorrow
“Greater than everything is the Peace of eternity, where all bonds are loosed,
all veils fall away.”
Edith Stein
I should not end this book without pondering about some issues that are relevant to
today’s world. In advance, I would like to warn you that I will be quite clear when I
stand on some controversial points. In other words, I will be explicit which side I am
on. The distinguished educator Paulo Freire said that, when talking to their students,
teachers should always make it clear who they are speaking for or against. Not only do
I agree with Freire, but I would add that every Professional of the Kingdom should do
the same in his or her professional career. Since I am not playing the role of a journalist
who needs to seek the myth of impartiality as much as possible (at least in
informational text), I will point out a few provocative questions. If, at the end of the
chapter, they serve to unsettle you, my mission will have been fulfilled.
Well, in order to speak about the future, one must look at the present. The present is
not merely made of testimonies like the ones you have read over these pages, but it
consists of many counter-testimonies, symbolized by corruption, by inequality,
injustice, poverty that affect millions and millions of people. This present is also
marked by political, social, economic, intellectual and religious vanity that pervades
the social sphere, leaving marks of inequality, intolerance, and destruction even more
visible, across the world. In the movie "The Devil's Advocate," actor Al Pacino, in the
role of Satan, says, "Vanity is my favorite sin." And he seemed to be quite right. In the
name of vanity, we have seen increasingly forcefully and intensely a time that
overvalues the individual flourish. Not the individual / subject as perhaps the fathers of
the Enlightenment wanted (individual ut singulus), but rather the consumerist
individual, the one with purchasing power. The greater your ability to consume is, the
higher your level of "citizenship", your social acceptance, your influence, status, fame,
success will be.
While I am writing these lines, a quote by Mother Teresa comes to my mind, which
goes against the whole neoliberal and capitalist perspective. She said "our calling is not
to succeed, but to be faithful." Faithfulness. The word that guided Mother Teresa’s life
is still a distinguished unknown term in this postmodern society. There is nothing more
old-fashioned than “faithfulness”. After all, everything is disposable; the cell phone
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and the computer I buy today will be obsolete tomorrow. I am faithful to a person
while my wishes are being fulfilled (when this stops happening, I simply dismiss him or
her); marriages are disposable, parents and children are disposable; the black, the
elderly, homosexuals, prostitutes, slums, or miserable people who think differently
than me are disposable. Finally, human life is disposable. In this post-modern society,
superficiality is the logic. In this sense, a question arises: what is the psychological
profile of the man who is generating the new times? For Enrique Rojas (1996), the new
times are forming the "light man":
"This is a relatively well-informed man, but of little humanistic education, very
oriented to pragmatism on the one hand, and various issues on the other. Everything
interests him, but in a superficial way, he is not able to make a synthesis of what we
perceive and, consequently, a person becomes trivial, superficial, frivolous, one who
accepts everything, but lacks sound criteria in their conduct. Everything about him
becomes ethereal, light, volatile, banal and permissive "(p.13).
I came across this sense of light man in a text about classroom discipline in higher
education. The authors argue that this light individual is in all universities. This person
is indifferent, passionless, attached to an inner, private moral, which provides him or
her with an aesthetic attitude, at the very most. This is a human being without ties,
uncompromised. Relativism is their code of ethics: nothing is wholesome, and nothing
is sinful, it all depends. As they are tolerant toward everything, they are also
indifferent; therefore, they become much more manageable, and vulnerable to the
pseudo-ideology of freedom. The light man believes that he is free because there are
no "forbidden territories". His relativism also ends up creating skepticism, distrust of
human reason, and of human beings’ ability to attain truth. Their shallowness leads to
a spiritual hole, which Lipovetsky (1986) called the "era of emptiness." Finally, in the
postmodern society, we live in the heyday of nihilism, loaded with hedonism and
permissiveness.
"Television is enough for this end-of-century man/woman. It fills their voids, it
provides little information and culture. It is light and has low calorific value. Indifferent
to this, the individual has 'fun' and forget his or her problems. This fits perfectly in their
fatigue, a common phenomenon in the modern world. The feeling of exhaustion is not
only the result of surplus efforts, but also a 'tiredness of life'. Inside, the tired
individual feels apathy, abandonment, helplessness and pessimism toward life.
Disillusioned, he or she gets weak, exhausted and increasingly adrift, not knowing what
to do with his or her life. They cannot find the strength to rethink, reorganize their
lives, and have the will to accomplish their purposes. They abandon their goals and
give up. The light man cannot plan his life; he ends up improvising it, just managing
everyday problems that come up. Consequently, we have a vulnerable individual, tired
of living without a personal project, bored. In order to meet this man, even the literary
production has changed. It is now quick, superficial, custom-made reading for
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epidermal readers. This kind of reading sells: this is what matters. The society moves
from the law of minimum effort (no more least effort) and maximum convenience. It is
the culture of welfare, hedonism "(Guerra et al. 1997)
The authors of the text say that the light man is in all universities, but I would expand
that vision because, in fact, they are in many places such as in our families and
workplaces. However, the authors' view opens a new issue: the university is going
through a crisis. If the university has been unable to form an individual that is subject
of his or her history, then to whom has this role been reserved? I am not thereby
removing the responsibility from the university, because the idea itself of removing the
responsibility from the one that is truly responsible seems more of a neoliberal
orientation that preaches the idea of a minimal state, less and less involved with social
rights like housing, welfare, education, health. What I mean is that we cannot expect
the university alone to tackle such a complex problem. It is always time to say " the
first and most important task is accomplished within the heart. The way in which one is
involved in building one's own future depends on the understanding a person has of
himself and his own destiny." (Centesimus Annus, 51.) I also think that the emergence
of a light man is essential for the consolidation of globalization (in my point of view
hegemonic globalization), and neoliberalism in Brazil and worldwide.
I am not going to do a roundup on the rise of neoliberalism and what is behind the
idea of globalization, but I would like to share with you an excerpt of a text that I
recently had the opportunity to read, written by the Brazilian economist, Cesar
Benjamin. The text is a transcript of a lecture given on December 4, 2003, when the
author received an invitation to analyze Lula’s government a year after he took office.
I'm not going into the merits of political parties because my interest is another. I only
propose that you reflect upon what Benjamin said about the Brazilian situation.
According to the economist, the "cursed legacy" of the ten years of neoliberal
hegemony in Brazilian politics is not confined to the economic level; it takes on
another level, which he calls " imaginary level", i.e., at the level of our recognition of
ourselves. In order to make us familiar with the term, I would say that the "imaginary
level" is thoroughly linked to our ability to dream.
"We inherited three main characteristics from this period, which are not economic,
and which are perhaps more relevant for the perpetuation of the national crisis than
economic issues sensu stricto. The first legacy, a cursed one, is this enormous loss of
self-confidence. This means a deep change in the Brazilian imaginary. Brazil, during the
twentieth century, increasingly thought of itself as a great country, a country full of
potential. Brazil of my parents' generation was the country of the future that received
people from all over the world, drawn here by the opportunities they could find. On
behalf of this imaginary, Brazil accomplished some impressive things in the twentieth
century because it was able to dare. Well, a cursed legacy we received from the 1990s
was the destruction of this imaginary. We started thinking like a small, troubled, frail
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country, always sick, begging, in need of assistance. Now it is a country that, for
example, in the economic area, depends crucially on attracting foreign capital so that it
can develop. We have convinced ourselves – or have been convinced - of our own
inability, which incidentally contrasts shockingly with the structural conditions of this
vast country we have inherited, and have the duty to lead. "
Benjamin emphasizes that the first element of the Brazilian crisis is the loss of
confidence in ourselves, the idea that we are worthless: our language is worthless (we
need to speak English); our products are worthless; good products are the imported
ones. In other words, our people are no appreciable. For the author, the Brazilian
imaginary has changed in a highly perverse way; furthermore, we have developed a
terrible inability to build our own agenda.
"What are our problems? What is our agenda for action? Look at what has been the
Brazilian agenda for many years: the so-called "Brazil risk", the dollar rate, and the
fluctuation of the stock exchange. What does this have to do with the Brazilian
people? What does this have to do with the country? No one here has shares in the
stock market. Nobody here speculates on the US dollar. Our key issues of housing,
sanitation, education, food and health depend on mobilizing technical and productive
capacity that is in here and do not go through any of those indicators. (...) The most
noteworthy is that this lessens our ability to look at ourselves. I'll give you only one
example, but I could give more. Last year I was on the San Francisco River region, in
the backlands of Bahia. Talking to the staff of churches and other institutions that work
there, I could see, discuss and have access to studies that show the process of death of
the river, which is highly visible. Today, over large areas, you can cross the San
Francisco River with water to your knees, and several studies show that it may become
an intermittent river within ten or twelve years. Does anyone here realize the true
extent of the tragedy that the death of the San Francisco River could cause? First: it
will be an immediate social tragedy. There are hundreds of thousands of families who
live in the river basin and somehow have their source of livelihood in it, directly or
indirectly. There's more, though; the tragedy is also symbolic. The river is said to be the
"river of national integration." A significant part of the history of Brazil was built along
this river, which rises in the heart of Minas Gerais and extends to the northeast. It was
the key link connecting an extremely significant part of the Brazilian territory. If we let
the San Francisco River die, we are telling ourselves that we are a failure. "
Benjamin also speaks about a third element of this "cursed legacy." According to the
author, it is the end of the feeling that the nation exists in an extended temporality.
"Financial capital is mobile, fast, fluid. The nation, however, is not. The Nation has
territory, has history, has memory, it is culture. Mainly, the nation has people. We are
not mobile, fluid, mellifluous." To further the idea that neoliberalism takes away the
chance to dream and build, Benjamin cited, as an example, the founding of Petrobras."
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In the early '50s, the world was living the height of the oil cycle. The economy in Brazil
was very fragile - this was before the Plan of Targets - and exports in 1950 were
composed primarily of coffee, cocoa and timber. Brazil did not possess developed
technology, nor capital, but even so the government called a U.S. mission to prospect
for oil in Brazilian soil. This mission reached the conclusion that there was no oil in
Brazil. What did Brazil do? They founded Petrobrás! Do you realize the boldness and
the magnitude of this gesture? Okay, we are poor, we do not have any technical
expertise, we do not have experience, and the best geologists in the world say that we
do not have oil. Oh yeah? So we will found Petrobrás and we ourselves will search for
oil. In what was that decision anchored? Not in a technical report, of course. It was
anchored in the imaginary that I mentioned earlier. The imaginary of Brazil’s viability,
the generosity of our territory, the possibility to make and build. "
I believe that the ideas presented by the economist are particularly useful. We can
better understand what is happening both in Brazil and the so-called surrounding
countries. The State is in trouble because even capitalism itself can no longer work. In
addition to being unable to meet its citizens’ demands, the capitalist state sees a gap
between the crowd of hungry and miserable people, and an increasingly small minority
that monopolizes the production of goods and services. Poverty in Brazil, Latin
America, Africa and some Asian countries is, above all, the result of a "wild privatism"
that has made the measure of all things from private will. Each cares about his or her
things only, struggling to survive in this cannibal market that eliminates one more
every day. Where, then, is the significance of the Gospel, the dream of Jesus, the hope,
the belief that it is possible to change this situation? I take deeply rooted in my heart
the conviction that "there is no solution to the social question out of the Gospel"
(Centesimus Annus, 5). I see any activity outside of this perspective as a solution of
bromide nature. In the Gospel, we find the perfect "constitution", "code of ethics", and
understanding of what citizenship is. There are no corporate interests at stake,
economic and political issues that feed the pride of men there. There is only the
essence: men and women, treated with dignity of sons and daughters of God.
Although the Gospel and Politics are different realities, they are not contrasting, or
enemies, much less they are fighting against each other.
Given the above considerations, the question remains: what about tomorrow? How
will the planet survive? What legacy are we leaving our children, grandchildren, in
short, all generations to come? What consoles our hearts, even with all the problems
mentioned in this chapter, is that there is always a somewhat crosscurrent struggle to
build exactly the opposite of what has been legitimized in various spheres of social life.
I am sure that the Renewed Universities Project is one of these crosscurrent
movements which cannot do everything, but can do something. Its strength lies
precisely in its weakness. When the dream of renewing the university sprang up in the
heart of Fernando back then in the 1990s, who could imagine that we would be here
today, witnessing the graces of God in action, collecting the "twelve full baskets", and
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more than that, being able to envision a possible future? The dream of God does not
fit in our hearts, nor in our rationality. We can only dive into this mystery to the extent
that we surrender totally to the Author of this dream. It is He who is teaching us, day
after day, how to "manage" a gift so sublime.
Finally, I want to share with you one of the most intense moments that preceded the
inspiration I received to preach at ENUCC VIII in Goiânia (2003). Patti Mansfield,
Fernando Mococa and I were supposed to carry out a preaching moment together at
this meeting. Patti was going to talk about the beginning of CCR; Fernando, about the
dream; and I was going to end it by giving my testimony of the fruits that we have
collected over the years. Nothing, however, went as predicted because Patti’s
preaching and our praying all together took the whole morning. Then, something
touching happened that made us all speechless, it was a breathtaking moment, fraught
with symbolism: the T-shirt swap. Journalist Ariana Virginia described it as follows:
"Patti, who was a college student at the time of the emergence of the Charismatic
Renewal, swapped T-shirts with the founder of the Renewed Universities Project,
Fernando Galvani, aka Mococa. The American guest put on the ENUCC VIII T-shirt and
offered a Duquesne University T-shirt to Mococa and another one to Elen Resende,
currently responsible for the Ministry of Renewed Universities nationwide. Fernando
Galvani, whom few people have seen cry, according to himself, could not contain his
emotion due to the meaning of the symbolism of the moment. The founder could not
help crying before the audience, a record number of people for a national meeting. In
fact, he was not the only one to shed a few tears at the scene. At least half of those
who were present there did the same. He said that ENUCC VIII was remarkable. (...) If
putting on a T-shirt means identifying with a cause and fighting for it, then Patti
Mansfield, by literally wearing the Renewed Universities Project T-shirt, encouraged,
motivated the luquinhas and fostered their dreams.”
After the shower of tears, we thought we should share the moment. Fernando would
speak shortly after Patti, and I would use the night time to make my preaching since
there were no activities planned for that moment. There was nothing new to
announce because most people there already knew about the dream. However, I
received the inspiration to meditate on two biblical characters well known by all of us:
Peter and Judas. Both were disciples of the Lord, took part in the last supper with Him,
but were weak and ended up betraying the Master. The first, by denying Jesus three
times. The second, by handing Jesus over to the authorities of the time, who wanted
his conviction. None was more or less sinful than the other because the two had
betrayed Jesus. The difference lies precisely in what happened after the betrayal. Peter
repented, preferred to rely on God's mercy and move on Father's plan: to be a rock
and build the Church of Christ (cf. Mt 16:18). Judas, plunged into a terrible guilt, could
not believe that the mercy of the Lord was greater than his sin, because where sin
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abounds, grace abounds much more (cf. Rom 5: 20-21). Racked with guilt, he saw no
other way than suicide. In other words, Judas gave up.
This is the key word: giving up. This brings along many others such as hopelessness,
fear, laziness, indifference, failure. At the time, the Lord impelled me to say that we
could do anything but never give up. If we did, the dream would die; PUR would be a
point in history, like, today, we hear of young people who fought against the military
dictatorship. It depends on you, on me, on us exclusively not allowing PUR, in the
future, to be restricted to the pages of a history book, which is often forgotten on
shelves or libraries. When we stop to think that political leaders today, including
Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, were the young leaders of the country in
the early 70s, we realize that there are "great and mysterious things" yet to be
revealed. That much remains to be built, dreamed, sown and harvested. Through PUR,
God has also made holy families since there is already a significant number of couples
and children of those who became the "Professionals of the Kingdom." In addition to
this, God does not have a piecemeal way of working. Nobody is a Professional of the
Kingdom only, but they are also a son, a friend, a husband, a wife, a father, and "a
mother of the Kingdom" if we may say so.
Arriving here with so many stories and testimonies is not reason for pride, arrogance,
vanity. On the contrary, it is cause for gratitude. Now more than ever, we want to ask
the Lord to never "ride the donkey" again but to occupy the throne of His glory and
majesty; to never wash the feet of men again, because we shall wash them in the
exercise of our profession; to never have to die on a cross again, saying that He thirsts.
But Lord, what did you mean by thirsty? Surely it was not thirst for water because you
are the Living Water yourself. Then, how could you be thirsty, you who are Water
yourself? I believe, Jesus, that Your thirst was thirst for a new humanity. Your thirst
was not a physical one, but a thirst for converted, meek, poor, just, humble hearts as
the "Beatitudes" say (cf. Mt 5: 1-11). Aristotle once said, "justice does not make the
just; the righteous do justice." Likewise, I would say that it is not Christianity that
makes a Christian, it is a Christian that makes Christianity. Give us, Lord, the grace to
dive into this mystery and to echo that truth to the four corners of the earth. May PUR
celebrate its 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 100th anniversary ... There, in heaven, where
eternity springs, and where all the links and all the veils fall, I will see our one hundred
years of history. I will be able to say, “Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to be part of
this dream”. While we are waiting for the 100th anniversary, however, we need to
work firmly, resolutely and determinedly.
What is the dream of your heart? Can you envision a possible future or have you
already been seduced by despair, complacency and indifference? I pray to God,
through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, that you will be on the first team
because only then we will be more than conquerors. "For I am sure that neither death,
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nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord."(cf. Rom 8: 38-39). What can I
say, after all this, but to make the apostle Paul's words mine? "What then shall we say
to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?" (cf. Rm 8: 31). Definitely, nothing
and nobody! Lord, thank you for all that we have lived! Thank you for all we will live!
YES!
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20 - I could feel the mighty hand of God
again
"Whenever I am struck by discouragement, hopelessness, and fear, I try to get rid of
these feelings, noting that in the end there is a dream much bigger than mine. That is
the dream of God. "
Ivna Sá
May 24, 2004. This is the day when I finish writing this book. From February 1st, when I
wrote the opening pages - "First Words" - to this date, 114 days have gone by. During
this time, I needed to believe, once again, in the strength of the impossible. I will
explain why. This book has always been part of my life plan, so much so that in my
plans the manuscript should have been ready to be sent to the printer by the end of
2003. However, as I shared with you on some pages, 2003 was a very hard year due to
several factors: the Master’s degree program, my wedding, work issues, you name it.
Then, at the end of last January, I started feeling a great sadness because I realized
that many things were being done, including other people’s projects with which I was
completely involved, while my book had been left behind. When the penny dropped,
we were only five and half months away from the release date (07.16.2004, at ENUCC
IX), and I had not written a single word yet. I had two options only: to give up the
project and be frustrated for the rest of my life, or to believe in the divine mercy and
leave everything in God’s hands. I would do my best while He would do the impossible.
Thank God I chose the second option.
Therefore, today is a very special day for me. Throughout the course of these 114 days,
I was often tempted not to go forward, either for fear that no one would like to read
the book, of for my complete and utter lack of time. Until last week, for example, I was
still attending my Master’s degree classes, and my supervisor has requested a series of
tasks. Only those who have been enrolled in a graduate program know what I mean.
Also, I spend twelve hours per week traveling to the two cities where I am teaching
now fourteen weekly hours to four distinct groups. Besides, I have a home, I have
gotten married recently, have social commitments, and the missionary journeys. But
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by God's mercy, and because I understand that this book is an offering of love to my
Lord, I believed I could take this project forward.
Without a doubt, I was able to count on an understanding, loving husband. I have
learned from him that the true cost of real love is no charge. On the contrary, those
who truly love, with their understanding and sometimes exhortations, enhance what
their beloved ones hold most precious. I would say that they do not only complement
each other, they supplement them as well. It is something quite different. Tom is this
type of beloved husband, and if he weren’t, I could have never completed this project.
Thank you, my love, for the Saturday and Sunday’s luncheons you prepared, for doing
the dishes, for the zeal with my health, finally, for all your love given to me. I know that
only someone as great as God could have taught you how to love so much.
I’d like to give special thanks to Lela (my wonderful sister with whom I have learned a
lot) for her encouragement and prayers; to Brune for his fellowship (my long-time
friend, my "ombudsman"); to Mirtes for her words of wisdom (more than a
psychologist, she is a great motivator); to Mauro Bertolani for his great care (SP-PUR’s
great servant, and a friend saved on the left side of my chest); to Ariane Vieira, José
Gerbasi, and Ines Pimenta for their affection (friends who were involved in raising
funds for the printing of this book); and to the unforgettable Alicia, my friend from
Mexico. Our friendship is proof that there is no distance to the hearts that are united
in the same Lord. My thanks also go to dear Pollyanna Lanna and Andiara Lino, for
their special participation in chapter 2; I am grateful to my dear brother and friend,
Father Jacaúna, for the tears we shed together, for his critical, helpful reading, and
sincere motivation.
Finally, I want to specially thank my parents Éber and Vania, scholars of the Portuguese
Language who revised the entire book. You are largely responsible for my career! May
God reward you for everything!
As for you, my (un)known reader, I earnestly hope that the fruit of this work will be
reversed in dreams in your heart. I leave with you the words I received in an e-mail
from Alicia on April 30, 2004.
"Blessed and happy are those who have contributed, albeit with minimal things, to the Renewed
Universities Project so that it will transcend time, space and borders. When a project is God’s project,
men can never destroy it. I rest assured that this is God’s project, and you are His instruments. The
universities and young people today need people with your hearts, and God wants to continue using
your hands, eyes, ears and mouth .... Praised and blessed be our Lord God that allows you all to exist,
allows you to exist, my friend Ivna, who will present the Lord with this book full of life, of memories,
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experiences amid the joy and rejoicing, but also with yours and other people’s sufferings. May Mary
Most Holy, our tender and faithful Mother, always be with each of you, as she was with her Son Jesus:
to the end and firmly standing beneath the Cross. A big hug from my heart to you and to everyone at
PUR, with my prayer. " Sr. Alicia Ortiz (MPS / Mexico).
Dear friends, I could feel the mighty hand of God again! Affectionately,
Ivna Sá dos Santos
May 24, 2004
A fall of achievements, a fall of fru
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21 – To be encouragement and strength to the
students: a word to professors
“The recognition that God can be served by scholars first really struck me while
studying St. Thomas. It was only then that I could decide to take up scholarship
seriously again.”
Edith Stein
During World Youth Day 2011, held in Madrid, Spain, Pope Benedict XVI met with a
select group of Catholic academics that met certain requirements such as age and
titles among others. MUR sent two professors: Cristiane Grasselli, Faculty of
Nutrition, Federal University of Alfenas / MG, and Renato Balancieri from the State
University of Maringá / PR. The meeting took place at the Monastery of San
Lorenzo del Escorial, a site of great artistic beauty that has been a place of prayer
life and study for centuries. In his speech, the Pope clarified the meaning and role
of the university as well as the mission of the university professor. I have selected a
few excerpts, brought by Professor Grasselli, to share with you:
"Sometimes it is thought that the mission of a university professor today is
exclusively to train competent and efficient professionals to meet the labor
demands of each particular period. It is also said that the only thing you should
focus on, at this juncture, is the purely technical training. Without doubt, this
utilitarian view of education thrives today, even university education, widespread
especially from areas outside the university. However, you who have lived
University as I have, and now as teachers, you certainly feel the longing for
something higher that can match all the dimensions that constitute man (...) The
university was, and must remain, the house where one seeks the very truth of the
human person. So it is no accident that it was precisely the Church who promoted
the university, the Christian faith speaks of Christ as the Logos through whom all
things were made (Jn 1, 3) and the human being created in image and likeness of
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God. (...) This sublime aspiration is the most valuable teaching you can transmit
personally and vitally to your students, not just some instrumental, anonymous
techniques, or cold data usable only functionally. (...) Therefore, I earnestly exhort
you not to lose this sensitivity and charm for the truth, not to forget that teaching
is not a mere transmission of content, but a formation of young people whom you
should understand and love, in whom you should raise that thirst for truth which
are in the depths of themselves, and that desire to overcome challenges. "
Citing Plato - "seek the truth while you're young, because if you do not, then it will
escape from your hands"- the Pope encouraged the faculty to pursue its mission,
and urged them to be encouragement and strength for young people.
To someone like me who has always dreamed of becoming a university professor,
who struggled to overcome all the difficulties inherent in a Master's degree
program, without a scholarship, having to work, etc, the Pope's words have a very
special meaning. "Be for them encouragement and strength." I have been teaching
at the university for ten years now, although the academic career is not my main
occupation. I have never taught at the Federal University, only in private schools,
mostly in evening courses. Over this decade I have observed that most young
people who come to the universities today are increasingly lost. And when I say
"lost", I mean that their lives lack meaning. Unlike my generation and our parents'
generation, today they have a huge range of possibilities to choose from, starting
with the plethora of courses and careers that can be followed. However, these
young people are not prepared to make the choices that they are called to do.
This feeling of "being lost" also reflects the changes that society has undergone,
especially in relation to the loss of family, school, and religious values. Institutions
that form the contemporary individual are no longer the family, the school, the
church. In the past, despite the problems arising in some way or another, these
bodies or socializing agencies, as some scholars prefer to call them, guaranteed
some stability or security to the individual. Today, these "agencies" are weak, and
yield, albeit unintentionally, the mission to educate and build the subjectivity of
the individual to the most varied forms of media, either mass media or digital
media. Hence we can understand the power that social networks have as agencies
of socialization. They are increasingly growing in that they cause the individual's
sense of belonging. And so the "wired" may say: "I am on Facebook, I know many
people, I communicate with a multitude of people, I say what I want, I create
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affinity groups, etc.".
Of course, I could well deepen this theme because it is, in part, subject of study for
my Master’s degree, but this is not the aim of this chapter. I just wanted to
reiterate the importance and meaning of the Pope’s words when he says: "Be for
them (students), encouragement and strength." A university professor who has
belonged to a UPT, one who was truly baptized in the Holy Spirit, and received the
grace and mission of higher education could never be indifferent to these words.
I asked Renato Balancieri, associate professor of the Department of Computer
Science, State University of Maringá (UEM), who was at the meeting with the Pope,
to what extent the words of our pastor have made changes possible in his teaching
practice, and how MUR could advance this work with academics. This is his reply:
"The World Meeting of Young University Professors in Spain was a unique moment
in my life, filled with many emotions and thoughts: the thrill of being close to our
Pope and listening to him, the thrill of representing Brazil, and the thrill of seeing
numerous Catholic professors willing to discuss faith and reason. Amid all this,
there were also several thoughts on how I'm performing teaching, research and
extension in the university environment. Pope Benedict XVI’s speech was a guideline
for these reflections. I can highlight some points: 1) the fundamental role of
teachers in the education of our young students, not only technical education, but
one that takes into account the human being as a whole; 2) teachers are references
to the university students in search of the truth, taking into consideration faith and
reason; 3) universities embody an ideal that should not be distorted by ideologies
that are closed to rational dialogue, or by servility of a simple utilitarian market
logic that looks at humans as mere consumers.
Based on these considerations, I think that one of the ways to consolidate the
process of building renewed universities is by occupying the structures of the
university itself. By this I mean that, as teachers, we should use research and
extension service themselves to present the Kingdom of God to the entire university
community. A good example is the work carried out at the Center for
Multidisciplinary Studies: Religion and Spirituality, coordinated by Prof. Cristiane
Grasseli from UNIFAL. Research and extension work are used to focus on spirituality
and its effects on people's health. Centers like this could be created in several
Brazilian universities according to each situation and area, promoting a culture of
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Pentecost through research and university extension. I believe this type of initiative
would be a driving force in the evangelization of other faculty members, students,
and college employees. Currently, MUR has many university professors who have
passed by UPTs, so I think it is time for these teachers to occupy as many structures
of the university as possible. That's how we will spread the Culture of Pentecost in
the university environment, and fulfill our vocation: to renew the university and,
consequently, society."
Renato has mentioned the work carried out in Alfenas. I could not publish a new
edition of the book without sharing with you, dear reader, a fantastic experience
that is being conducted in the university environment at UNIFAL. I am talking about
the creation of NEMRES - Center for Multidisciplinary Study: Religion and
Spirituality. NEMRES is a subsidiary body of the Dean of Community Affairs of the
university that aims to plan, supervise, and assist activities related to the science of
religion and spirituality in teaching, research, and extension. Faculty, students,
administrative staff, and external community members who share the goals of
NEMRES, including Christian spirituality, may be part of this center.
It was Professor Erika de Cássia Lopes Chaves who came up with the idea of
creating NEMRES. Returning to UNIFAL after completing her doctorate in Health
and Spirituality at USP, Erika joined the prayer team of professionals that already
had the participation of some teachers. According to Cristiane, MUR’s teachers and
students have always had great difficulties accomplishing their activities on
campus, especially because of the lack of rooms. Erika, then, thought of creating a
core that could embrace the activities, say, spiritual activities of teachers and
students. So, NEMRES was founded in April 2011 by Professors Marcio Antonio
Ferreira (Director of Unifenas Campus in Campo Belo), Cristiane Grasselli
(Nutrition), Erika C. L. Chaves (Nursing), and Denis Moreira44 (Nursing).
One of the functions of the center is to work the spirituality dimension related to
the formation of human beings as citizens, the protection against life-threatening
44
Professor Denis Moreira is a Christian belonging to the Adventist Church. Although he was not in the
group that had the idea to form NEMRES, other teachers participating in the core of the prayer group
invited him to join the project. Importantly, NEMRES is not a work of MUR, but it is a result of the
experience at BES that a group of teachers received. The Center is part of the University, and it has
ecumenical Christian nature.
200
situations (use of alcohol and drugs, etc.), and strategies to cope with life's difficult
moments. As far as TEACHING is concerned, the Center offers elective courses on
the participation and importance of spirituality in various situations of human life
at UNIFAL-MG; it also organizes and promotes events such as mini-courses,
lectures, roundtables and seminars often involving the theme of spirituality.
As far as RESEARCH is concerned, the Center conducts research in the area of
spirituality, through undergraduate research and master's degree in Nursing, and
encourages the participation of its members in scientific events for the
dissemination of their studies. At the end of this chapter, the various surveys
conducted by NEMRES have been listed. As far as EXTENSION service is concerned,
the Center contributes to the formation of more humane and conscientious young
people, and addresses several religious activities such as the two UPTs, two GPPs, a
Prayer Team of Professionals (GOP), and ABU45 meeting.
In less than one year of operation, NEMRES has set up a Regional Reference Center
for Continuing Education of professionals who have been working at Health Care
and Social Assistance networks with users of crack and other drugs. Moreover, it
has offered several courses, such as:
• Brief intervention and motivational counseling on crack and other drugs;
• Case Management;
• Refresher course in crack and other drugs for medical professionals in primary
care;
• Update on comprehensive care of users of crack and other drugs for
professionals in general hospitals.
In addition, the Center has offered the course "History of Religion", developed the
Extension Project "Growing Aware", promoted and participated in various events
such as the lecture given by Prof. Cristiane da S. M. Grasselli46 on "Spirituality as a
45
ABU means Aliança Bíblica Universitária (University Biblical Alliance). It is an evangelical
missionary organization that exists to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in schools and universities in
Brazil, through the initiative of the students and is present in many colleges in Brazil.
46
PhD Cristiane Grasselli was part of the team that conducted the first PUR seminar in Viçosa in 1994.
She graduated, took a master's degree and a doctorate at UFV, where she also served on the University
Prayer Team, and coordinated the Semente Bible study group. Cristiane was also CCR coordinator in the
city of Viçosa. She started teaching at UNIFAL in 2003 as a Professor of Nutrition, and helped found the
Prayer Team of Teachers who meet every Saturday morning.
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protective factor against alcohol and other drugs."
I had the opportunity to talk with Cristiane on the telephone at the time of writing
this chapter (on 03.22.2012), and asked her two questions: 1) What arguments did
you and the teachers involved in the founding of NEMRES use to convince the
university to embrace this cause? 2) To what extent did the meeting with the Pope
make you reflect on your professional role as a Professional of the Kingdom, more
precisely as a professor? In few words, she said:
"We have to show the University that spirituality can be seen from a scientific
aspect, and not just a religious one. The very concept of health of the World Health
Organization supports us in this direction. WHO says that health is not just absence
of disease, but health is a physical, mental and spiritual well-being. In addition, we
need to participate in the life of the University. All teachers at the Center exercise
some kind of leadership. For example, I am a member of the Public Ethics
Committee at UNIFAL. Professor Erika is one of the most published article writers,
and so on. Under no circumstances should we be restricted to the Prayer Team
only. Regarding the meeting with the Pope, in addition to saying that it was a
powerful experience, I can tell you that his words have taught me that the teacherstudent relationship goes far beyond knowledge. Students come to us lacking in
values and, above all, lacking in relationships. We need to make a difference to
them, and bear witness to the new life that we have received in Christ. Ivna, I must
say that looking into the eyes of the Pope is something that'll take to heaven! "
According to Cristiane Grasselli, NEMRES’s next steps will be the consolidation of
the research group ‘Spirituality and Health’; the promotion of the Conference on
Spirituality and Health; fund-raising through new announcements; publication of
articles; expansion activities "where and how the Holy Spirit leads us!" I suppose
nothing else needs to be said. This is the synthesis: it is the Spirit that leads us. If
you wish to contact NEMRES, you may send an email to
nemresunifal@hotmail.com.
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Research Projects conducted at NEMRES
Dissertations
Camila Csizmar Carvalho. Prece intercessória e depressão em pacientes em
quimioterapia: ensaio clínico. (Intercessory prayer and depression in patients receiving
chemotherapy: clinical trial). Start: 2011. Dissertation (Master’s Degree in Nursing) Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível
Superior.
Talita Prado Simão. Adaptação transcultural e Validação da escala de espiritualidade.
(Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the scale of spirituality). Start: 2011.
Dissertation (Master’s Degree in Nursing) - Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Coordenação
de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior.
Undergraduate Research
Roberta da Silva Prado. Uso de álcool/droga e bem estar espiritual de estudantes
universitários (Alcohol / drug use and spiritual well-being of college students) (Majoring in
Nursing) - Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento
Científico e Tecnológico.
Caroline Freire Paulino. Qualidade de vida, religiosidade e depressão em idosos. (Quality
of life, religiosity and depression in the elderly). (Majoring in Nursing) - Universidade
Federal de Alfenas, Secretaria de Educação Superior.
Carolina Valcanti. O Bem estar espiritual da Equipe de Enfermagem (The Spiritual WellBeing of Nursing Team). (Majoring in Nursing) - Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Fundação
de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais.
Carolina Costa Valcanti; Ana Cláudia Mesquita. Coping religioso/espiritual em pacientes
portadores de insuficiência renal crônica em hemodiálise. (Spiritual / religious coping in
patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis) (Majoring in Nursing) Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas
Gerais.
Ana Cláudia Mesquita. Coping religioso/espiritual em pacientes com câncer. (Spiritual /
religious coping in cancer patients). (Majoring in Nursing) - Universidade Federal de
Alfenas, Secretaria de Educação Superior.
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22 - The vision for the Ministry
"What would become of mankind if we killed the dreams? Could we get somewhere if
we had never even entertained the idea of going there? What drives humanity is the
ability to dream and move toward one’s desire. When we kill our dreams, we kill our
ability to evolve. "
Gustavo Nilson
Reaching 18 years of life is undoubtedly a milestone of extreme significance. If
turning18 years old means so much to a young person, especially in Brazil, for
example, where young people may get their driver’s license and take part in electoral
decisions due to the compulsory voting system, what to say about a Ministry that has
touched the lives of thousands of people? A movement that introduced Jesus to so
many students, and that was the environment where many families were made up?
In order to write this chapter, I sought to listen to those who have been at the
forefront of the Ministry for a long period: Fernando Galvani, Elen Resende, and Ierecê
Gilberto. Given the wealth of their accounts, I chose to share them with you the way I
got them, instead of rewriting or paraphrasing them. My own statement will be placed
at the end, after the three texts. I will describe my vision of the Ministry, wishing to
build solid foundations for sustainable growth without losing our identity.
The peculiarities and the founding elements of the Renewed Universities
By Fernando Galvani
"Speaking about vision is not simple, but, thank God, I can still say that I have a vision
for MUR’s journey, even though eighteen years have passed since the date on which
we took the first steps toward this great work of evangelization in universities and in
professional environments. Naturally, sharing something of this nature for future
generations is something fantastic, and I can see a new moment of God there.
In the beginning, things were quite different. Letters were handwritten, and we used
carbon paper to multiply them; a little later came the internet (e-mails, website,
mailing lists); the newsletter of sharing, first printed, then online; Ivna’s book, and
other publications. Now we have a new range of opportunities such as Twitter,
Facebook, and all the available communication technologies.
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However, despite the changes, especially in the way we communicate, some
peculiarities of the initial vision remain the same. I strongly believe that they will
continue as part of the identity of the charismatic experience of evangelizing the
university, which was once called PUR. By peculiarities I call the aspects below:
1 - The Dream: This is the largest rhema in our history. Rhema is an update of God's
word in a given circumstance, where the force of the word leads us to a life change, to
change routes, to take on commitments, to seek to serve God’s desire in one scenario,
in a specific reality. That's what happened after reading the word in Acts 5: 28 ... "and
yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching." God allowed us to accept a
proposal of God for universities from the revealed word at a moment of prayer. What
would it mean, then, to fill the universities with the Doctrine of Jesus? I cannot find
any expression of MUR that does not include this reality, that is, to dream about the
doctrine of Jesus filling the hearts of those who, in one way or another, have been
linked to the world of knowledge. Any vision for the new times that wishes to see MUR
within the university is founded on this pillar and from there it moves toward the new
directions blown by the Spirit. I am still following up some of MUR’s realities, and I
believe that this opportunity is a salutary reminder of God’s word that created the
Dream. It is in our first song, "Dreaming and believing in God will renew our schools,
bring all the Word of God, to unite faith and reason. We are God’s children, we are the
fruit of Love and divine wisdom. "
2 - The missionary dimension: Another feature to be maintained by future generations
is the missionary dimension. In the beginning, the hope that other people could be
struck by the love of God and experience salvation within the academic reality was
crucial to the growth of UPTs and later of GPPs. Therefore, I cannot see it in a different
way, quite the opposite, perhaps with the effect of globalization it has become even
more crucial that we accept this dimension, which was also highlighted by the Latin
American bishops in Aparecida, where we were called to be disciples and missionaries.
3 - The desire to be family: We were present in our neighbor’s life, and he or she was
present in our lives, in our values, motivations and life happenings! We were really a
family and this fact strengthened and immensely helped our walk. I confess that this
feature of caring for each other made us stronger and fraternal. The community
dimension made the difference, and a lot of people joined us and our faith because of
this testimony. Therefore, I believe that also in this new era - of individualism and
virtual relationships - our testimony, even on the online environment, should lead to a
commitment to our neighbor, to his or her life, to his or her well-being, promoting him
or her as a person, making him or her feel important, accepted and valued. By doing
so, I give them the opportunity to participate in my life, to help me, receive me, enrich
me with their gifts, their history, with their life. This feature certainly bears witness to
the presence of the Holy Spirit in us within the university.
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4 - The prophetic vision: a dimension that is remarkable within MUR and should be
more and more intensely exercised is the prophetic vision. This is not exclusive to
MUR, but historically the Ministry has been able to grow by opening paths with a bold
new proposal for evangelization within the university environment. Many things have
been born anew. It is worth remembering ENUCCs / ENUR, the academic debates
within the national meetings and also at the university events, the heavy use of the
internet (we pioneered evangelizing by the Internet, even in 1994), the experience of
baptism in the Holy Spirit in groups at a 15-minute meeting, the missionary week, the
Christian freshmen pranks, the meetings of professionals, certification of extracurricular activities at our meetings, the elaboration of the Marajó Project together
with the CCR National Council, among many other experiences that we have
accumulated over these eighteen years. Being able to pursue higher education makes
any Christian feel as if they owed a debt, especially in nations like Latin American
countries, where inequalities and challenges are immense. Part of the solutions should
come from those who, motivated by the richness and beauty of their faith, dare to
propose new ways of solving old problems. Hence, our prophetism will walk through
the Ministry, the Movement, the Church, and will reach the world. This is how we will
build the Civilization of Love.
I have spoken about the dream, the missionary dimension, the desire to be family, and
the prophetic vision. These peculiarities have built our journey and made us get to the
graduates: those professionals who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and were
thrown into the labor market. I have always had this vision toward the graduates, that
is, after going through evangelization in the university, the professional would join a
new structure that could be called GPP, and from there he would make use of the
evangelizing / transformational action in the society, thus becoming a Professional of
the Kingdom. This professional is required to act as an agent of change in new realities,
since he was struck by the words of Jesus in the university47. This question is perhaps
one of MUR’s biggest challenges for future generations. These generations have been
called to deploy the civilization of love by means of concrete actions, by being the
agents of a new social order, by making a difference with their technological
competence, but above all by their humane approach that will distinguish their actions
in our society. All this will be accomplished as the result of a deeper experience with
the Holy Spirit.
Finally, I still feel the need to deepen the five founding elements of the Renewed
Universities Ministry (MUR), so that they can generate motivation to new generations
and also preserve our identity.
47
When we say “university”, we mean academic students, professors, employees, researchers,
staff, and professionals with higher education.
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1) A question puzzles us from the very beginning: "Why has CCR begun in a
university?" We believe that CCR has emerged within the university due to exclusive
will of God. Since most leaders go through university, we believe that these men and
women, affected by the force of God’s word and His infinite love, would be able to be
committed to the values of the kingdom and to exercise their profession differently, in
a transformational way.
2) We were born from a community life in the force of the Spirit, especially at the
University of Viçosa / MG. What we lived in that community was really something
extraordinary and fruits were many. How many lives have been changed, how many
professionals have made a difference, how many vocations, how much life poured
there! Viçosa was a barn, a real family with exuberant action of the Spirit. We wanted
that experience to happen elsewhere, with other people, as in fact it occurred.
3) One of CCR’s pioneers, Patti Mansfield, in her book "As by a new Pentecost", when
recounting the dramatic experience of the Duquesne weekend and the early years of
the movement, confronts us with a challenge. She recounted the experience of a
group of students who ran out of water for a party, asked a miracle of God and instead
of receiving only water (biological), they received a flood of Spirit-filled water. Those
young people had their lives transformed and staged something unprecedented in
history, i.e., this new and enormous outpouring of the Spirit. Thus, after eighteen
years, it is still and will always be time to ask for a miracle, for a new Pentecost in
academia and in the world of work. May all sorts of dry bones found there receive life
and fully revive.
4) Another element is the document of Puebla, Chapter 118, where our bishops urge
us to say that "the God of life loves young people and wants a different future for
them, where full life is a fruit accessible to all ". We believe that this full life will only
happen if these young people experience the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as a sign of the
presence of the intoxicating love of God in the heart, in life and in history. It is from the
baptism of the Spirit that we must commit ourselves anew, boldly, prophetically, to
building a truly new world, where a full life is a fruit accessible to all.
5) Finally, a key foundational element: the dream. All of us (former, current and future
generations) need to dream about universities, workplaces, and other realities full of
the doctrine of Jesus. We must dream of Jerusalem full of the doctrine of Jesus, and
Jerusalem today is where God puts us to build the long-awaited new world, the
Civilization of Love. "
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"My vision comes from a look in the rearview mirror"
By Elen Resende
"When I am challenged to talk about vision, I immediately think what it is like when I'm
driving. I have a large windshield in front of me, but I also have rearview mirrors, so
that I am reminded of the width ahead of me without ignoring what is behind. The
same thing happens when I draw the vision. I must consider the width, which is the
future, but I cannot ignore history, what has already been built, and where we came
from. Still, when I'm driving, I must consider my destination, think about the best
route, remember that I’m on a two-way road, and also pay attention to what is around
me, the bus that stops or the child crossing the lane. Likewise, when we think of vision,
we must consider what we are called to do, what our mission is, without forgetting
that our mission involves souls on their way to heaven, lives, people that cannot be
"run over".
So my vision for MUR departs from a look in the rearview mirror. I think it's always
time to rediscover MUR’s founding pillars. It is necessary to rescue the fact that MUR
was born (and it can only be born again in the heart of anyone today) of a strong
experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit. Patti Mansfield’s book, "As by a New
Pentecost", was a motivation for our start, and it is still important because it allows us
not to forget the essential. Only those who know it, experience it, are able to give
testimony. Only the beloved ones are able to love.
Moreover, we must remember that MUR has always breathed in and keeps breathing
in God’s word. Only by the Word we can take concrete steps and move forward. The
Word is MUR’s breath of life. Remember how God inspired so many rhemas (Acts 5,
28 - Isa 26.15 - Jer 33, 3 - Sir 51, 38 - John 5, 1-9, to name a few). MUR must breathe in
the word of God.
It is always necessary to remember what we are called for. We have always been
puzzled by God’s ways: why was CCR born in a college? Given this, what is our mission?
We must always recall that God inspired us to fill our Jerusalem, our reality, with the
doctrine of Jesus.
Besides, there are two equally important points. First, we have been called to be
prophetic since our birth. Not only in order to expose error, but to announce a new
way, with new forms, to bring something new to the announcement. There are several
examples of this attitude: we brought UPTs into college instead of taking the university
to the parish; we started to disseminate our work over the Internet; we began to carry
out university seminars to proclaim the Kingdom. It is urgent that prophetism become
MUR’s strong point so that we may update, in our changing society, the proclamation
of truth and Full Life.
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The second point is that all MUR’s members have always recognized one another as
family. Whether or not you know me, whether or not you have already met me, if I
identify myself as a luquinha, a love, which is the fruit of the Spirit and has its
foundation in the Body and Blood of Christ we receive, is born between us. Our desire
to be together, to share, to meet each other is great and moves us to missions that
otherwise we would never assume.
Looking at this rearview mirror, I can see a future of immense possibilities for MUR. "If
you are what you should be, you will set the whole world afire!" has already warned us
Saint Catherine of Siena. I believe it is in our hands to choose to be the forerunners of
the new world, where the new order is the kingdom of God. I believe that by being
faithful to our calling, by breathing in the word, by being attentive and docile to the
will of God, by not being afraid to be prophets and cultivating the love that "every
other day is raking the way of salvation" (cf. Acts 2) we can, within the Church and as
CCR members, live love and plant the seeds of the civilization of love. May the Spirit
guide us all."
"The treasures that the Lord entrusts to us"
By Ierecê Gilberto
"The current vision for MUR today is certainly in the heart of the current national
coordinator of the ministry. It is Felippe Nery-AC who has the vision today and has
been working hard to accomplish all with fidelity to God. However, as we are together
on the same flight, I can look through the window and see some things that may help
in the overview. I see that we need to urgently resume the call that the Lord has
always emphasized a lot at ENUR I: conversion and mission!
We need to follow this route, seeking personal conversion in our lives, and pastoral
conversion for the ministry every day, on the way to ecclesial maturity. At the same
time, we need to discuss, plan and work the mission. I understand that structural
discussions are not relevant now. We must urgently take on the mission. We need to
broaden the vision in this sense, widen the tent, we have many doors open today
(CNBB RCCBRASIL, CONCCLAT, ICCRS, the world, society) a considerable number of
graduates and post graduates, Professors, Masters and Doctors who belonged to UPTs,
and are now back to universities. And also a new generation of Charismatic Catholics
who are coming to universities, sons and daughters of MUR and CCR’s members, our
sons and daughters! We possess a priceless treasure, true gems that the Lord has
allowed us to achieve over the years of work, and we need to put all this in the service
of the Kingdom of God in universities and in society.
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It's time to produce, write, catalog, testify. Who, for example, is writing scientific
articles today based on the Catholic Christian Doctrine and the Gospel? Who has
discussed, studied and written about education without faith and with faith in God?
Who has studied, discussed and written about an Economy within the values of the
Gospel? Who has studied, discussed and written about a Christian’s behavior before
Consumerism? Who has studied and produced training materials for Christian families,
for our teens and children? At last, there are so many other topics that must be
addressed, debated, and we need to work toward building the Civilization of Love! If
we don’t do that, the Lord will surely raise others to do it, but we will have missed out
on this time of grace which we have lived, and cast out the treasures that the Lord
entrusts to us these days. "
We need to land with the mastery of takeoff and flight
By Ivna Sá
"It is interesting to notice that there were diverse views on the same dream, but,
despite differences of opinions, we have learned to converge to the essential over the
years. Otherwise we would have parted from each other, and the Body of Christ
present in our ministry would not have achieved the stature it has today.
Last year, after experiencing the beautiful experience of the Northeast regional
meeting, I was invited by the current coordinator of the Ministry, Felippe, to speak
about the dream to members of the service national team, including all MUR’s state
coordinators. The event occurred during the annual meeting in Campinas in October.
While preparing the talk, I found inspiration in three sources: the cover story of Veja
magazine that, at the time, featured the death of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple; a book
called "You're the size of your dreams" by César Souza, and an analogy of our history
with an airplane that takes off, maintains the flight and must now land. I will explain
better:
As to the story of Veja magazine, the force of the title that opened the news story,
quoting a phrase from Steve Jobs himself, "I want to make a mark on the universe"
draw my attention. I thought about our history, my history particularly, and provoked
the audience to dream about headlines of Veja magazine or of any other mass media
vehicle in the future. I cited examples like: "Mr. So-and-so is nominated for the Nobel
Peace Prize", "Y discovers a vaccine that will cure this disease," "Professionals from the
Renewed Universities elaborate document on bioethics that puzzles the public." Well, I
kept on digressing, or rather, dreaming about such situations and asked those who
were there. "Do you have such dreams for the Ministry?" And I promptly replied: I
have dreams like that. And the beautiful thing is to know that when this occurs, the
laurels of victory will not be on A or on B, but on all of us and especially on the Church.
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When one of us reaches the top, we'll all be together. And most importantly, I may not
get to the top of the media, but I can get to the top of victory every day in my work
place, at my university. We will get to the top every time we raise the name of Jesus
wherever we go. I felt provoked by that strong statement "I want to make a mark in
the Universe", and I wondered: if the Lord called me today to eternal life, would I have
left the mark that he entrusted to me? I leave you the same question.
The second aspect I addressed that moment was the traits and peculiarities of the
doers of dreams. Of all traits, what struck me was the following: "the doers of dreams
converge in essence." I have noticed over the years, in various forms of relationships
and not just within the Ministry, that as time passes we become increasingly intolerant
toward what is different. In other words, we do not realize that dialogue, criticism,
conflict are so important to our own growth. I realize, especially among younger
generations, a great difficulty in coping with the conflict, in dealing with those who
think differently. As I talked to the national team, I could testify how differently
Fernando and I had thought about the Ministry then called Project. Priests and friends
used to say that we were exactly emotion and reason: Ivna cried, Fernando quarrelled
... We used to have very hard arguments, but we never left out the ESSENTIAL: the
dream had to get to everyone and everywhere! Speaking about vision also means to
talk of the courage to converge on essence, to respect differences, to open up to the
new God without forgetting what history has taught us. Perhaps this is the great lesson
of wisdom that the Lord would teach us in this new time. That there within UPTs, in
the Diocesan core, in the state core, in the national team, the National Committee of
Professionals, the CCR National Council, in all spheres of the Church we have the
courage to "converge on essence."
Finally, I will better explain the analogy I made above about the flight dynamics. I liken
the Renewed Universities Ministry (MUR) to a plane that has the mission to take its
passengers to a certain place. This plane is a master at taking off, can skillfully lift the
flight, and when it does, it gives its passengers a feeling of safety. I call “take-off” the
act of bringing students and professionals to dream about the Renewed Universities.
We have no doubt that over these eighteen years many people have learned to dream.
I call “flight” the history itself, the maintenance of the Ministry, UPTs and PPG going
on, and all activities related to the Ministry itself. And I call “landing” the insertion of
the Professionals of the Kingdom in the labor market, in an articulated, systematic and
organized way. What does this mean? It means that the Professionals of the Kingdom
are called to illuminate science, public policies, business departments, and many other
spheres of society with collective action and not isolated ones. Let me tell you about
something, an example that will help us further along this dimension.
Some time ago I met a good friend whom I hadn’t seen in ages, mainly because we live
in different states, and who was at the beginning of the ministry in his state. He
graduated in Biological Sciences, Philosophy, and specialized in School Administration.
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He passed a public contest, entered the Public Education Network, and was elected
school principal by a school collegiate. Soon after he had taken office, he discovered a
corruption scheme within the school, with regard to the diversion of funds for school
meals. Then, he began to call some employees in order to talk with them about the
fact, and realized that many were involved in the scheme. To his astonishment, he was
invited to join in, and in exchange he would receive a significant commission. But when
he said that he would not participate in the scheme, and did not agree with the
diversion of funds, he was threatened by a school employee who showed him a gun.
On the following week, his home began to be watched by strangers. He said: "Ivna, I
have no more peace at work, at home, and I'm alone. I do not know what to do. "
As I listened to his story, my heart was grieved twice: first, because of the corruption
itself, but mainly because that school principal, someone who had belonged to a UPT,
and had dreamed and is still dreaming of social justice, had his hands tied, with no one
to support him, no support group, no support from colleagues who face similar
problems. How can he alone fight such structure of power and corruption? Where
were the professionals in Education who had come from the UPTs? Where are they?
What have they been doing? Will they be firm in their desire to build social justice? Or
have they been disappointed? Will they be indifferent to so much injustice? What have
they been doing to succeed teaching and educating in hard times like these when
children and adolescents, fruits of disfigured families, have no limits at all? That
moment, I wondered how safer that school principal could feel in his actions if there
were a group, a forum, a network of education professionals coming from the same
experience where he himself had been formed! I also thought about the great number
of people who lived in our UPTs, and who may be going through situations as
discomforting or worse as the narrated above. That's when I realized that somehow
we have got lost along the way, that our plane is in full flight but we have not landed
yet.
Perhaps you, a reader who keep up with the Ministry, may think I'm too harsh or
insensitive to say such words. However, I would like to pattern my vision as follows:
the Renewed Universities Project did not arise so that people could participate in a
UPT or a GPP. If that were enough, we could then take the university students to
parish prayer teams. The vocation of offering the baptism in the Holy Spirit is already
CCR’s vocation, and we, as a CCR ministry, already offer this experience to those who
participate in the UPTs. Our vocation goes a little beyond. Our vocation is to generate
new professionals, new structures, to enforce the words of the bishops in Brazil when
they write about the benefits in the short, medium and long terms of the Catholic
professionals getting together by field of knowledge in order to think about public
policies, laws, power structures, and so on. In this sense, Ierecê’s words are more than
meaningful. We are an army of trained, capable people, able to do so much, and yet
we have not given the answers to the call of the Lord!
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This move of the Holy Spirit toward the landing must happen bottom-up. It is in the
UPTs and GPPs that we need to encourage actions that will lead us to our destination.
We cannot wait for ready-made decisions from the national team. The path is made by
walking. Thus it was in the beginning, and so it needs to continue until we reach the
next eighteen years, and then we might say: the plane’s landing wheels have just
begun to touch the ground. At first, the landing will be confused, tense, like everything
in life. Then, after landing numerous times, we will be able to make a masterly landing,
as well as we could take off so beautifully. Although we may face some flight
turbulence, it is important to get to our destination. Learning to land may take time
but it is more than necessary, it is vital.
When the landing takes place (I am thinking of the national ministry), or several
landings occur (I am thinking of UPTs and GPPs) the silent revolution will start. It's the
old story: one elephant bothers many people, two elephants bother even more48 ... I
think I have quoted this song in a different part of the book. What I know is that we are
thousands of elephants, perhaps dispersed, scattered, isolated or asleep! Landing is
also vital because it is the only way to awaken the sleeping elephants and unite those
elephants that are scattered.
48
This is a Brazilian song people usually sing when they want to refer to something annoying.
Translator’s note.
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23 – You Can Write Your Own History
"It's been 18 years since that event in Viçosa which opened this beautiful plan of God
called Renewed Universities. One of the most frequently asked questions is "what
should we do now?"
Felippe Nery
Here the author is you. I have separated these pages for you to answer this question
that our current coordinator has left to each of us: what do we do now? What is the
call of God for you right now? What did the Holy Spirit whisper in your ear as you read
so much history, so many intertwined life events, so many dreams? Get inspired! Write
down what goes in your heart. If you want to share chapter 23 with me, great will be
my joy. My email is: ivnasasantos@gmail.com. I am sure that chapter 23 will be as rich
as your life and your history are! But if, by chance, you do not feel worthy of writing a
chapter because you understand that there is no beauty in your life, do not think
twice. Reorient yourself. You write your own history! He, the King of kings, the Master
Teacher, he who led the Dream of saving humanity to the ultimate consequences is
with you!
(LEAVE ABOUT SIX BLANK PAGES FOR THE READER TO WRITE HIS OR HER PART)
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APPENDIX 1
"And They Collected More Than Twelve
Full Baskets ..."
Testimonials about the first edition of the book49
It was not an easy task to select which statements and which parts of the testimonials
reported here would enter this second edition of the book. I am deeply thankful to
everyone who has generously opened their hearts, their lives, their fears and their
dreams. The expressions of affection, the confidences, victories and failures narrated
by e-mail, on the website, by letters (yes, letters, I had the grace to receive
handwritten letters!), phone calls are very well kept and stored. They are not stored in
my mind, in my heart, or in my box of memories only, because these places are
extremely finite. They are stored in a place where neither wind nor water, nor fire, nor
rust, and no one, absolutely no one, can destroy. They are at the heart of the Father.
Moreover, all the shares I received have generated fruits in my heart. Those ones listed
below will certainly generate fruit in the heart of every reader too. The five loaves and
the two fishes that I offered to the Lord when I wrote the first edition of the book were
multiplied in such a way that what I have to offer today is, without a doubt, much
more than twelve full baskets.
"Dearest Ivna, I read the absorbing, delightful pages of your book during the Athens
Olympics, when the triumphs of many competitions and athletes thrilled so many
people around the world. I reread them with enjoyment, I savored them, I was thrilled
contemplating the challenges and struggles, hoping for victory, applauding each
successful move. "Militia est vita hominis super terram" says the sacred text. "I have
fought the good fight," writes the invincible athlete Paul of Tarsus.
You have fought ... Many fights ... You have fought ... Hard fighting ... You have won
many medals: bronze, silver, gold ... Up on the podium, you were presented with
bouquets of flowers (roses of blood, lilies of purity, lilies of courage ...), crowned by
Jesus with the laurels of victory. Your Olympic Games are far more exciting than that of
49
The testimonials that have come through letters are signed only with initials to preserve the
individuality of their authors. I have only named the testimonials of three priests and the people who
left their messages on the book homepage that was available at the old domain: www.pur.com.br
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Athens! And not only you, but many and many "luquinhas" over the ten years of PUR.
Athletes of Christ in all kinds of sports, fighting the good fight with the weapons of the
Spirit, sometimes in the fragility of David against Goliath, writing heroic pages in the
book of history and eternity. We know some of them, we celebrate them, we welcome
them. Others remain anonymous. But JESUS gives you all the well-deserved award. I
am happy to be part of the Renewed Universities family, a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, peculiar people to God, athletes fighting in academic and
professional arenas to collaborate in building the Kingdom of Christ.
Congratulations on your book, so beautifully designed and produced with love and
enthusiasm. Congratulations to PUR that has known how to correspond to the call of
the Spirit since the beginning. May the scent of thanksgiving come to the God of
goodness for the affection they manifest toward their luquinhas. May an intense cloud
of incense rise – a confident prayer- to the throne of the Almighty while waiting for an
incessant rain of grace. Long live PUR! Long live JESUS! Adveniat regnum tuum! "
Father Javier Perez Enciso, sj. Rio de Janeiro / RJ, September 3, 2004.
"I have just received and devoured your book. After all, aren’t we supposed to “give
them something to eat”? I savored it with relish. It was a mandatory break through the
readings for my thesis on solidarity. Thanks for this historical record with the quality of
someone who has lived the events. The second generation will have it as a reference
point. It has already been categorized in the library of the Faculty Dehonian. "
Father Joãozinho, SCJ. Taubaté / SP. October 2, 2004.
"Several of us have read and liked your book. Through it we can be assured again that
dreams are capable of improving the course of history, and they are possible to be
fulfilled if we strive for them. Congratulations on your dedication and perseverance.
We also honor the Renewed Universities Project for the goal of renewing the
university environment, a goal that is already a reality. We offer our intercession for
the Holy Spirit so that it will continue lighting up your life, your job, and the route of
this project.”
Father Hernando Echeverry, Villaregia Missionary Community. Belo Horizonte / MG,
October 28, 2005
"What calls my attention is that the book moves and touches the heart. Every time you
cried, I grieved. Whenever you felt fulfilled, I rejoiced. If the book hasn’t been able to
end with my powerlessness over life, at least it has given me the strength to want to
reverse the situation. So, when you said you would be frustrated if you did not succeed
writing the book, you were wrong. It was me and the students in the process of
renewal that would be frustrated. Without your book, I might have been content with
my discouragement and impotence. Your dream became a gift to the UPTs, to the
Renewed Universities, and to the Church. "
W.C.P. Divinópolis / MG, October 12, 2004.
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"It took me one and a half day to read the whole book. I cried, cried a lot of joy,
gratitude, and love for everything that you and the other brothers and sisters had to
go through until we could be experiencing the wonders that God has given us, has
given and is still giving us! I could understand, through your history, what our Lord is
doing in my life, in my history. I could understand the mystery of love and the donation
of my fish and loaves in the hands of the Father! "
R.B.M. Recife / PE, September 15, 2005.
"Reading your book has made me dream about new dreams, and I think I could write a
lot about them. I felt a strong responsibility when I read the final chapters. My
personal dreams for the Renewed Universities are: social responsibility and leadership.
We must be aware that we cannot do all, but we can do something. And this
something that we can (however very little) will contribute to the strategic and
effective change in the social reality of the country (and the world), starting at the
UPTs (arms against “light” men, the unbelievers) and going for sociopolitical initiatives
which seek to liberate people from oppression, giving them the dignity of God's
beloved children (...) Thank you for your YES! Thank you for being an inviting agent of
motivation and mobilization. I know that it is the Spirit who leads you, who encourages
you, who moves you. "
M.A.G.B. Belo Horizonte / MG, August 31, 2004.
"Your book came to my hands in ways that I do not even know how to describe. I'm
neither a college student nor do I profess any religion. I had never heard of the
Renewed Universities Project. As I was reading the book, I wondered why I was
involved in reading it as nothing you wrote has to do with me. What I can say is that,
when I finished reading, your pages made me rethink my roles as a woman, as a
mother, as a wife, as a citizen, as a person... Thank you for your sincerity and
sensitivity that have stirred a lot of feelings in me. "
M.D.J. Rio de Janeiro / RJ, September 1, 2005.
"This book did redeem the hearts of those who already believed, and, at the same
time, it has aroused the belief in the hearts of those who did not know what God can
do and accomplish in the life of those who defy the world for a cause. You, Ivna, were
able to display the necessary sensitivity that God expected. This book is the result of
the sign that God, simply and specially, gave you one day. One of the missions you
have in your passage through the world has become history. "
L.O.C. Contagem / MG, in December 2004.
"I read your book and I confess that I felt very sad at first. However, during the reading,
God was healing me. I feel I am cured, especially in family relationships. I thought I
should share everything that I felt with you, because that way I would take over the
healing of my heart ... "
217
M.L.F. Governador Valadares / MG, August 29, 2004.
"When I bought your book at ENUCC Maringá (July 2004), I decided to ask you for an
autograph, but I thought: she must be writing the same thing to everyone. To my
surprise, however, you had written a different message for each person. Wow! A
Professional of the Kingdom really means it! I'll never forget this fact, this testimony of
love and zeal with everyone who was there. I loved the book. How beautiful! It seemed
that I could hear you telling each story by my side. "(Actually, I wrote exactly 659
dedications, which is the number of books sold during ENUCC. If I say that my hand did
not hurt, I’ll be lying, but I cannot deny that I hear reports of this gesture even today.)
A.P.O. Franca / SP, July 22, 2004.
"When I reached the end of your book and read the invitation to share the experience
of the reader, I could not resist. I must tell you my story (...) I believe my testimony and
that of many other people you will surely receive will be God’s answer to you about
the miracle that He performed through the five loaves and two fish that you offered to
Him so that we could be fed. "(Of course, each sharing is one more loving response of
God to my heart. Nothing that I have done was in vain. Rather, I can now harvest fruit
a hundredfold).
D.M.O. Juiz de Fora / MG, 26 July 2004.
"Hello, dear Ivna! I greet you this way because, after reading your book, I seem to
know you a little, and can even hear your voice. I smiled, cried and, being extremely
anxious, I also felt anxiety about the "wait". But what I really mean is that your book
taught me to dream... I dreamed about the renewed universities, and I could clearly
hear the voice of the Lord saying, “You give them something to eat.”
D.L.P. N. Apucarana / PR, January 26, 2005.
"I finished reading your book exactly one week ago. What anointed words! Each line I
read was a breath of renewal of the Holy Spirit. The Lord always knew that with your
YES (to write the book in such a short time) I would be rescued. Ivna, you have no idea
of what your words have made me feel, the inner revolution that I have lived! "
J.P.F.V. Palmas / TO, May 25, 2005.
"It’s difficult to criticize a book that is so rich in teachings, a real life lesson ... I would
like to leave a message to all luquinhas: it is impossible to be part of this project
without reading this book. All the fears and insecurities to form a UPT will eventually
end, all laziness and discouragement to continue on the path will disappear, and any
cooling of your love for the project will end. I hope this tip will serve for all luquinhas
who have not chosen this work as their bedside book. "
Deborah Maffia - Belo Horizonte / MG
"You cannot imagine how much your book touched my heart and how it touches
218
people who read it, even those who only flip through it for a few seconds. Ivna, God
bless you! I hope I will see you here in Belém someday, motivating the luquinhas in
Pará."
Nile Marinho - Belém / PA.
"Ivna, I want to tell you that your book was not just a book that I read and put away on
the shelf, on the contrary it has become a companion. Whenever I feel discouraged, I
open a page at random and read a bit of this beautiful story. And so my heart is filled
with hope and courage to keep walking and dreaming of a better world. "
Elissandra Viana - Blumenau / SC
"Ivna, daughter of the inspiring Father, I'm still enjoying your blessed work of
evangelization and experience, but since the beginning I’ve been savoring this
wonderful example. Thank you!"
Meire Anne Borges Tavares - Formosa / GO
"After reading this book my love for MUR has been restored! I can only thank the Holy
Spirit for every word that He aroused in your heart, Ivna! "
Esteyse Glenaise Santana Carne - Formosa / GO
“Quienes conocemos a Ivna podemos decir que conocemos una representatividad de
tantos y tantos jovenes soñadores no solo en Brasil, sino en nuestro Planeta... Casi
termino de leer el libro, estoy a un par de capitulos y mi mas grande impresión es el
AMOR, el amor que se escurre entre las paginas, el AMOR que se puede sentir en cada
signo de expresión y cada fotografía... Es un tesoro para la Historia del Proyecto
Universidades Renovadas, es contar en casa con la historia misma vista a través de los
ojos de la persona indicada, salpicada de corazones de tantas personas mas, y es que
de que otra forma podría haberse escrito?, sino por un testigo de las "Maravillas de
DIOS".
Jorge Yorch Maranõn – Veracruz/México
"Dear Ivna, during and after reading your book much has changed inside of me. I feel
more motivated to study, to seek professional training, and to be useful to society in
all spheres. Your book, which is an inspired and anointed work, has brought
sentiments such as patriotism, personal and professional valuation to my heart; it
made me want to contribute to improving the lives of those around me. Really, "You
Give Them Something to Eat" was a godsend for me. I thank our God for His immense
love. And to you, tireless warrior, my gratitude! Your YES was the door of victory for
many (including myself). "
Sandra Marizete Ferreira - Manaus / AM
219
"We may give up, God will never give up. Reading your book gave me much
encouragement to continue evangelizing even with all the difficulties. I'm not a college
student, I am part of the New Covenant Community and Caná Family. God bless your
brilliant walk. "
Eliene Batista Oliveira Silva - Belo Horizonte / MG
"You Give Them Something to Eat" is a book that made me relive my entire career
within PUR and, at the same time, provided me with an awakening of my future
mission. It is so nice to see the testimonies of the lives of those who planted the
"Dream" of the "Renewed Universities." (...) This book is a great gift of God for us all.
God used this friendly, strong woman, a warrior, who, in record time, managed to
write this beautiful story. Ivna, many times I could not contain myself and tears fell as I
read and relived moments we spent together. Thank you for your yes. This book is a
real source of renewal in the Holy Spirit.
Samuel Ventura de Oliveira - Maceió / AL (Currently, Samuel is pastor at the
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Penedo / AL)
"Despite the fact that I am Ivna’s blood sister and know most of the facts narrated in
the book, I was delighted with her love and way of writing that absorbed me from start
to finish. It was as if I did not know her, and she was telling all those stories right by my
side. I believe that those who read the book, even those who do not participate in PUR
have certainly been touched by her testimony. She did believe that the world can be
better, that dreams can come true, and that our hard-won achievements are meant to
make us value them. "
Rosana Mara Sá dos Santos - Belo Horizonte / MG
"I had the opportunity to be born in the same family as Ivna, and follow all her spiritual
" growth and development ". I also had the opportunity to follow the process of
writing the book, her joys and her tears. Everyone sees the motivating, strong Ivna, the
warrior, but few have the opportunity to see their sister frail, tired ... This is also a
great gift from God to me, because I can experience daily that the difficulties that we
all go through in our lives are no bigger than the dream that God puts in our hearts.
This woman is a real warrior, folks, she is dreamy, uplifting and, above all, is faithful to
God's call, despite the difficulties. My love, you wrote in the book that I'm your best
friend. Today I’m writing to Brazil that you are a gift from God in my life and my YES to
the call of the Father passes by your YES and your testimony. I love you, I am proud to
220
be your sister, and I can say that this book was another kindness of God to me,
allowing me to once again delve into the mystery of His infinite love for us and into the
call, or rather, into His summons to help build the Civilization of Love. "
Mirela Sá dos Santos - Belo Horizonte / MG
"Ivna, I have been participating in PUR at a distance ( Fabiana Ramos’s mother in
Vitória / ES), because the "luquinhas" have always stayed in my house. (...) I want to
congratulate you on your book. I read it in two seconds. It's amazing the record time
you spent writing it. Only when you have SOMEONE behind you can this happen. The
book emerges a "fire", an enthusiasm, an unmistakable vibe. Be assured that this will
mobilize many students. "
Geruza Maria Pinheiro Ramos - Vitória / ES
"When I finished reading your book, Ivna, I wondered:" How is it possible to read the
same story, listen to it several times, even tell it to others, and still be moved as if it
were first time? " I always feel this emotion, Ivna, when I listen to you and read your
book. The only explanation is the anointing of the Holy Spirit - on you and on this
dream of God: PUR. Now, toward the next 20 years!
William Lamb - Belo Horizonte / MG
"Ivna, if God asked me to summarize your book in one sentence, I would say this:
"Ivna, your heart is a sign of God's heart for the heart of the university students."
Raphael-MSCD
221
APPENDIX 2
Edith Stein: the Science of the Cross
“I always dreamed of a brilliant future for myself, a life of fame and happiness,
convinced that I was meant for great things and not the narrow limits of the bourgeois
setting into which I had been born”
Edith Stein
Throughout the chapters of this book, and sometimes in the middle of a few passages,
I quoted or mentioned Edith Stein. If you do not know her, I guess you must be curious
to know who this woman was. And if you already know her, you may be curious about
why, among so many philosophers, writers, saints of the Church, I have chosen Edith
Stein to be one of the intercessors for this book, and also its inspiring personality. I
believe that, after reading the following lines, you might have no more questions or
curiosities about this matter. But if they still persist, I will let you draw your own
conclusions.
Edith Stein was born in Breslau on October 12, 1891 into an observant Jewish family.
Being the youngest of eleven children, her arrival to the world was in the context of a
celebration - it was the day of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)50. Her entire life was
marked by strong moments: the search for truth and knowledge which made her an
intellectual, her atheist period (about eight years), her conversion to Catholicism, her
consecrated religious life as a Discalced Carmelite and, finally, her tragic death at the
Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz. Edith Stein died not as a "Christian martyr" in
the proper sense, but as a victim of "Shoah": mass destruction of six million Jews
exterminated under the Nazi regime.
50
Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is one of two Jewish High Holy Days. It is a day of
reconciliation, when Jews strive to make amends with people and to draw closer to God through prayer
and fasting. Although Yom Kippur is an intense holiday, it is nevertheless viewed as a happy day. Why?
Because if one has observed the holiday properly, by the end of Yom Kippur they will have made peace
with others and with God. Translator’s Note.
222
Like many intellectuals, young Edith Stein was no longer able to believe in the
existence of a transcendent God; she lost faith. However, when she rediscovered HIM
through the reading of Genesis, the prophets of the Old Testament, the New
Testament, specifically the life of Jesus, she slowly came to what she defined as
“Christian by love," without ever denying her belonging to Judaism. When her own
experience of God was confirmed by reading Teresa of Avila, she converted to
Catholicism.
A Jewish philosopher, Carmelite, martyr, Edith Stein (1891-1942), who brings in her
intense life a dramatic synthesis of our century (John Paul II, May 1, 1985), whose
name has been among the Church’s saints since October 11, 1998, was a woman
chosen by God to open ways of relationship and communion in different areas and
levels of human, Christian, ecclesial, and inter-religious experience. Within the culturalsocial scene, Edith contributed with writings, lectures and conferences to promote the
role of women in society and in the Church. Besides this, through research on the
notion of the State, she explained its relationship with the nation, the people and
society, and even its precarious balance with the religious sphere.
Within philosophy, Edith left indelible marks of originality: having been Husserl’s
student and assistant in Freiburg, she would have deserved to be his successor in the
chair of philosophy, and perhaps surpass her master. However, she sought a bridge
between contemporary philosophy, synthesized in Husserlian phenomenology, and
medieval tradition, expressed by S. Thomas’s philosophy. Her masterpiece, Finite and
Eternal Being, is almost a new ontology, a synthesis of philosophy and mysticism. Had
she been able to continue her research and create a movement of thought, as it was
her nature, perhaps we could have her among the greatest philosophers of the
twentieth century.
In her lively and profound intelligence, Edith had demand and thirst for truth, always
with moral rigor. Because she was not satisfied with the psychology current of
positivist type, prevalent at the University of Wroclaw (Poland), she turned to, as soon
as she learned about it, the phenomenology of Edmund Husserl, a professor at
Göttingen. Here's how, after years of experience, she describes Husserl’s method:
"His way of guiding the eye on the things themselves, and educating it to intellectually
grasp them with absolute accuracy, to soberly describe them, freed his students from
all will and vanity of all knowledge, leading them to a simple, cognitive attitude,
subject to the object and, therefore, humble. At the same time he taught us to get rid
of prejudice and to remove every obstacle that could destroy our sensitivity to new
insights. This attitude, toward which he responsibly educated us, liberated many of us,
223
making us open in relation to Catholic truth "(Source: J.Blouflet, Edith Stein,
philosopher crucified, Paoline, Milano 1998, p.157-158)
As far as religion and mysticism are concerned, she went from the Dominican and
Benedictine spirituality to the mystique of S. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross,
and thus she completed her life project: thought and experience of the cross with
Christ crucified as a sacrifice-giving for the salvation of his people. In the last letter
that, even as a deportee, she managed to get the Carmel of Echt to receive it, she
wrote: "One can acquire a Science of the Cross (...) Hail, O Cross, our only hope."
Today, when a large number of people from different races, ages, nationalities and
beliefs, is questioning the meaning of life, there is nothing more valuable than to fix
our eyes on those who, during their lives, managed to leave signs of what love is
capable. Edith Stein is one of those people, like many other known or unknown saints.
She died as a victim of the Holocaust, which stained with "red ink" the history of the
twentieth century. Today, unless we are watchful of anti-Semitism, of imperialism, and
of a "fair fight against terrorism" (under whose name torture, massacres and
extermination of lives are justified), we run the risk of another Holocaust, perhaps one
even greater. Let us have the courage to serve our intelligence (E. Kant) to resolutely
confront the threats of this time of wars, but that can become a time of true peace.
The change will go through me, through you and will finally get to "us."
• This text is a synthesis and an adaptation based on documents made available on the
website: www.gesuiti.it/moscati/Brazil/Pr_Stein_Gar3.html (Edith Stein: hebraicity and
Christian holiness, by Armando Gargiulo, SJ, and translation by Clemente Treccani,
CRCI), except for the first and last paragraphs.
• Another source used was the magazine "Edith Stein: The Science of the Cross", Sister
Waltraud Herbstrith, O.C.D.
• You may want to see the film that tells her story, entitled "The seventh home" at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLEIbqG6_XY.
224
APPENDIX 3
Quotes on the existence of God
• "Wherever we extend our gaze, nowhere do we see a contradiction between natural
sciences and religion, but we find full convergence in the decisive points. Science and
religion are not mutually exclusive, as nowadays many think and fear, but they
complement each other. To the believer, God is the beginning, to the physicist, God is
the arrival point of all his thought. " Max Planck (1858-1947), German physicist,
pioneer of quantum physics, Nobel Prize in 1928.
• "I have enormous respect and the highest admiration for all engineers, especially the
greatest one: God." Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), inventor of 2000 patents,
including the light bulb.
• "I declare that I am a man of faith. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe in it not
only as a faithful Christian, but also as a scientist." Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937),
Italian physicist, inventor of the telegraph, Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909.
• "The wonderful arrangement and harmony of the universe can only have originated
after the plan of a Being who knows all and can do everything. This is my last and
highest discovery. "Isaac Newton (1642-1727), discoverer of the laws of motion and
gravity.
• "When the last hour strikes, we will have the unspeakable joy of seeing the One
whom we could only sense in our work." Karl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855), German,
regarded by many as the greatest mathematician of all time, was also an astronomer
and physicist.
• "Every profound researcher of nature should devise a kind of religious feeling, for he
cannot admit that he is the first to realize the extraordinary sets of beautiful beings he
contemplates. In the universe, incomprehensible as it is, a higher, unlimited
intelligence is manifested. The current opinion that I am an atheist is based on a great
mistake. He who wanted to deduce it from my scientific theories would not have
understood my thoughts. "Albert Einstein (1879-1955), German Jewish physicist,
creator of the theory of relativity, Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.
225
APPENDIX 4
Important Data
For the sake of documentary rigor, it is important that the general public be aware of
some data related to the Renewed Universities Project (PUR). The information below
was accessed on May 15, 2004 by our webmaster.
• UPTs per Brazilian State
AC = 1
AL = 17
AM = 2
AP = 2
BA = 7
CE = 4
DF = 8
ES = 20
GO = 16
MA = 7
MG = 84
MS = 5
MT = 7
PA = 8
PB = 8
PE = 2
PI = 6
PR = 80
RJ = 41
RN = 6
R0 = 0
RS = 12
SC = 25
SE = 4
SP = 180
TO = 11
• Accesses to the website: an average of 350 per day.
• Members registered: 6,192
• People with@pu e-mail address: 1396
• Mailing Lists: 63
Theme (courses and research) - 5 Lists
Exact Sciences
Law School
Course of Electrical Engineering
Health
Social service
226
Professionals Sharing and Perseverance Team / Prayer Team
Graduates - 5 Lists
Belo Horizonte (GPP)
GOF from Uberlândia
São Carlos (GPP)
São Paulo (State GPP)
Vale do Aço (GPP)
Municipal, diocesan or UPTs - 17 Lists
Araraquara
Bauru – Unesp UPT
Campinas
Campinas - Unicamp
Cascavel
Cuiabá
UPT / Unileste
Minas Gerais - South
Nosso Quintal
States - 26 Lists
Acre
Alagoas
Amapá
Amazonas
Bahia
Ceará
Federal District
Espírito Santo
Goiás
Maranhão
MatoGrosso
MatoGrosso do Sul
Minas Gerais
Piracicaba
Salvos_para_Amar
Santa Catarina - Criciúma
Santa Catarina - Joinville
Sao Carlos
Sao Paulo - Capital
Uberlândia
Vale do Paraíba
Para
Paraná
Pernambuco
Piauí
Rio de Janeiro
Rio Grande do Norte
Rio Grande do Sul
Rondônia
Roraima
Santa Catarina
São Paulo
Sergipe
Tocantins
National - 10 Lists
National Team
Computers
BR PUR - General
GPP - Professionals' sharing
Music
Northern Region
Northeast
Communication Service
227
Spanish only
English only
a) State
Sergipe
Paraíba
Tocantins
Paraná
Rio Grande do Sul
b) Municipal
Florianópolis
Curtibiba
Uberlândia
c) UPTs
Sal e Luz
Agnus Dei
Semente
PUR Blogger
d) International
Mexico
• Promotion, advertising and training materials available in our library:
1 – Newsletter of Sharing (printed version), paragraph 01 (February 1997) to 18 (September
2001).
2 – Newsletter of Sharing (online version), now updated every Tuesday.
3 - Primer: three editions (1999/2000 and 2001), and translated into Spanish at
www.pur.com.br
4 – Multilingual brochure: Portuguese, English and Spanish; posters, pamphlets, text
markers, rulers, etc.
5 - CDs and cassette tapes with recordings of sermons, lectures and thematic tables of all
nine Enuccs held so far.
6 - T-shirts with different designs, briefcases, caps, pens, pencil cases, key chains, and the
most creative gifts.
7 - Collection of photographs of about three thousand pictures.
8 – News stories in mass media vehicles and in journals for the Catholic public.
9 - Video Tapes:
9.1) documentary about PUR, produced by Rede Vida TV in August 1996;
9.2) documentary about PUR, produced by students of Social Communication of UNI-BH,
228
members of the Kerygma UPT, in June 1997;
9.3) documentary about PUR, produced by the Association of the Lord Jesus (Campinas / SP)
in August 2001;
9.4) documentary about PUR, with a view from the community of Belo Horizonte, to be
released on the 9th Enucc in Maringá / PR. Production, images, script, direction and editing:
Brune Montalvao;
9.5) reports and testimonies of Enuccs of 1997(Belo Horizonte / MG), 1998 (Presidente
Prudente / SP), 1999 (São Paulo / SP), 2000 (São Paulo / SP) and 2001 (Bauru / SP).
9.6) recording interviews with PUR members in the Tribuna Independente Program: Elen
Resende, Fernando Galvani, Ivna Sá, and Mauro Bertolani.
10 - CD with songs from I PUR Song Festival, recorded in 2000.
11 - Miscellaneous materials from UPTs, from diocesan, state and national meetings, as well
as the material already produced by Mexican and Peruvian PUR luquinhas.
Researches on MUR That Have Used the First Edition
of This Book As Bibliographic Reference
BUSS, R. N.; SILVA, H. M.; SALES, P. C. A contribuição do Ministério Universidades Renovadas para
a formação dos acadêmicos do curso de administração da Faculdade Católica Dom Orione. In:
COLÓQUIO INTERNACIONAL SOBRE GESTÃO UNIVERSITÁRIA NA AMÉRICA DO SUL,9., 2009,
Florianópolis. Anais... Florianópolis: Aeges, 2009. p. 1-17.
GABRIEL, E. A evangelização carismática católica na universidade: o sonho do grupo de oração
universitário. 2005. 100 p. Dissertation (Master's Degree in Social Sciences) – Federal University of
São Carlos, São Carlos, 2005.
NOBREGA, A. R. Profissionais do reino: um novo ethos católico na universidade cearense. In:
CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE SOCIOLOGIA, 13., 2007, Recife. Anais... Recife: UFPE, 2007. p. 1-15.
RAMOS, A. G. T. M. Amigo de fé, meu irmão, camarada: estratégias de recatolicização do
ministério Universidades Renovadas na Universidade. 2009. 153 p. Dissertation (Master's Degree in
Religion Sciences) - Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, 2009.
229
APPENDIX 5
MUR from 2004 to 2012
No one is more capable of summarizing what has occurred within MUR throughout these years
than Ierecê Gilberto from Maringá / PR. Ierecê has been MUR’s coordinator longer than anyone
else, more precisely for eight years. Transcribing so much content in the form of a Chapter would
be a difficult task, so I realized that it would be richer to leave the information the way she wrote it.
In this part, you will find an overview of all national meetings that were held from 2004 to 2012, an
outline of the Ruah Project, Amazon Project, MUR’s expansion in Latin America and the
approximation of MUR by the CNBB Universities Sector.
2004 - ENUCC IX (Maringá / PR)
Location: Old Musamar Supermarket Warehouse- Maringá / PR
Date: 15 to 18 July 2004
Participants: 1796 participants, 08 hearing impaired, 208 higher education institutions represented,
UF 24 (missing AP, RR, and AC only), 03 countries (Brazil, Peru and Bolivia), about six thousand
(6,000) accesses on MUR website during the days of the event;
Background: PUR’s tenth anniversary
Motto: "What shall we say then? If God is for us, who can be against us? "(Rom. 8, 31)
Challenges and Achievements:
1 – the first ENUCC to be held off the Brazilian southeast-central-western axis;
2 – the first CCRBR51 national event to be held in southern Brazil;
3 - Course on Event Organization for all team coordinators, with the issuance of a certificate with
Embratur’s seal;
4 - the first CCR event to be fully transmitted live via the internet;
5 - first part of the event was also broadcast live on Canção Nova TV;
6 - the first time we had ten working groups where they discussed issues of academic and social
relevance;
7 – six Thematic Tables were conducted on academic-scientific issues (the greatest number of
tables held at ENUCCs)
51
CCRBR – Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Brazil. Translator’s note.
230
8 – for the first time we had a group of hearing impaired participants in the event, which was
simultaneously translated into LIBRAS52;
9 - we were given a copy of the MUR primer in Braille as a gift;
10 - commemorative event: celebration of the ten years of evangelistic work in universities in Brazil
by the CCRBR through PUR;
11 - a small exhibition of PUR’s story (banners and materials produced displaying the history of the
work in each state);
12 – book launch: "You Give Them Something to Eat," authored by Ivna Sa;
13 - certificate of extra-curricular activity issued and stamped by the State University of Maringá;
14 - the venue forbidden by the municipal government ten days before the event.
2005 – ENUCC X (Maceió / AL)
Location: Teo Brandão State School Gymnasium – AL.
Date: 6, 7, 8, 9 September 2005.
Participants: 900 participants
Theme: Renewed Universities: We want to see Jesus!
Motto: "Go you also into my vineyard." Mt 20:4
Challenges and Achievements:
1 – The first CCRBR national event held in the northeastern (NE) region;
2 - commemorative event: ENUCC X;
3 - annual meeting (planning and evaluation) of MUR National Team preceding the event (national
team gathered for ten days for the national meeting and ENUCC);
5 - certificate issuance.
2006 - ENUCC XI (Valinhos / SP - XXI Century TV)
Location: Auditorium and facilities of XXI Century TV - Valinhos/SP
Date: 10 to 13 August, 2006
Participants: 1100 participants, 26 Brazilian states represented (missing RR and AP only)
Theme: Renewed Universities: Identity and Mission
Motto: "If you are what you ought to be, you will set all world afire." St. Catherine of Siena
Challenges and Achievements:
1 – the first full broadcast live on TV - XXI Century TV;
2 - participation of several ENS members in shows of the TV regular programming grid on the days
before the event and at intervals during ENUCC;
3 – the only possible date to hold the event on TV coincided with the closing ceremony on Father’s
52
LIBRAS – Brazilian Sign Language. Translator’s note.
231
Day Sunday;
4 - the first time the event ended on a Sunday at 5 p.m. (all others had ended at noon);
5 - relationship with the TV management team, a great learning experience for our team (NorthAmerican culture, the elderly and the Jesuits);
6 - we worked a little on the issue of accessibility for the first time at the event (presence of some
wheelchair users at certain times);
7 - event with simultaneous translation in LIBRAS (in studio);
8 – AC’s official participation at ENUCC (02 people) for the first time.
2007 – ENUCC XII - (Canção Nova Community - Cachoeira Paulista / SP)
Location: Canção Nova Community Facilities - Cachoeira Paulista / SP
Date: 24 to 28 July 2007
Participants: about 10 000 young people from Brazil and Latin America attended the event.
Theme: CCR’s 40th anniversary
Motto: "Come upon you the Holy Spirit and give you strength and be my witnesses..." Acts 1:8
Challenges and Achievements:
1 – CCR’s commemorative event – CCR’s 40th anniversary;
2 - ENUCC was one of the Workshops of the CCRBR National Conference;
3 - event held concurrently with: CCRBR National Conference; Catholic Charismatic Latin American
Meeting - ECCLA; National Youth Meeting - enj; Priests National Meeting and Congressinho
(National event for children);
4 - the first time we spoke openly about the Amazon Project and MUR’s responsibility in the Project
at ENUCC;
5 - preachings with Archbishop Alberto Taveira – TO; Don Jose Azcona – PA; and Patti Mansfield USA;
6 - the first time that MUR was presented to the entire Latin American CCR as part of ECCLA
programming, and live on Canção Nova TV;
7 - participation of ENS members and coordination in Canção Nova TV and Radio programs during
the event;
8 - live participation of the Youth Ministry and Renewed Universities Ministry coordinators in the
PHN Program on Canção Nova TV;
9 –several UPTs moments happened during the event, including in Spanish (featuring brothers and
sisters from several Latin American countries);
10 -at least one GPP happened during the event;
11 – RR’s official presence for the first time at ENUCC;
12 - experience of performing preaching at the opening and closing ceremonies of the event by
232
pairs (opening: Daiane Trentin and Leandro Street; closing: Ierecê Gilberto and Fernando Galvani);
13 – the tent where ENUCC would be held was completely destroyed one day before the event, due
to wind and weather conditions on site.
2008 - ENUR (Palmas / TO)
Location: Planet Fest - Palmas / TO
Date: 18 to 21 September 2008
Participants: around 1000 participants; 27 UF represented;
Theme: Renewed Universities: conversion and life.
Motto: "It is by grace you have been saved!" Eph. 2.5
Challenges and Achievements:
1 - experience of gathering, for the first time, all MURBRASIL’s events at the same event, thus
creating ENUR - Renewed Universities National Meeting;
gathered Events: ENUCC XIII; ENP IV; II Exhibition of Scientific Papers and Social Actions, I Ruah: Let
Love love; I Week of Academic Debates;
2 - the first CCRBR national event held in Brazil’s northern (NO) region;
3 - event held outside the winter holidays period (late July / early August). Reason: from the two
dates proposed, this was the only one with 100% possibility of the presence of Archbishop Alberto
Taveira to the event;
4 - presence of five bishops at the event (3 from TO, 1 from GO, and 1 from PA);
5 – for the first time we had a Pre-ENUR, which consisted of the organization of academic debates
and missionary activities in local universities from Sunday through Thursday;
6 – a formation course for 80 students / missionaries from numerous Brazilian states who
participated in I Ruah;
7 - I Ruah: Let Love love;
8 - academic debates with renowned scientists (Dr. Alice Teixeira Ferreira - UNIFESP and Cezar
Saldanha Souza Junior - UFRS) in Tocantins’s universities;
9 - event with 100% focus and character on mission;
10 – the first Thematic Table on the Amazon Project;
11 - the Second Exhibition of MUR Scientific Papers and Social Actions;
12 - Thematic Table on the theme of the Fraternity Campaign of the year - "Choose Life" - on the
issue of abortion;
13 - event marks a NEW ERA for the Ministry, with a strong call to conversion and return to Mission;
14 – the preaching summary of the event gave rise to the Retreat of the Arrows, which became a
Novena in preparation for the I National Missionary Week, performed the following year;
15 - CNBB official presence at the event, through the Coordinator of the Universities Sector - Sister
Maria Eugenia Lloris Aguado;
233
16 – for the first time we officially had the presence of all Brazilian states;
17 – celebration of the ten years’ work with MUR’s professionals(with a Mass and a special blessing
by Bishop Alberto to all professionals present on site);
18 - donation of more than one hundred units of the Holy Bible to the Amazon Project (collected by
members of the Ministry in their states and delivered to Don Azcona at the end of his extraordinary
preaching at the event);
19 - a message from the ICCRS Director, Oreste Pesare, to MURBRASIL, recorded during ECCLA –
Honduras, a few days before, was released.
2009 - We decided not to make any big event so that the directions given in 2008 could be lived
in the states and dioceses.
2010 - ENUR II (Brasilia / DF)
Location: UCB - Catholic University of Brasilia, Taguatinga - DF
Date: 03 to 7 September, 2010
Participants: around 1000 participants, 25 states (except PB and SE); strong involvement of Brazil’s
northern region states.
Theme: University Students and Professionals: preach the good news.
Motto: “For Thy Word, our foundation will be restored.” Ezra 6.3
Challenges and Achievements:
1 - all MURBRASIL events were held, for the second time, at the same event;
2 - the first event under the coordination of Felippe Nery - new MURBRASIL’s coordinator;
3 - many new ENS members (a change of almost two thirds of MUR’s state coordinators);
4 -handling the challenges of the infrastructure in Brasilia (very large distances made
accommodation matters more difficult);
5 – the best infrastructure we've had at our national events (the whole event was held within the
university, with all the infrastructure available);
6 - for the first time, ENURZINHO, an event for MURBRASIL’s members’ children was held;
7 -for the first time, we had an evening of cultural performances presented by each region of Brazil;
8 – participation of professionals and university students together, at ENUR, in the Thematic Tables;
9 - for the first time thematic tables were held on two consecutive days and the See- Judge-Act
Method was applied (the first day we worked “see and judge”; on the second day, “act”);
10 – for the first time the theme, FAMILY, was addressed at ENUCC.
234
Amazon Project / Mission Marajó
The proposal of a work of evangelization in the north was made by the CCRBR national
coordinator, Marcos Volcan, during the national team meeting that preceded ENUCC X in Maceió.
There was nothing concrete about it yet, but he proposed that MUR set a CCRBR permanent base in
the Amazon, because, he said, MUR members are not afraid of challenges, and they dream of and
work to accomplish the dreams given by God. Initially, he asked Elen Resende and Fernando Galvani
to be the leaders of this new challenge, and so it happened.
In January 2006, during the Ministries and Coordinators Formation National Meeting, ENF, in
Aparecida do Norte, SP, Elen presented some realities of Brazil’s Amazon region and of the
northern region as well, and also produced the first draft of the Amazon Project. In mid-2006, I,
Ierecê Gilberto, invited Leandro Alberione and his wife Silvia Vilela da Costa to take over the
project. Leandro and Silvia, together with several MUR members and other professionals from
other CCRBR ministries, designed the whole project, prayed a lot, had several meetings, many of
them in the presence of Marcos Volcan with all his support and motivation, also counting on the
support of James Regal (then coordinator of CCRBR Missionary Activity), and Márcio Zolin
(Executive Director of CCRBR National Bureau). Leandro studied a lot about the Amazon and
became an expert and a reference on the subject within CCRBR. In April 2007, we first stepped in
the Amazon, where, together with Bishop Jose Luis Azcona Hermoso (Marcos Volcan, President of
CCRBR National Council; Leandro Alberione, coordinator of CCRBR’s Amazon Project; Ierecê
Gilberto, MURBRASIL national coordinator; and Ronaldo Lima, CCR state coordinator in Pará (PA),
we had to choose the site of the first missionary base of CCRBRASIL.
Then, we chose the town of Breves, on Marajó Island, PA. In May 2008, during the CCR State
Conference in PA, the first four missionaries were sent to the mission, thereby fulfilling another
dream that God had placed in our hearts. Over the last four years, God has done wonderful things
through this small initiative there. With the joint efforts of members of our movement, this is the
most pure and beautiful proof that miracles do happen, when we hear the voice of Lord and put it
into practice! Today CCRBR National Bureau is leading this project, which is no longer MUR’s
responsibility. However, we are still very involved in other ways with the project and its missions.
Further details on the Amazon Project, including videos and photos can be obtained on CCRBrasil’s
website: www.rccbrasil.org.br.
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Ruah Project: Let Love love
This project arose from a provocation made by Archbishop Alberto Taveira to MURBRASIL in 2007,
during the celebration of CCR’s 40th anniversary, when we asked him for permission to hold ENUR
in his diocese the following year. He said he welcomed the event with joy, but we should consider a
proposal for a missionary activity during the days of ENUR. From there, we went to pray, to listen to
the Lord and to burn our brains out thinking about this proposal. Then, the Holy Spirit inspired us
every small detail, from the name Ruah for the project to the motto "Let Love love" and each of the
activities. This same project inspired us to undertake, in 2009, the first National Missionary Week
(details in the book “Ruah - accounts of a love that loves”, the Formation National CommitteeMURBRASIL. Pelotas: RCCBRASIL, 2010).
MUR in Latin America
Under the umbrella of CCR’s structure, we have made great progress with MUR in Latin America.
Naturally, many efforts had been made before, we did not start from scratch. Thank God we
already had a story and a journey to take into consideration, but here I refer specifically to my
coordination. Lucimar Franco (GO) helped us to leverage this effort with much prayer, listening,
production of the first digital materials we took to Latin America, and with his contacts.
In 2007, we held the first CCR National Meeting for university students in Venezuela, and began to
walk more firmly along with both Latin American Youth Secretary and CONCCLAT - Catholic
Charismatic Council of Latin America. In July 2007, when CONCCLAT met in Brazil for the
celebrations of CCR’s Diamond Jubilee in the world, we had the opportunity to officially present
MUR to all of CCR national coordinators of the Latin American countries, and, on the following days,
to the participants in the Latin American Catholic Charismatic Meeting - ECCLA.
In August 2008, we went to ECCLA - Honduras where we were invited to present a workshop on
MUR for two consecutive days, with the participation of a great number of young people. At this
event, the CONCCLAT President, Miguel Mendoza from Mexico, personally called all the members
of this council, and urged them to open the doors in their countries to begin the evangelization
work in the universities through the Renewed Universities. In January 2009, the first CCR Forum
happened - with theme and discussions on “Identity, Unity, and Mission”. Among the attendees
were CONCCLAT’s President and Vice President (Maria Eugenia de Gongora or Shenny, now current
president). Both of them attended the workshop on MUR at the Formation National Meeting that
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followed the Forum, and we also had the opportunity to have a lengthy talk about how the work of
the Renewed Universities could be structured in Latin America.
We suggested creating a chair for this work within the Latin America Youth Secretariat or within
CONCCLAT. The president immediately accepted the proposal, consulting CONCCLAT’s vicepresident and the National Council of Brazil too. We then appointed the name of Daiane Toigo
Trentin - MUR / RS for the position, because we could not accumulate that function with MUR’s
national coordination. The name was readily accepted, and the work went on.
UPTs began to emerge in Venezuela, Honduras, Peru, Ecuador and, above all, very strongly in
Mexico, where the Holy Spirit breathed with great momentum. In 2011, at ECCLA - Peru, there was
the election for the presidency of CONCCLAT, and, consequently, new names for the Coordination
of Youth Ministry were appointed. Daiane, our representative, was nominated to take over the
Secretariat, and her name was accepted by the new CONCCLAT president. Today the coordinator of
the Renewed Universities work in Latin America is Omar Guzman Hernandez, from Mexico.
MUR and CNBB / Universities Sector
Early in the second half of 2006, we received a phone call from Don Eduardo Bennes, Bishop of
Sorocaba and, at the time, CNBB’s reference bishop for universities, inviting us to participate in or
send someone to a meeting that would happen in the following few days in Sao Paulo / SP. They
intended to bring together representatives of the movements and pastoral teams working in
universities in Brazil, Catholic university presidents, and members of ANEC (Association of Catholic
Schools) to talk about evangelism in the universities. We sent in Rodrigo Rosa Mendes (Rodriguinho
- then MUR coordinator of the Archdiocese of São Paulo), and Father Antonio Jacaúna (then
spiritual director of MUR-BRAZIL). We had a great participation, because Rodriguinho was by far the
youngest of all who were present there.
In October 2006, a further meeting took place in Brasilia-DF, convened by Don Eduardo Bennes.
This time representatives from various dioceses in Brazil, where there was work of evangelization in
the universities, were sent by their respective bishops. Interestingly, several bishops ended up
sending representatives who were members of our ENS-MUR, of course we pulled a few strings and
there they were: Darlan-ES, Vitor-PR, Rodrigo-SP, Halph-MG, Nário-GO, among others. We
prepared a rich material to present MUR by using a carefully designed PP presentation, we took
brochures, stickers, CDs with files of material about our work, in short, a good MUR-KIT. We called
MURBRASIL to intercede for this meeting in Brasilia, and designated Rodriguinho to make the
presentation. God acted powerfully there, opening the doors to a new channel of dialogue with
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CNBB through the work of the Universities Sector, which was then beginning within the Episcopal
Commission for Education and Culture, with Don Eduardo Bennes as the reference bishop, and
Sister Maria Eugenia Lloris Aguado as a coordinator. Since then, under the coordination and tireless
work of Sister Maria Eugenia, we have done a beautiful job with all the movements and pastorals
working in evangelism in the Brazilian universities. We took part in: EBRUC - Brazilian Christian
University Students Meeting, conducted by CNBB University Sector; the First University Professors
Meeting with the Pope during World Youth Day - Spain (2011), and several meetings of the
Universities Sector. Don Eduardo Bennes and Sister Eugenia were with us at ENUR II, and Sister
Maria Eugenia attended our RENS 2011 in Campinas / SP.
MUR and ICCRS
A closer contact with CONCCLAT would also naturally lead us to approaching ICCRS (International
Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services), and this has actually happened quite naturally. Our CCR
BRASIL’s National Council President is also a member of ICCRS and this has also enabled us to this
approach. We met with the Director of the ICCRS Office, Oreste Pesare from Italy, in Honduras
during the ECCLA, and had the opportunity to talk with him, give our testimony, and pray together
with him. He even participated in a prayer group we conducted in one of the evenings there at
ECCLA, and he was delighted with this action of the Holy Spirit in the Brazilian universities. He said
he was very excited about this experience and that it should be taken to the world, we could not
retain it only in Brazil or Latin America. The work has also been presented and materials delivered
to the President of ICCRS - Michelle Moran / England, who has also cited our work in the ICCRS
Newsletter articles.
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Acronyms
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ABU -University Biblical Alliance
AC - Acre
AL - Alagoas
AM - Amazonas
ANEC - Catholic Schools Association
AP - Amapá
ASJ - Lord Jesus Association
BA - Bahia
BES - Baptism in the Holy Spirit
BH - Belo Horizonte
CE - Ceará
CEBs - Base Ecclesial Communities
CELAM - Latin American Episcopal Council
CMV - Villaregia Missionary Community
CNBB - Brazilian Bishops National Conference
CNP - Professionals National Committee
CONCCLAT - Latin American Charismatic Council
CONUCC - Catholic Charismatic University Students Conference
Css - Stigmatine Fathers and Brothers
DCE - Central Association of Students
DF - Distrito Federal
EBRUC -Brazilian Christian University Students Meeting
ECCLA - Latin American Catholic Charismatic Meeting
EEUCC - Charismatic Catholic University Students State Meeting
EFOA - Alfenas Pharmacy and Odontology School
ENF - Formation National Meeting
ENP - Professionals National Meeting
ENUC - Catholic University Students National Meeting
ENUCC - Catholic Charismatic University Students National Meeting
ENUR - Renewed Universities National Meeting
ES - Espírito Santo
Expo - Exposition
FACEC - Central Faculty of Cristalina
FACIAC - Business Administration Faculty of Curvelo
FACIC - Human Sciences Faculty of Curvelo
Fadisete - Law School of Sete Lagoas
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FAFI - Language & Literature, Sciences and Philosophy Faculty of Varginha
FAFITO - Language & Literature, Sciences and Philosophy Faculty of Teófilo Antonio
FESCAN - Music Festival
FUME - Sports Federation of Minas Gerais
FUMEC - Education and Culture Foundation of Minas Gerais
Funcec - Educational Community Foundation of João Monlevade
GO - Goiás
PT - Prayer Team
GOP - Profissionals Prayer Team
UPTs - University Students Prayer Teams
GPPs - Professionals Sharing Teams
IBM - International Business Machines
ICCRS - International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services
JUB’s - Brazilian University Games
JUC - Catholic University Youth
LPP - Advertising Laboratory
MA - Maranhão
MG - Minas Gerais
MS - Mato Grosso do Sul
MT - Mato Grosso
MUR - Renewed Universities Ministry
MURBRASIL - Renewed Universities Ministry of Brazil
NE - Northeast
NEMRES - Multidisciplinar Study Group: Religion andSpirituality
NO - North
Ocd - Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites
PA - Pará
PB - Paraíba
PE - Pernambuco
PHN - No-Sin Day
PI - Piauí
PL - Pedro Leopoldo’s Newspaper
PR - Paraná
PU - University Pastoral
PUC - Pontifical Catholic University
PUR - Renewed Universities Project
PVA - UFV Building
R0 - Rondônia
RCC - Catholic Charismatic Renewal
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RCCBRASIL - Brazil Catholic Charismatic Renewal
RJ - Rio de Janeiro
RN - Rio Grande do Norte
RS - Rio Grande do sul
SC - Santa Catarina
Scj - Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart
SE - Sergipe
SINPRO - Teachers’ Union
Sj - Society of Jesus
SP - São Paulo
TO - Tocantins
UEM - State University of Maringá
UF - Federation Unit
UFAL - Federal University of Alagoas
UFES - Federal University of Espírito Santo
UFJF - Federal University of Juiz de Fora
UFMG - Federal University of Minas Gerais
UFRS - Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
UFU - Federal University of Uberlândia
UFV - Federal University of Viçosa
Unesp - Júlio de Mesquita FilhoPaulista State University
UNI - University Center of Belo Horizonte
Unicamp - University of Campinas
UNIFENAS - José do Rosário Vellano University
UNIFESP: Federal University of São Paulo
Unileste - University Center of Eastern Minas Gerais
Unisinos - University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos
UNIVALE - Vale do Rio Doce University
UR - Renewed Universities
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USP: University of São Paulo
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Ivna Sá and family
july 2013
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