Brazilian Catholic Church convenes regional gatherings in Santa Maria and Osasco

From June 26‑28, the Archdiocese of Florianópolis hosted the Inter‑Regional Meeting of Permanent Deacons and their spouses in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. The three‑day event brought together 115 deacons, 55 spouses and representatives from Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Ushuaí (Argentina). Sessions covered the contemporary diaconal mission, the life of Venerable Deacon João Luiz Pozzobon, and included liturgical celebrations presided over by Bishop Leomar Antônio Brustolin and 22 other bishops.

On June 30, a separate meeting was held in Osasco, São Paulo, where the coordinator of the Pastoral Afro‑Brasileira, Vera Lúcia Lopes, and CNBB Regional Sul 1 executive secretary, Fr. Luis Fernando da Silva, reviewed the pastoral’s presence in the state, mapped evangelising actions and identified challenges. The gathering aimed to strengthen the Afro‑Brazilian pastoral’s role in promoting dignity, justice and the Church’s mission of communion and evangelisation.