F. Rafael RODRIGUES SANTOS omv
We are delighted to welcome Rafael, a religious Oblate of the Virgin Mary from Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil that borders São Paulo. The eldest of two brothers, he grew up in a simple, deeply religious family. His parents, in great confidence, always say they are happy and proud to see their son choose to give himself totally to the Lord in the religious life. Their discreet support and joy are a precious testimony to him, rooted in faith.
After a probationary period, the postulancy, Rafael made his novitiate in Italy in 2022, a fundamental experience that enabled him to live intensely the school of the Gospel according to the spirit of our Congregation. On January 11, 2023, he took his first vows, marking his desire to follow the poor, chaste and obedient Christ in the manner of Mary. Today, he will be continuing his theological training with us at the Collège des Bernardins in Paris, while living among us the final stage that will lead him, in due course, to final consecration through perpetual vows.
With great seriousness and perseverance, Rafael studied the French language and now speaks it with brio. This gift of language is for him not only an instrument of cultural integration, but also a means of deepening his mission: to proclaim the Gospel and share the richness of his vocation with clarity and depth.
His vocational path is marked by a profound humanity. Before joining the Oblates, he served the street poor, sharing with them their daily lives, their difficulties and their hopes. This closeness to the most fragile, lived in simplicity and self-giving, shaped his missionary heart and continues to inspire his way of being brother and servant to all.
Beyond this commitment to the excluded, Rafael also brings an inner richness and talents that contribute to the beauty of fraternal life: he loves music, plays the guitar and sings with sensitivity. These gifts, which reflect the joy of the Gospel, are an opportunity for our community to discover the diversity and fruitfulness of the Spirit through him.
Welcoming Rafael means welcoming a brother on the way, a witness to God’s fidelity, and at the same time a promise for our Congregation. With him, we want to share the stages of his preparation, encourage him in his journey towards definitive commitment, and allow ourselves to be stimulated by his generosity and fervor.
As a community of faith, which we form together, we have the responsibility and the grace to support him in prayer, to accompany him fraternally, and to walk with him. Together, we ask the Lord, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, to support him in his vocation, and we commit ourselves to praying for him and with him, so that one day he may become a fully-fledged oblate, at the service of the Church and the world.
P. François Lapointe omv
Community and Shrine Rector
