Covid19. Portuguese-Speaking Vincentians Pray the Holy Rosary Online

On June 10, the National Day of Portugal, around 30 members from several Portuguese-speaking countries, called the “Lusophone Countries”, at the initiative of Lisbon’s Central Council, prayed the Holy Rosary online for an end to Covid-19 pandemic. Prayers were conducted by Father Jorge Doutor, from Sintra. 

The Rosary was focused on the five Vincentian virtues: simplicity, humility, meekness, mortification and apostolic zeal. Each of the five decades was meditated upon by a representative from a different country. Members from Portugal, Brazil, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola and Mozambique were present. The online event was cheered up by the music band “Vicente’s Soul” from Brazil.

Our fellow member Renato Lima de Oliveira, the SSVP’s 16th President General, as a Brazilian, attended the event, as did sister Alda Couceiro, president of Portugal’s Superior Council, as well as other leaders of the Council General and the National Councils involved. The core goal of this Rosary was the pandemic and the deaths caused by this terrible disease.

According to brother Vasco Ferreira, president of the host Central Council, the virtual prayer of the Rosary started some weeks ago, right at the beginning of the pandemic outbreak, and it takes place every Wednesday via Zoom, the online meeting platform. “We want to gather as many Vincentians as possible in these prayers, which will strengthen us in the fight against the disease and the pandemic,” said Vasco.

“The Council General International congratulates the Central Council of Lisbon for this initiative, as well as all the Conferences and Councils uniting action and prayer in the fight against Covid-19. We will soon be back to normal. God is with us”, assured the President General.