Romana

On Saturday, April 6, hundreds of people accompanied, with deep emotion, the solemn closing session of the diocesan phase for the cause of beatification and canonization of the Servant of God Marcelo Henrique Câmara (1979-2008), “Marcelinho,” as he was affectionately called. The ceremony took place in the parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Florianópolis. At the end a Mass of thanksgiving was celebrated.

The event was presided over by the Archbishop of Florianópolis, Archbishop Wilson Tadeu Jönck, assisted by the diocesan postulator, Vitor Feller, who is also vicar general of the archdiocese and spiritual director of the Emmaus Movement in Florianópolis, and the postulator of the Roman phase, Paolo Vilotta. The regional vicar of Opus Dei in Brazil, Fábio Henrique Carvalheiro, also spoke some words of appreciation, and another priest, Flávio Sampaio de Paiva, recalled the main features of Marcelo’s life, whom he had known very well.

“He loved everyone in Emmaus, where he experienced his own conversion at the age of 19 while taking part in its activities,” said Fr. Flávio. “He also gave catechetical classes to young people and adults in this parish. As a supernumerary member of the Work, he loved all the people in this spiritual family. He showed that the charisms in the Church complement one another; we are all brothers and sisters. Holiness will always be a sign of unity in the Church.”

Besides many relatives and friends, also attending the ceremony were former colleagues of Marcelo, who in the last years of his brief life worked as a Promoter of Justice in Brazil. Those present included Fábio de Souza Trajano, attorney general of justice, and prosecutors André Ghiggi Caetano da Silva, Márcia Aguiar Arend and Marina Modesto Rebelo, happy at the possibility of Câmara becoming the first Promoter of Justice to be canonized.