Matt Broeren, C.S.Sp. is at the midway point of his Pastoral Mission Experience with the Group of Brazil South West, in Sao Paulo Brazil, and on Friday, July 22, 2022, he renewed his Vows as a Spiritan for three years.

Fr. Don McEachin, C.S.Sp., flew down to visit and formally received his vows on behalf of the U.S. Province. When Matt first arrived in Sao Paulo, he lived at the Center House in the Belem district with Irish Spiritan Fathers Eugene Moran, C.S.Sp. and Mark Brendan Foley, C.S.Sp., Superior of the Group, while studying Portuguese at a language and culture institute there.

After, Matt was assigned to the Spiritan parish of Holy Trinity in the Perus district of Sao Paulo, where he now lives, in a very poor parish with small chapels scattered throughout the favelas of Perus. He lives in the Spiritan House in Perus with two other Spiritans, Fr. Jose Miguel Portillo, C.S.Sp, a young Paraguayan Spiritan who is Pastor of the Parish, and Fr. Nial Colgan, C.S.Sp., a veteran Spiritan of many years of experience, originally from the Province of Ireland.Matt has very quickly become quite proficient in Portuguese and is well loved by the people of his parish.

Fr. Jose Miguel Portillo, C.S.Sp, presided.  The celebration was very moving, and Matt gave a thoughtful reflection on the Spiritan charism and mission in his talk after communion. A parish buffet dinner was held after the ceremony where the celebrations continued.