Celebrating ten years of priesthood, Fr. Rafael recalls wanting to be a priest since he was a child. After graduating in mechanical engineering, he joined the Comboni missionaries. Currently serving in Macau, he has witnessed the admirable audacity of people who have converted to the faith.

I’m Father Rafael Vigolo, a Comboni missionary born in Brazil. I have been a missionary in Macau, China, for seven years. Ever since I was a child, I thought of becoming a priest. Like all young people, I also had other dreams, such as graduating from university, having a good job, owning a house, buying a car, traveling, getting married, having children… And following this chain, I studied mechanical engineering, did an exchange in England, worked, etc.

When I was about to finish my engineering degree, my heart told me it wasn’t the right path. The desire to dedicate my life to God and others grew stronger and stronger. So, I took courage, and with the strength that came from God, I decided to discern my vocation. 

With the help of a priest and by participating in vocations meetings, I realized that my path was to consecrate myself to God as a religious, a priest, and a missionary. I remember praying a lot at the time and feeling God’s presence, helping me to take steps to answer “yes” to his call. In my prayer, I asked God, “Lord, I want to do your will.” 

In the process, I visited various missionary congregations to get to know them. I identified with the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, their missionary charism, service to the poorest, and St. Daniel Comboni.

After graduating in mechanical engineering, I entered the seminary. I had no idea that 20 years later, I would be working as a missionary in China. Our missionary work as Comboni missionaries in the Chinese world includes evangelization, support for the local Church, service in the parish, retreats, courses, and service in Catholic schools. 

The reality of the Church in Macau and China is that Christians are a minority. In Macau, Christians are around 5% of the population; in China, Christians are less than 3%, and Catholics are more or less 1%. Therefore, the mission of proclaiming the Gospel here is a great necessity, and there is still a long way to go.

One of the riches I’ve found on mission in China is the faith and witness of people who didn’t know Jesus before. I heard stories of people who sought security and happiness in money but were unsatisfied. They were self-centred and found it difficult to relate at home and with others. But when they met Jesus and the Gospel, their lives changed.

They found the happiness, peace and security they were looking for in God. They improved their relationships at home and began to love and serve others more. And the joy of the gospel overflowed. After meeting Jesus, they began to help others come to know Jesus, some as catechists, others by bringing family and friends to the catechumenate, and others with their witness at work. The witness and faith of these Chinese Christians increased my faith and proved the beauty and importance of proclaiming the Gospel to all peoples. 

This year, I’m celebrating ten years as a priest, and I recognize that if I’ve come this far, it’s because of God’s companionship along the way. There has been no shortage of challenges, especially in learning a language as difficult as Chinese. But there has never been a lack of God’s grace, which has always been abundant.

God has always walked with me and with the people who welcomed me, whether in Peru during the seven years I spent there in formation or in the Amazon during the four years I worked with the riverside peoples and in missionary and vocational animation, or now here in China. He calls us by name and sends us out. And God accompanies us day by day on our missionary journeys. 

There are many paths we can choose, but the paths that God invites us to follow lead us to a full life for ourselves and for others. So, it’s worth listening to the voice of God that resounds in the depths of our hearts. It’s worth saying yes to the Lord and walking the paths He leads us.