News of our Oblates

 in Brazil

(The Webmaster spent 10 days in Brazil attending the General Formation Committee meeting from February 21-March 1, 2003.  He brought back a few news items.)

ED FIGUEROA RECOVERING FROM ATTACK

Fr. Ed Figueroa, OMI, a native of Brooklyn, NY, and a long-time missionary in Recife in northeastern Brazil, is lucky to be alive. 

In mid-February, very early one morning, he had gone down to the river to work in the garden where he raises food for the children at the orphanage he founded, Comunidade Deus e Nossa Senhora.

As he was approaching the garden, he met a man who was helping himself to some of the produce.  Ed told him that the food was meant for the meals of the children.  If the man needed help, he could come and talk instead of jumping over the wall and helping himself.

Ed went about his work.  As he left to go home, the man had returned and jumped him, hacking away with a large corn knife.  Ed received multiple cuts, one of which almost removed his left thumb.  When Ed fell, the man left.  Fortunately, Ed had his cell phone with him and was able to call for help.  It took four hours of surgery to repair some of the damage.

After several days in the hospital, the Oblate whom at least 50 children consider a father figure, because of the way he has taken them off the streets and into the “Community of God and Our Lady,” was able to return to his charges.

BRAZILIAN OBLATES TO UNITE INTO ONE PROVINCE 

In June, 2003, three of the Oblate groups in the vast country of Brazil will unite into one province.  The Vice-Province of São Paulo and the delegations of Recife and Belém will merge their personnel and other resources to become the new Oblate Province of Brazil.  

The merger will bring together approximately 65 Oblate priests and Brothers, about half of whom are Brazilian born. 

The first Oblates to work in Brazil went there over 50 years ago from the former Eastern U.S. Province.  Their work was principally in the São Paulo area.  Arriving in the mid-60’s, Oblates from the former Central Province of the U.S. established themselves in Recife in the northeastern part of the country.  A few years later, Oblates from France and Belgium came to Belém in northern Brazil.

By the late 1960’s, the first Brazilian Oblates began to work alongside of the American missionaries.  Now about half of the Oblates in Brazil are natives of that country.