“Holiness, vocation for all”: Vicar General at Silver Jubilee of Jesus Mary Joseph Congregation in Cape Verde

Mindelo, 27 September, 2025 / 11:37 PM

Holiness is not some distant ideal but a calling everyone needs to respond to, the Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Mindelo in Cape Verde has told members of the Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph (JMJ).

In his homily during a Thanksgiving Mass marking 25 years of JMJ presence in Cape Verde and the 145 years since the Congregation was founded, Fr. Lino Paulino Pereira said holiness is a vocation that “must be lived out daily with love, service, and spiritual responsibility.”

“Holiness is not something distant or reserved for a few, but a vocation for all, regardless of age, condition, or state of life,” Fr. Pereira said during the Thursday, September 25 Eucharistic celebration.

He added, “We are all called to live holiness in the small daily actions: in caring for others, in service, in our families, in schools, and in the neighborhoods where we live.”

According to the Cape Verdean Catholc Priest, “virginity is a radical expression of holiness, a total gift of oneself to God, but holiness also manifests itself in the most varied forms of love and dedication.”

He noted that “the Saints are living models who inspire us to grow in faith and love. Saint Rita, for example, is a sublime example of humility, sacrifice, and fidelity to God and neighbor. Holiness transforms not only lives but also names and identities, as happened with Saul who became Paul, Simon who became Peter.”

“This shows us that the grace of God can renew and transform each one of us,” the Vicar General of Mindelo Diocese said.

Fr. Pereira also noted that “education is a sacred mission and a path of sanctification. To educate is an act of love and sacrifice that transforms both the educator and the student, and it is a precious service to society.”

It is therefore essential, he added, to remember that “holiness is a vocation open to all — young people, adults, Consecrated Persons, and lay people. It is not restricted to a spiritual elite, but it is a call to daily holiness, where every gesture of love, care, and service builds a path of sanctification.”

“We live in a permanent mission of forming lives, of caring for one another, and we are responsible, as the Little Prince teaches us, for what we have tamed. The Holy Spirit is our strength and guide on this journey, enlightening our hearts and giving us courage to persevere in faith,” the Catholic Priest said.

The Vicar General underscored the importance of “living holiness in a realistic and concrete way, using the gifts we have and recognizing our limits, but always walking oriented towards God, with authentic and profound faith.”

Fr. Pereira invited JMJ members to remain steadfast in faith, in hope, and in mission, noting that “true holiness is made up of concrete gestures of love and commitment, and it is within the reach of each one of us, in our reality, with our gifts and limitations.”

“May we walk together, with the Holy Spirit guiding our steps, so that the light of Christ may shine in our lives and in the community we serve,” he implored.