Rector of the Archdiocesan Sanctuary of Health and Peace, Father Marcus Vinícius Maciel, or simply Father Vinícius, as he is known in the community. Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte, She balances her routine so that she can dedicate herself permanently to reading. She considers books fundamental for personal growth and for her work in the Church, alongside the faithful.

Themes of formation, Christian spirituality, the history of Minas Gerais and education, as well as Brazilian and European literature, from Machado de Assis to the Russian Dostoevsky, are part of his daily life through publications. Father Vinicius is preparing to complete his master's degree in Religious Studies at PUC Minas, where he is studying the blessed life of Father Eustáquio.

Our guest this week reads with ease, a habit encouraged by his family and school since childhood. This week, pay attention, the story that Father Vinícius recommends is described by him as unmissable. "I consider the book to have been written by a genius of our time," he praises.  A religious figure in a changing era. It narrates the 50-year journey of consecrated life of the author, Brother Henrique Cristiano José Matos.

Written in three volumes, the first book begins in 1941 and goes until 1964, from the birth of the priest of Dutch origin to his arrival in Brazil. Volumes 2 and 3 cover the period from 1964 to 2010. Part of the work refers to Father Henrique Cristiano's experience at PUC Minas, where he was a professor for over 30 years. “The book gives us a vision of what happened in the Church in the post-war period, with fascinating accounts, testimonies, and records,” describes Father Vinícius. “It is a very well-founded, pleasant, and profound piece of writing.”

Father Vinicius also highlights some of the author's characteristics. “Brother Henrique Cristiano is a wise and profound connoisseur of human existence. He is a mystic, living in retreat, intimately connected to God, but at the same time to the world,” he describes. Brother Henrique lives in Igarapé, in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, where he dedicates himself to Prison Ministry.