priests from four continents practice in the city

With the common denominator of having been trained in the Catholic faith They were born and raised in countries with political systems different from the Spanish one, diverse cultural realities and a particular heritage that have shaped their personality. However, and despite all these singularities, they succeeded integrate in Nazarene society.

Here they saw how to live popular religiosity and the weight that the brotherhoods have – of penance, of glory and of the sacramental – within the Church, something very particular in each diocese and new for those who come from another country.

Europe

From the ten parishes of Dos Hermanas, the majority are led by European priests, specifically Spanish and originating from somewhere in Andalusia. The oldest parish that has as its headquarters the Council of Brotherhoods and Brotherhoods is Santa María Magdalena, whose pastor is Manuel Sánchez de Heredia. Born in Écija, after obtaining the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Graduating from the University of Seville and working in primary care, he entered the Seville Seville. His priestly ordination came from the hand of former Cardinal Carlos Amigo (RIP) “so loved and remembered” – he emphasizes. His first destination was Osunawhere he remained for 15 years with various pastoral functions (chaplain of the Sisters of the Crossof the Nuestra Señora de la Merced hospital, two schools and priest, Episcopal Vicar of the South Zone; later with Mgr Asenjo, Diocesan Delegate for Pastoral Health). He arrived at Dos Hermanas in 2014 assigned to the largest and oldest parish of Dos Hermanas, which he combines with being chaplain at the Virgen del Rocío Hospital, spiritual director of the Council of Brotherhoods and Brotherhoods and the COF – Family Orientation Center.

Although he is originally from Seville and grew up in this province where popular religiosity prevails, he admits that “I was very surprised to meet Dos Hermanas, whom I defined as a city ​​with urban structure or a city with the way of being like a city.

He was never a man, as they say, “of brotherhoods”, even if he knew all of their reality as well as the processions, the cults, etc. so nothing surprised him; However, he now sees them up close and from the inside because of his positions. Furthermore, the various government councils that he heads congratulate their work as spiritual director and his know-how as a representative of the Church in the particular world of brotherhoods.

America

On the other side of the Atlantic, from the city of Rosary in the province of Santa Fe in Argentina was born on Father Leonard Giacosaordained priest on October 2, 1998 in the Cathedral of San Miguel in Buenos Aires. He exercised his priestly ministry in the parishes of San Francisco Solano and San Pío. Founder of a mission group called Cura Brochero and worked in youth mission for 20 years.

Five years ago he came to Dos Hermanas Saint John Paul II Parish in Montequinto and is currently priest of San José – whose temple is under construction.

“I arrived in Spain understanding that the Lord, through his Mother, was asking me for greater dedication to the service of God and his Church. I received a special grace in Lourdes and that the Virgin finished manifesting before her image the Esperance Macarena. Renew my devotion and start again, leaving everything behind, trusting absolutely in divine Providence. The Blessed Virgin is the one who marks the path day after day,” he emphasizes.

He describes his arrival at Dos Hermanas as “enthusiastic: there were different moments. In Montequinto, in the post-Covid era. Now, as parish priest, his work is different because “I am responsible for pastoral life and we have to give life to a project that had stopped in time as “create” the parish in its pastoral and constructive reality. I must ensure that I attract souls to the community and generate resources to assume the mortgage that will have to be paid during the construction of the church and its parish facilities,” he explains.

He defines brotherhoods as “a gift of god that you have to know how to take advantage of it; “Like all our ecclesial life, it always needs to be purified and enriched. He who lives in the fidelity and love of his brotherhood is certainly a clear path to reach Heaven, we must help our brothers to take a leap of faith”. And tell me how it goes popular religiosity in “Argentina”: It is very diverse, from the approach of the saint on his own day to only return the following year and the places where, embraced by an ancient tradition like Salta, they prepare for a month to celebrate the Lord and the Virgin of the Miracle; wave Virgin of Itati in Corrientes. “There is a more marked role among young people.”

He has a reality in his parish which also attracts attention: “today Providence allows that from different places of Latin America We arrive in search of a future and this allows us to contribute something to our experience of faith. In the parish I already have faithful Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, Guatemala, Colombia. It’s amazing to see that even though each of us comes from different countries, we can integrate very well. It’s a very positive contribution so that we can make the Parish a family.

The work of catechism and Caritas stands out, as well as the new pastoral realities that we see that the Holy Spirit has awakened as Cursillos of Christianity, Emmaüs, Faita, Bartimaeus, Marital Love Project and other experiences that work well in communities. “I do not want to forget the most important thing that the Parish has, which is Monastery of the Discalced Carmelitesthe contemplative life punctuates our prayer life and helps us to remember that everything comes from God and that everything returns to Him; It is the only contemplative community of Dos Hermanas and I have the joy of sharing daily the Eucharist with them all“, he specifies.

Father Leonard concludes by affirming that it is “very happy Being a priest, I have been in ministry for 27 years and the most precious thing is to see how the Lord accomplishes his work, his ways are sometimes mysterious but always fruitful.

Africa

Mahugnon Romuald Eleuther Hounkpe Sagbo He is the current priest of Our Lady of Rocío although it is known as ‘Don Romualdo given the difficulty of pronounce his name in Spanish.

Born in Benin, a country of West Africatrained at the major seminary of Cotonou, arrived in Seville in 2015, as chaplain of the Virgen del Rocío Hospital since it belongs to Camillian communitythe Order of Ministers of the Sick, founded by Saint Camille de Lelis, which is dedicated to the care of the sick by working in hospitals, residences and at home. He holds a postgraduate diploma in health and is studying double degree in Pharmacy and Optics.

I didn’t know no Spanish when he landed in our country and that was his first objective. Today, ten years later, he speaks the language perfectly even if he admits that “sometimes it’s always difficult for me certain terminology or understanding localisms.

In 2022 came to Dos Hermanas while vicar in the parish of Santa María Magdalena and also served as such in that of Nuestra Señora del Amparo until September of this year, which was appointed parish priest. Because of his background, he explains that “my life in priestly ministry has always been here and now, as a parish priest it has nothing to do with not being one.”

His case is particular since he devoted a lot of time only to the sick: “parish life is very lively and different from that of the hospital since in hospital centers dominates suffering, painthe penalty while in a parish it is combines with joy. In hospitals, there are also joys but less and I have noticed it a lot.

Regarding his country, he says that he there are no brotherhoods“no older brothers, no goldenrods, no oath of rules, etc. Popular religiosity is experienced in another way, with the grassroots communitieswith another experience of faith, of prayers,… These communities help the priest in everything and organize themselves to accompany each other, at the base of the Church. “Here it is different because the brotherhoods help them to come to the Temple but this must extend since we cannot only come for my Christ or my Virgin, to the Function or the services; you have to go to Mass every Sunday and be there,” he adds.

Believe in fraternities as vehicle for faithto evangelize and for the message of Jesus Christ to reach more people: “As Pope Francis said, walk together and leave no one behind.”

“I am happy as a parish priest even though I have only been here for three months and I feel very comfortable at Dos Hermanas. I feel very loved and protected», he concludes.

Asia

Sujith Vidhyadharan Pillai Sujatha born in India 33 years ago and he has only been in Dos Hermanas for three months. Recently ordained as a priest, he holds a license and a master’s degree in Sociology, philosophy and theology forks vicar parish of Santa María Magdalena.

He wanted to continue his studies and training at the University of Seville and that is why he came to the city. “The aspect that has surprised me most since my appointment as parochial vicar has been the perspective offered by a priest of another culture on the world of brotherhoods and popular religiosity. The popular piety of Seville constitutes a fundamental element of the culture and religiosity of the inhabitants of Seville and of Andalusia in general. I perceive it as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the Church through the brotherhoods, something that fills me with immense joy as a Christian,” he says.

Regarding the differences with their country of origin are such that he couldn’t list them all, even though he says that “in essence, we share the human condition with its inherent feelings and needs.”

Happy to be at Dos Hermanas, he defines his exercise “as an enriching experience, in which I feel privileged begin my priestly life in a city with a rich history, deep Nazarene devotion and deep spirituality.