Br. Thiago Silva

I knew nothing of monastic life until I was 26; my life was pretty ordinary: I worked, studied, had a comfortable life with my family and friends. At the same time the frantic pace of my academic and professional responsibilities led me to seriously reflect on the true meaning of life. Faced with this, I went through a process of reassessing my options – what was guiding my life? Through good discernment I realized that I was constantly running away from the values that guided my childhood and adolescence. Some of my choices as a young man eventually pulled me away from seeking God. In a providential way, God, in his immeasurable goodness, was guiding me toward monastic life.

What was the biggest lesson you learned during the three years of first vows?

The greatest lesson I learned was undoubtedly the deepening of the mystery of my vocation. During the novitiate I had the opportunity to reflect on my own destiny – to do battle for the true king, Christ. In the privacy of the cloister I was able to pray about my vocation and gradually realize God’s plans for my life. The process of joining the monastery does not happen overnight. During these three years, I gradually let the monastic community know me. I believe that this time during simple vows deepened my relationship with my brother monks. No doubt a monk will only be able to persevere in his monastic ideal if he is willing and courageous enough to deal with the frustrations and challenges of religious life. On the other hand, God gives us sensible signals that we are on the right path, comforting us and filling us with hope.

How have you changed since you became a monk?

The monastic life is a true process of conversion. The young person who chooses this life learns, as Jesus teaches us in his Gospels, to be a sign of God’s love for creation. The monk serves as a sign indicating who we seek, whom we serve, and whom we seek out for our entire existence. The young man in the monastery should never tire of seeking God. The main monastic imperative is to live in this constant exercise in this school of service of the Lord. I can see changes from the moment I entered the monastery. The attitude of listening as presented in the Prologue to the Rule of St. Benedict is an attitude that will accompany me always in the monastic life. The act of listening must descend to the heart and make us less intemperate, impatient, and anxious.

What are you most excited about now that you’ve professed solemn vows?

The natural anxiety I felt before solemn profession has given way to calm. The routine in the monastery is a healthy and constant lesson in learning to love community responsibilities. Prayer and work continue to shape me and little by little I realize that even in the most humble functions in the monastery we can perceive signs of the resurrection and eternity. I look forward to completing theology courses at the Pontifical Catholic University in Goiás. Living there with the diocesan brothers has been a great experience. At the same time, glimpsing into the future, I hope not to allow too much anxiety to overshadow or compromise my current obligations. And so we go on, living what we need today, grateful to the Lord for yesterday and sowing seeds for tomorrow. • Parents: Edessorde Ambrósio da Silva &

Bárbara Anice Ferreira Silva

• Born: December 12, 1984 • Hometown: Goiania, Goias, Brazil

• First vows: July 11, 2015 • Solemn vows: July 22, 2018 • Favorite saint: St. James the Greater who is my patron saint; I really admire his work in the

Iberian world.

• Favorite devotion: The Rosary • Reading now: Come be my Light by St. Teresa of Calcutta and The Last Testament by Pope

Benedict XVI

• Favorite food: Barbecue (and sweets!)

• Favorite childhood toy: Train set • Favorite place: Beaches and waterfalls • Best job I ever had: Editing and reporting as a journalist • Worst job I ever had: Telemarketer • If I weren’t a monk, I’d be: a historian

• Interesting fact: My paternal grandmother really inspired my vocation, educating me in the faith since I was a child. It was not long before my 9-year-old self cultivated, in my heart, the desire to be a priest. • Why I want to be a monk: I need a meaning for my life: God.

• Qualities I admire in other monks: Hard work in general and their work as scholars • Best advice I’ve received: Never be discouraged from the journey, for the process of conversion takes place until the last second of life.