The Blessed Father Eustace Parish in Esmeraldas will now be under the pastoral direction of Father Damião Coelho Neto. The priest's inaugural Mass was celebrated at the parish itself on the evening of Saturday, June 24th. During the same Eucharistic Celebration, presided over by Bishop Nivaldo dos Santos Ferreira, 52 young people received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Fathers Everton Vieira and Mikaill Coaglio Silva, from the Parish of Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, concelebrated the liturgy.

Father Damião (left) concelebrates with Bishop Nivaldo (center)

Blessed Father Eustace is one of the five parishes that make up the Santa Qui Deanery.The parish is composed of 10 communities, namely: Our Lady of the Conception, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Aparecida, Saint Sebastian, Saint Anthony, Our Lady of Lourdes, Blessed Father Eustace, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Daniel Comboni, and Saint Peter.

The new parish priest

Father Damião Coelho was born in Passos, Minas Gerais, on August 23, 1970. Son of Melchiades Coelho Neto and Maria Puríssima da Conceição, the new parish priest in Rensa was ordained a priest on April 27, 2002, in a mass presided over by Dom Serafim Fernandes de Araújo, then Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte.

During his clerical career, Father Damião served in several parishes of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte, including the São Francisco de Assis Parish in Ribeirão das Neves, the Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia Parish in Belo Horizonte, and the Archdiocesan Sanctuary of Santa Luzia in Santa Luzia. Despite his experience in these different faith communities, this is the first time the priest will be a parish priest in the Nossa Senhora Aparecida Episcopal Region.

Confirmations

In addition to welcoming the new parish priest, the Mass at Blessed Father Eustace Parish was also to administer the sacrament of Confirmation to 52 young people. With the confirmation of their Baptismal vows, these parishioners are invited to become closer to community life through pastoral activities, or evangelization movements.

Source: RENSA