3 Vincentian priests in Brazil mark 25th year of a project ministering to truckers by themselves driving “chapels-in-a-truck” along the highways of Brazil.
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These priests travel along the roads of most of the Brazilian states,
On their journeys they will visit, at least once a year/each, approximately 7000 gas stations, 240 days a year.
They have celebrated a “Mass for Truckers” (MT) at more than 1600 gas stations.
This team of priests drive three truck-chapels Tthe chapels are installed inside the trucks. Once the back doors open, there is an altar, the sound equipment, the microphone, the leaflets for the celebration, the leaflets with songs and any things else required for religious services. All services, of any kind, mass or help, of the MT are free.
The roadmap, with the schedule of Services fo Truckers, is planned according to invitations (demands) by the owners or managers of road premises – gas stations and/or others.
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For the Portuguese site which was the source of this story visit.
http://www.maikol.com.br/subpages/Pastrodo.htm
Father Mario (Marian Litewka), born 07/08/1937 in Krakow, Poland. Became a priest 40 years ago. In BR since 1962. And « on the roads » for 25 years.
2) Father Germano (Germano Nalepa), born 05/07/1956 in Campo Magro, state of Parana. Priest for 22 years ; in the MT since 1996.
Father Miguel (Miguel Staron), born 13/07/1955 in Contenda – state of Parana. Priest for 21 years and in the MT since 1993.
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They work under that patronage of Our Lady of the Road .
The priests promote devotion to Our Lady of the Road, through the distribution, at the end of services, of various relgious articles. The original painting of Our Lady of the Road is in « Del Gesú » church, in Rome, Italy. It was painted by an unknown painter, some 800 years ago. Someone put this painting in a small chapel by the road, on the starting point of the way leading from Rome to the countryside.
Already at that time, travelling on the roads was a difficult (forests, no bridges over the rivers) and dangerous (beasts, bandits) task. Wayfarers used to stop in front of this chapel by the road and pray God to protect them, through the Virgin Mary’s intercession. Eventually people started calling this image of Jesus Christ’s Mother, the image inside the chapel, image of Our Lady of the road.
Many thanks to Amelia Bonfim whose translation made this English story possible.
