Noé Servín (El Naranjillo, Santa Cruz de Juventino, Guanajuato, Mexico, 1979) has been an Augustinian Recollect religious since 2008 and a priest since 2012. His ministry has always developed through missionary experiences and in frontier or vanguard ministries, such as the Boys’ Town in Costa Rica, a socio-educational center, or the Order’s mission in Banes (Cuba), a rural area of the Caribbean island whose reality is quite a challenge for any evangelizer.
Last year he arrived in Pauini (Amazon, Brazil) to serve in that community. His third ministry as a religious is distinctly missionary, like the previous two. We wanted to know how his first year in Brazil has been going, his motivations, hopes, and desires, within the context of the Recollects’ first centenary in that mission.
What motivated you to commit to this Amazonian mission in Lábrea?
At the end of my mission in Cuba, the provincial prior suggested I come here. I must confess I wasn’t entirely convinced, since my greatest desire at that time was to remain on the island, but I have always tried to be very mindful of my consecrated life and all that it entails.
Therefore, I expressed my complete willingness to go wherever He wished to send me. For me, commitment to a mission doesn’t stem from a desire to be in a specific place, but from fulfilling God’s will wherever I may physically be.
My motivation and commitment to Lábrea truly stem from my vocation as an Augustinian Recollect friar, to go wherever the Church and my community call me. Other, more concrete motivations, such as accompanying this People of God in Pauini, joyfully sharing my faith, and walking together as a Church, arise through daily contact with the kindness of these people.
What certainties guide your vocation and are the pillar on which you base your missionary being?
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel…” These words of Christ are my one and only firm certainty. My desire is to fulfill God’s will expressed in this mission, even with my weaknesses. That is the pillar from which I would never want to stray.
Human certainties are often very uncertain, but in welcoming the Word of God addressed to the apostles and also to us, I realize that no matter the place, the ground in which the seed of the gospel must be sown is “the whole world”.
I would like this voice of God that calls and sends, and my heart receptive to that call, to be a solid pillar for me not only in this stage, but for my whole life. And because I know my temptations, I always ask God to free me from indifference to His Word and from disobedience.
What do you think you can contribute with your missionary dedication?
I don’t really expect to contribute much more than any other Augustinian Recollect missionary. My presence among and alongside the people of God, with simplicity and without placing myself above anyone, is the best I can offer.
For me, it’s more of a learning opportunity, given my limited experience. In the two ministries where I’ve served until now, the City of Children and the Banes mission, I’ve received much more than I’ve given.
I arrived in Lábrea recently, just as the Augustinian Recollects celebrate 100 years of presence in this Amazonian Church. My dream is to continue the evangelizing work of my brothers throughout this century of mission.
I would like my life to be, for the people I serve, a witness to our community charism. I view the work of the Augustinian Recollect missionaries who came before me with sincere gratitude. I am convinced that we Augustinian Recollects must be ready to live our community life with joy.
Honestly, I want to look to the future with realistic hope, without falling into pessimism and without closing our eyes to the problems we face as an Order.
How do you see the religious people in Lábrea who have been there much longer than you?
Just as I hope to learn from the faithful, I am also aware of my need to be guided by my fellow missionaries who have already made their mark on this mission. When I speak of learning, I am referring, of course, to pastoral work, but also to how to live my consecrated life appropriately in this place with its unique characteristics.
In my brothers, I generally perceive an attitude of willingness to continue working, but sometimes, in some, a certain tiredness and an attitude of letting oneself be carried away by inertia can also be noticed.
I have always thought that missionaries should have a greater rotation; but from here I get the feeling that there are many difficulties in getting other religious people available for the mission and taking over.
We all desire a revival of missionary zeal, but we risk this remaining merely in speeches or on paper. Undoubtedly, we need to be much more available for the mission and make concrete decisions about the direction we want to take as a Province and as an Order.
Answer these questions briefly and concisely:
- How would you summarize your experience in the Brazilian Amazon? Novelty.
- What value is most important in the mission? Availability
- What should an Augustinian Recollect missionary be like? Dedication.
- What do you admire most about your fellow missionaries? Patience.
- What ecclesial task calls to you most and inspires the most happiness? Catechesis
- What has been your biggest challenge in the Amazon? The language, communicating
- What word represents your hope in the Amazonian Church? Young Church
- How would you explain what a basic ecclesial community is? Autonomy
- How would you describe Amazonian Christian spirituality? Simplicity
- Define in one word the centuries-old mission of Lábrea Challenge.
