Practicing the Rule

On August 24, 2013, Fr Eder Chaves Gonçalves was ordained as a priest at Medeiros (Brazil). It was yesterday … or just about! Time flies, but enthusiasm remains high. You can find in the genuine witness of our Brazilian brother all the vigour of a young shoot full of promises.

Fr Eder is currently «Promotor Vocacional» in Passa Quatro, where they have just celebrated 80 years of the Betharramite presence in the college São Miguel... for a renewed and radiant youth!

Article 139 Our witness as a religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, happy to live our own vocation in a fraternal and apostolic community is a living invitation to follow Christ in the footsteps of Saint Michael Garicoits.
Each vicariate will put in place, a pastoral project for vocations. Our communities must willingly welcome those who desire to come, see and experience our life. We help them to discern what the Lord wants of them.

I try to live section 139 of the Rule of Life starting from personal and community prayer, dialogue, service and the support that I receive constantly from God and also my brothers in the Congregation of Betharram.

I recognise that to witness to the virtues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the footsteps of St Michael Garicoits is a great challenge. However, this challenge also lifts me from my comfort zone to strive each new day to live the vocation I have received from God, repeating constantly the prayer of our founding father: “More than men of prayer, we must be prayer itself. “ These words inspire in me an obedience which must be lived more for love than for any other reason.

I now live with joy and satisfaction my religious and priestly vocation in our family and in the local religious community. Often I feel very busy with activities that require a lot of attention and energy, but I try to succeed in giving of my best, because I know that I have received many gifts and I ask God help me to make them available to the community and to the mission entrusted to me.

Vocation animation is a demanding activity. Yet it is a job I love because, by helping young people in their discernment, I have deepened my own vocation, by becoming aware of the joys and difficulties that accompany me. And I continue grow every day because I am aware that my difficulties are sometimes linked to an excessive zeal.

In the mission of a Formator and in religious life in general, personal witness is fundamental. I like to remember often the famous phrase of Father Antonio Vieira SJ: “Words move, examples teach”. Since the task of vocation promotion was given to me, I have endeavoured to ensure that all religious of the vicariate feel involved. That is difficult for various reasons, including geographical distances, but I can see that my Betharramite brothers show great interest in vocations. I am very grateful to my brothers for their help and for the witness they offer every day. I am especially grateful to all those with whom I frequently dialogue and who are my best advisors and true collaborators in this shared mission that makes us men available to do the will of God, immediately and without fear.

Eder Chaves Goncalves scj