I interrupt Best of January to present a letter recently received in the diocese of Lorena in Sao Paulo State, Brazil:

Bishop  João Inácio Muller, the ordinary of the diocese of Lorena received the following message and passed it on to the members of Canção Nova, I happily relay the translated message to the readers of Catholicismanew.org which, of course, is published by Canção Nova:

“Most Reverend Excellent Dom João Inácio Muller, bishop of Lorena,

“His Holiness, Pope Francis unites himself to the faithful of the Diocese of Lorena and to the members of the Canção Nova community together for the celebration of the solemn dedication and blessing of the Shrine of the Father of Mercies in Cachoeira Paulista, encouraging you to maintain strong in the Christian values promoted in this community: may each one seek to be an imitator of God, as a child much loved, progressing in charity, according to the example of Christ Himself.” (cf Ef 5:1) in such a way that upon contemplating the shrine made by human hands, may be able to grow in the conscience in which Christians are called to be living stones  of the spiritual building of the Church of Christ. And while invoking— through the intercession of Our Lady Aparecida— the abundance of gifts of the Sanctifying Spirit over all in order it may be conceded to them— firm in Faith and hope—deepening the life of union with God, forgiving and uniting men to each other and continuing courageously and in holiness the work of building up the edification of the Body of Christ that is the Church, the Holy Father willing concedes to them, with a particular mention to Monsignor Jonas Abib, Founder of the Canção Nova Community on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee of priestly ordination, the Apostolic Blessing.”

translated from Portuguese