A Special Celebration at the Algarve Seminary
On March 21, 2025, the Algarve Seminary celebrated the feast of its patron saint, St. Joseph, with a program that included a Eucharistic mass held in the institution's chapel.
The Bishop of Algarve, D. Manuel Quintas, who presided over the ceremony, emphasized St. Joseph as a model for Christians. He stated, “Joseph is for us a model of one who announces the Gospel more by what he is and does than by what he says.”
The Role of St. Joseph
D. Manuel Quintas further noted that for St. Joseph, God comes first, and Jesus is the reason for his life and mission. He shared a profound insight: “St. Joseph teaches us to welcome into our lives that which we often do not understand.”
The Bishop highlighted the importance of having an inner disposition to embrace God's dreams for each individual, encouraging everyone to realize that “God's dreams, though greater than our fears, are always meant to be embraced and fulfilled.”
The Current Status of the Seminary
This year, the Algarve Seminary is home to eight seminarians in Faro, all attending the propedeutic year (preparatory for entering the Theology Course after completing the 12th grade). This program has been operational since the 2012/2013 academic year in a diocesan collaboration involving the three dioceses in southern Portugal that assist in the training of seminarians from Portuguese-speaking countries.
Among the eight seminarians, two belong to the Algarve diocese: João Calé from Albufeira and Nuno Fernandes from Lagos. Additionally, José Martins from Évora, Francelino Barros, Frangelino de Araújo, and José de Araújo from Timor-Leste, along with Amerildo Tiago and Antunes Inaitilasa from Angola, are part of this year's group.
The celebration of the Day of the Seminary also featured a conference delivered by Father António Manuel Martins, a priest from the Algarve Diocese and chaplain of the Rato Chapel in Lisbon, along with a clergy fellowship lunch.
Comments
Join Our Community
Sign up to share your thoughts, engage with others, and become part of our growing community.
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts and start the conversation!