“Charity and Love for the Poor”
From October 9th to 12th of this year 2021, the Association of Catholic Guides and Scouts of Brazil – AGEBR, Brazilian Catholic Scout Movement, realized the National Route of Aparecida. In this 2021 edition, the theme was: “Charity and Love for the poor”.
Twenty-four members from various parts of Brazil participated, among them: Father Patrick Carvalho (diocesan priest, scout leader of AGEBR, and Religious Adviser of the District of Taubaté) was the spiritual director of the Rota, as well as three other Chiefs and twenty Pilots.
The Aparecida Route is a walking path to reflect, pray, live fraternity, and not stop at a sedentary lifestyle. This year’s complete walking path was 63.7 kilometers. We walked from the city of Cachoeira Paulista, from the Sanctuary Father of Mercies (Pai das Misericórdias) to the National Sanctuary of Aparecida. The Route was distributed in 4 days, from 9th to 12th October.
We could see the beautiful Mountain range of Mantiqueira and the Paraíba do Sul River of spectacular beauty. In short, a fantastic walk among the sanctuaries, cathedrals and natural splendor that merge in the intense green of the landscape and the simplicity of the interior of the State of São Paulo.
Perfect places to practice our the five aims of scouting. Living nature, testing the physique, character, service, companionship, without forgetting to contemplate the hand of God in the environment around us, ideal to increase and improve our Faith, which is the purpose of the entire Route.
During the National Route of 2021, everyone was able to deepen the pedagogy of the Red Branch of the UIGSE-FSE, and their personal spirituality. After four days in heavy rain, the group arrived at the National Sanctuary of Aparecida, where five promises and a pilot progression (EP) were made, so we participated in the main celebration of the Eucharist, as the 12th of October is the feast of the Patroness of Brazil.
In this year, 2021, reflecting Charity and Love for the Poor, AGEBR at the end of Holy Mass proclaimed in a loud and clear tone: Ad Mariam, Ad Mariam, Ad Mariam – Brazil!
Semper Parati!
Text: Marcos Jolbert, General Scout Commissioner and National Route Commissioner
Photos: AGEBR