Brasil Sul-Amazônia
Brother José Bittencourt, from the Province of South Amazonia Brazil pronounced his perpetual vows on the 12 of October. He made profession at the Marist Scool and Social Center Santa Marta de Santa Maria, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, a mission milieu where the Brother works as Director.
During the Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Father Vilson Venturini, the Provincial, Brother Inacio Etges, received the vows of Brother Jose in the name of the Superior General. After this celebration, the parents, friends, Marist Brothers, collaborators and members of the community of Santa Marta, shared the meal together.
Brother Jose profited of this occasion to thank all the persons who were present, especially his family, for their support during this journey of 11 years of Marist formation.
Brother received the cross and the ring from his mother and the representatives of the Province, important symbols of the Marist religious life.
During the week of preparation for profession, a Vocational Animation team of the Province visited some public schools of the city and directed activities with all the classes of the Marist School and of the Social Center Santa Marta. Those encounters were an occasion for dialogue regarding the life project; it was also an occasion for interaction and for integration between the Marist Brothers and the young, « My vocation as Brother was the fruit of the accompaniment in a life project”, Brother Jose explained.
He invited the young to reflect on their future, « It is important for you, to analyze your life projects. And to reflect, ‘What is it that I want for my life in the future years? Or even, to improve it? » Starting from a witness the pupils and students reflected on the possibility to know better-consecrated life, especially the mission of the Marist Brothers.
Brother Jose began his Marist formation in February 2008, in the Marist community of Canudos, in New Hamburg. In 2009, he made his Postulancy and entered the Novitiate on February 2, 2010, in the city of Campinas. He made his second year of Novitiate in the city of Paso Fundo. On December 8, 2011, he pronounced his first vows in the Institute. In 2012, he was sent to the Marist community of Santa Cruz do Sul, where he began his apostolic work as a helper in pastoral work; later, he was employed as coordinator of the Marist Social Center Boa Esperança. In 2016, he was sent to the community of Santa Marta de Santa Maria, where he works at present, as Director of l’Unité.