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“The Church walks with you”: Catholic Bishop to Sister at Perpetual Profession in Mozambique

Credit: Catholic Diocese of Gurué
João Vissesse

By João Vissesse

Maputo, 20 January, 2026 / 5:33 pm (ACI Africa).

Bishop Estevão Ângelo Fernando of the Catholic Diocese of Gurué has encouraged a member of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.HJM) to embrace her religious vocation with faith, truth, and joy, reminding her that the Church stands alongside her and supports her journey.

In his homily during the Perpetual profession of Sr. Luísa Bernardo, Bishop Fernando encouraged her to “keep the Word of God in your heart and be a living sign of communion and hope for the community.”

“Today you are not alone in saying ‘yes.’ The Church walks with you, and your fidelity will be a sign of hope for many,” the Catholic Bishop said during the January 18 event that was held at St. Anthony of Lisbon Cathedral of  Gurué Diocese.

Bishop Fernando emphasized that religious consecration is fully meaningful only when deeply rooted in the Word of God. 

“The Word of God must be kept in the heart like a wise root, because from it springs the fidelity, truth, and joy that sustain your vocation,” he said.

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The Catholic Church leader encouraged daily perseverance as the true challenge of Consecrated Life. 

“It is not only the day of profession that matters, but the fidelity of each day. Living in faith and truth and witnessing the joy of the Gospel is the way for Consecrated Life to continue bearing fruit,” he noted.

Bishop Fernando also stressed that Religious Life is a gift for the community rather than a personal privilege. 

“The Consecrated Person does not belong to herself; she belongs to God and His people,” he said, noting that much of the mission of Religious involves silent service and constant presence among the vulnerable.

For Bishop Fernando, Perpetual Profession represents a “definitive and irrevocable yes” that requires spiritual maturity and inner freedom. 

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“Truth with oneself and with God is essential so that joy is deep and lasting,” he explained.

The Local Ordinary of  Gurué noted that fidelity, truth, and joy are interconnected virtues that give credibility to the Christian witness. 

“A Consecrated Life without joy loses its evangelizing power; a life without truth loses meaning; a life without faith loses its foundation,” he said.

The Catholic Bishop also underlined the missionary dimension of Consecrated Life, calling Religious to be a sign of God’s presence in the communities they serve. 

“Missionary work begins in the heart. Wherever you are, be a presence of God, of communion, and of peace,” he said.

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Bishop Fernando encouraged Sister Luísa to embrace her mission with courage and humility, affirming that the Church in Mozambique needs consecrated women deeply rooted in God. 

“Our Church needs women who keep the Word in their hearts and transform it into life, service, and hope for the people,” he said.

João Vissesse

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.