The text below was first published on Mário Flávio’s blog.

The community takes its name from Mary, in reference to the mother of Jesus, who was known not only for her kindness and integrity, but for her strength and devotion to God. A woman who had the courage to face society in order to carry and give birth to Jesus, making her a great example of faith to this day. In the Obra de Maria Catholic Community, there is a Mary who is also considered a mother and is one of the main people responsible for the community’s prominence in spreading the Word of God.

Known as the “mother of charisma”, Maria Salomé Ventura da Silva has an inspiring story, which reflects and connects with the current situation of the Catholic Community, which carries the responsibility of being one of the most influential in the country. “I was born into a Catholic home. I always had a great love for Mary. However, my personal encounter with Jesus, which made me fall in love with him, was through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR),” revealed Salomé, vice-president and co-founder of the Catholic community Obra de Maria, where she lives together with her daughter Rebeca, mother Maria Rosa and sister Conceição.

The missionary has been a member of the Charismatic Renewal since 1987, and actively contributed to the first steps of the Obra de Maria Community, which emerged three years later. Maria Salomé was born in the city of Monteiro, in Paraíba, has a degree in Tourism from the Catholic University of Brasília, a post-graduate degree in Psychoanalysis, as well as being a member of the International Academy of Literature and Art (AILA) and working as a Clinical Psychoanalyst. When it comes to religion, Maria Salomé is a writer and preacher at retreats and congresses, where she helps and supports missionaries in reframing their behavior and evolving in their faith through advice.

FOUNDATION

The community began as a prayer group and gradually evolved. Gilberto Barbosa was responsible for idealizing the future of the Work, which would function through missionaries, bringing teachings and evangelizing around the world. Maria Salomé’s meeting with Gilberto Barbosa took place in mid-1989, and the partnership for the foundation of the Catholic Community happened a year later, starting with a group of seven people and gradually evolving, until it reached the numbers of today, just over three thousand members.

“I had already seen him, very participative and dynamic, in prayer groups, meetings and retreats, but I was introduced to him at a carnival retreat. It’s been 30 years of joyfully serving the Lord,” explained Maria Salomé of her first contact with Gilberto, the founder of the community, and she praised his initial admiration for her efforts and involvement in religion.

The Work of Mary emerged as a union of followers of Jesus and Mary, in an attempt to disseminate its principles as religious lessons given through oratory in groups where there was no opportunity for charismatic learning – small towns, nurseries, orphanages, boarding schools, courses and places of assistance for drug addicts and refugees. Today, the Community attracts missionaries and devotees of Mary from all over the world, who are touched by the charism and help the fraternity in any way they can.

When asked about the attraction she felt for the Work, Maria Salomé explains that her love for St. Mary, intimacy and desire to serve made her give herself completely to the cause. “When Gilberto shared with me his desire to found a community, I immediately felt the urge to be part of God’s project, revealed to him, which was also accepted by my family and other participants in the Obra de Maria Prayer Group,” she says.

Today, the Work of Mary is one of the most prestigious Catholic communities and is based on the great attributes of Mary, mother of Jesus. She is considered the greatest female reference in Catholicism, the mother of all, an example of faith, love and devotion. Because of her greatness, Mary can also be called by various titles, such as Virgin Mary or Saint Mary. There are more than a thousand titles in all, distributed among different cities around the world.

This success behind the community had already been predicted by Friar Fugêncio, a Capuchin friar from Maceió (AL), at the beginning of the community, when it was said that the Work of Mary would be known throughout the world. Almost 30 years later, the prediction has come true. Thanks to the work of the missionaries and the unity of the founders, the Work of Mary is recognized in several countries, including the Vatican, where the main representative of the Catholic Church, the Pope, lives.

To commemorate 30 years of joyfully serving the Lord, the community has organized an event to be held on January 17, 18 and 19, 2020. Many religious artists will be present to honor the community together with the faithful, among them Father Marcelo Rossi, Father Fábio de Melo, Luan Santana, Elba Ramalho, Bruno e Marrone, Friar Gilson, other various attractions and the illustrious presence of Cardinal Farrell, the Pope’s representative. As well as the concerts, the program is full of cultural activities and masses.