Fr. Nuno Miguel da Silva Rodrigues, C.S.Sp., is one of our most recent Spiritan Missionaries to come to serve on mission in the U.S. Province. He currently lives with the Spiritan Community in Central Falls, Rhode Island. 

Get to Know Fr. Nuno

Fr. Nuno was born in Angola in 1974 but moved to Portugal shortly after. He is the son of Manuel Pereira Rodrigues and Clarinda Conceiçāo Silva Rodrigues.  In 1985, after completing primary school in Leiria, Portugal, he entered into the Seminary of Missionaries of the Holy Spirit in Godim - Vila Real. He then completed 8th and 9th grade at the Seminary of Fraiāo Braga and 10th through 12th grades at the Seminary of Silva in Barcelos. He completed his undergraduate studies in Philosophy and Theology at the Catholic University of Porto, his novitiate year at the Seminary of Silva in 1994, and professed his religious vows in 1995 in Barcelos. He concluded his academic studies at the Catholic University of Lisbon in 1998. 

In 1998, he traveled to Cape Verde for a missionary internship at the parish of S. Miguel of Calheta, where he was ordained deacon on July 4th, 1999 and professed his perpetual vows. He then returned to Portugal in 2000 to be ordained by Bishop Dom Serafim Ferreira Silva as a priest at the parish of S. Eufemia in the Diocese of Leiria-Fatima. 

After an intensive course in Missiology at the Institute of Pio X in Madrid, Spain, he was appointed to Cape Verde where he resided until 2012. During those years he served as a priest, teacher, and school administrator, contributing significantly to the community by overseeing school improvements and organizing local events.

After 2012, Fr. Nuno served Portugal, Angola and S. Tomé e Príncipe. His dedication to mission led him to support several initiatives to aid these regions, focusing on education, infrastructure, and spiritual guidance. Fr. Nuno also co-founded a volunteer mission project, “Embracing the Mission,” with its first edition in Angola in 2016 and subsequent editions in S. Tomé e Príncipe. 

After a sabbatical year in Brazil in 2019, where he studied religious life and psychology, Fr. Nuno continued his service in S. Tomé e Príncipe, helping with various projects, including building a new school for 800 students. In 2021, he was appointed parochial administrator on the island of Príncipe. His work has earned him respect and recognition, including being honored in Cape Verde for his 14 years of service.

In September 2023, he returned on mission to the United States, where he spent three months studying English at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On December 15, 2023, he was appointed by the Bishop of Providence as parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s Church in West Warwick, RI and St. Francis Xavier Church in East Providence, RI.

The U.S. Spiritan Mission in Rhode Island

The Spiritan Mission in Rhode Island focuses on serving immigrant communities, particularly those from Portugal, Cape Verde and Brazil. The Spiritan community currently consists of three priests—Fr. João Baptista Barros, C.S.Sp., Fr. Henrique Simão Varela, C.S.Sp., and Fr. Nuno Miguel da Silva Rodrigues, C.S.Sp.,—works in local parishes to provide pastoral care, spiritual guidance and social support.

Their mission includes strengthening parish life, supporting vulnerable immigrants and collaborating closely with the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island to enhance the Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) pastoral ministry. They aim to foster a strong sense of community, engage laypeople in church activities and offer personalized support to the sick and marginalized. Additionally, they focus on continuous Christian formation and helping the poorest who seek aid.

The Spiritan priests live in community, following the Spiritan charism of service to the needy, while contributing to the growth of both local and immigrant parishes. They face ongoing challenges, such as ensuring a stable presence of multiple Spiritan priests and exploring new missions like supporting prisoners.

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