Gonçalves is a young man from Angola who discovered his vocation at a very young age, when he was eight years old. "My heart burned and I dreamed of being a catechist," he recalls with emotion. Today, together with a companion, he is one of the first vocations of Angolan seminarians studying at the Bidasoa international seminarin Pamplona.
Angola is a country rich in natural resources such as diamonds and oil. However, it continues to face great challenges. The lack of a sense of belonging among its citizens and the lack of responsibility of some rulers towards the common good contribute to the persistence of poverty.
Gonçalves Cacoma Cahinga is fully aware of the challenges facing his country. Although his priestly vocation is focused on evangelization and the administration of the sacraments, he knows that, through his ministry, he will be able to contribute to the well-being of many of his compatriots.
"Despite the poverty, the shortage of schools, the lack of road infrastructure and the deficiencies in the health system, whoever visits my country will discover, above all, the joy of its people. Hospitality, humility, the desire to learn and unity among diverse cultures are living signs of the Angolan spirit and privileged paths for evangelization.
I would also highlight the deep faith of the people and their vibrant liturgy, which allows an authentic encounter with the divine, without forgetting the charms of our nature and the richness of our gastronomy," he says enthusiastically.
He belongs to the diocese of Lwena-Moxico, the largest in Angola, with an area of 223,000 km². Together with a companion, he is the first Angolan to study at the Bidasoa International Seminary. This year he will begin his third year of theology. "I have always defined my vocation as a true divine Providence" and my bishop Dom Martin Lasarte was the one who wanted me to come to Spain to be formed.
Gonçalves can be formed in Bidasoa thanks to the support of the CARF Foundation, which covers the costs of his priestly preparation. This commitment to formation is one of the fundamental pillars of the Foundation: to help vocations in countries with fewer resources, so that none are lost due to lack of financial means.
"I come from a humble, peasant family, composed of eight members: four men and three women. I am the seventh child and the only one who is still studying, since my brothers and sisters have already formed their own families. My parents, although elderly, are still alive. All of my family is Christianbut only my mother, one brother and three sisters are Catholics; the others belong to other Christian denominations. Despite the economic limitations, we grew up in an environment full of human and religious values that have deeply marked our lives," says Gonçalves.
His vocation to the priesthood was born when he was eight years old. "I used to go every Sunday to church with my mother, and I was fascinated to watch the catechist explain the readings. I felt a burning in my heart and dreamed of being a catechist one day."
This desire was strengthened in 2012, when the religious priests of the Congregation of the Sacramentaries of Our Lady arrived in his municipality from Brazil. They founded the parish of St. Anthony of Lisbon and, with their witness of life, their dedication to the Word of God, their service in the most remote villages and their care for the elderly and street children, completely transformed his vision: "From wanting to be a catechist, I went on to feel a call to the priesthood," he says.
But his vocation has not been free of difficulties and tribulations that have deeply marked his path, to the point of being on the verge of shipwreck.
In 2014 he moved to another municipality to continue his studies and, during that time, he moved away from the Church. In 2016 he finished the second cycle, returned to his town and was unable to continue studying due to lack of economic resources.
"During that year, I had other plans: to start a family and look for a job. However, the Lord had other paths for me. The priests spoke with me and my parents, and invited me to participate in vocational formation with a view to entering the seminary. Thus, in 2018, I entered St. John Mary Vianney Propaedeutic Seminary."
Three years later, in 2020, the priests who financed his studies returned to his country and, unable to continue due to lack of means, he decided to leave the seminary. However, thanks to the intervention of his rector and a generous lady who offered to pay for his education, he was able to enter the St. Joseph major seminary of philosophy, where he studied for three years.
Gonçalves is currently attending the Bidasoa International Seminar in Pamplona. "For me it was a real surprise, and also for my family. It is an opportunity to grow in my vocation, in my mission and to mature more in my formation," he says with gratitude.
Aware of the pastoral need in his country, he adds: "In my diocese, although there are many Catholics, there are few priests and few parishes. That is why I am deeply grateful to all the benefactors of the CARF Foundation for the opportunity they are giving me. For me, being in Bidasoa is a great richness, because it allows me to discover the greatness of the universal Church".
He ends his testimony with a heartfelt thank you to the CARF Foundation, whose help has been key to his vocation moving forward.
Marta Santínjournalist specializing in religion.
