The Missionary Community of Villaregia arrived in the Diocese of Campo Limpo on May 13, 1996, and on June 1 of the same year, the bishop of the diocese at the time, Bishop Emilio Pignoli, established the Parish of the Holy Trinity and entrusted its pastoral care to the missionaries.
The parish encompassed several municipalities and had, at its inception, a population of approximately 30,000 inhabitants, composed mainly of immigrants from other regions of the country.
In 1997, at the bishop’s request, the parish’s territorial boundaries were redefined, and the population under our care increased to approximately 40,000 people.
The chapels
The first years
The first year was, above all, a year of getting to know the people, creating bonds of friendship with them, and valuing the initiatives introduced by the priests who had preceded us.
Gradually, the problems and sufferings of the people also became evident to us. We faced a very concerning reality: a population made up largely of people from the Northeast who had lost their cultural roots. Families often separated, marked by economic problems and unemployment. A youthful reality marked by violence and drugs. The presence of a strong popular religiosity but mixed with superstition, spiritualism, and the influence of Pentecostal sects.
Participation in the activities of the various existing groups facilitated knowledge of the populations, identification of pastoral needs, and search for new leaders. The main message given in the Eucharistic celebrations was an invitation to forgive, to try to break the wave of violence that had hit the parish territory.
Prayer vigils were held in the different communities to ask for an end to the violence and to invite people to participate in the meetings of the ecclesial communities to build a better future together.
Walking with the people
The core of the parish organization is the experience of “Small Communities” where Christians from the neighborhood gather for a journey of faith and fraternity. The formation of the laity has promoted the development of people capable of organizing and carrying out responsibilities and activities with zeal. Thanks to this work, a decrease in the number of cases of violence in the area began to be perceived.
Great attention has also been given to the social aspect, considering the context marked by poverty. In particular, a social ministry has been developed with the aim of providing initial assistance to the poorest families who did not have enough to eat.
In recent years, various missionary and evangelization activities have also contributed to the growth and maturation of our parish community.
Children are given special attention with numerous initiatives for them. Their protagonism is also promoted. They live a very significant annual experience of evangelization: they go out into the street and visit families to announce God’s love to their peers.
Until 2019, the parish was divided into 12 pastoral zones. That year, we returned four of these zones to the diocese to create a new parish. This was made possible thanks to the formation of lay leaders trained in a missionary communion style.
Currently, our parish has about 33,000 inhabitants and, after the birth of a new pastoral sector, is divided into 9 zones, each with a church that serves as a meeting place and for liturgical celebration.
After many years of journeying together, the fruits are numerous and we constantly feel evangelized by people in different ways.
“I thank God for all these years of history marked by so many battles, conquests, and falls suffered. What remains is the love that was sown and that grew, giving much life! The life of the Villaregia Community, which is a family, of all its members, the life of our chapels… How beautiful is the life that is born and grows!” Jorginho, parishioner.
