He had just finished his grueling medical school program when, in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, João Victor Corrêa Maiolino began devoting more time to prayer. “”When I finished my residency, the very next day I was already with my brothers at the seminary," says this 31-year-old seminarian from the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). He has been living in Spain for a year at the Bidasoa International Seminary. In his testimony, João Victor provides us with the keys to applying medicine in the spiritual guidance and healing of souls. 

An ordinary family 

João Victor Corrêa Maiolino was born in the city of Campos dos Goytacazes, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. He comes from a very modest family. His father (Francisco Vicente), a doctor by profession, spent a little more time away from home, but he was present in his own discreet and observant way. His mother (Rosane) is a teacher and applied her knowledge of pedagogy to raising him and his two older siblings: Thiago and his sister Lívia. “I’m the youngest, even though I’m not the shortest,”, she says with a smile. 

“My family doesn’t have a strong Catholic tradition. We’ve all been baptized, but only my brother and I actively practice our faith. My father practices his faith more discreetly and usually attends Mass on the occasion of a funeral, a wedding, or some other family celebration. My mom and my sister practice another religion, Kardecist Spiritism,” he explains. 

However, even though his parents do not practice the Catholic faith, they chose a Salesian Catholic school for his education. And in their family life, with moments of joy and fun, Their mother always made them make up after they argued with each other. 

The Importance of Sports in His Personal Development 

Adolescence is a time of change and rebellion, but João Victor went through it without much fuss. His concerns were much more about sports than anything else. “What I was passionate about was playing basketball. I didn’t like studying—I just passed my classes and that was it. However, I played basketball at a high level, to the point where I moved to Rio de Janeiro at age 16 to play for the Fluminense club,” he says. 

This athletic experience helped João Victor a great deal in his personal development, because It allowed him to develop very important skills, such as teamwork, discipline and the ability to prepare for major challenges under pressure. However, he did not continue his athletic career because he suffered several injuries, and at age 17, he had to choose between basketball and attending college. He chose to go to college.

The tough six years of medical school  

“I chose to study medicine. Since it’s a very competitive field in Brazil, I had to study really hard to get a spot—especially since I’d never studied that much before. In the end, it took me two years of preparatory classes to make it, and at age 19, I started college,” recalls the young Brazilian. 

After six years of college, He began working as a resident physician. He had a girlfriend, and his life was going very well. 

His calling to the priesthood came with the pandemic 

However, During the pandemic, in 2020, João Victor began to devote more time to the prayer and, as it became possible, to the sacramental life as well. 

He recalls the intimate moments with God from that time: “Little by little, I grew so much in my intimacy with God and drew closer and closer to Him. Until, at a certain point, A new question arose in my heart: Why not become a priest? My first reaction was to reject that idea right away. But it didn't work. The question kept coming up again and again, until I decided to face it head-on. I shared this with my parish priest, and during the discernment process, I ended my relationship and chose to take this calling seriously.”. 

For two years, while João Victor was completing his residency in Family and Community Medicine, he discerned his call to the priesthood. Since the residency was at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), he lived in Rio and participated in the Archdiocese’s vocational meetings there. Little by little, doors began to open, though not without effort and courage. “When I finished my residency, the very next day I was already with my brothers at the seminary,”, judgment. 

The First Seminarian from Río in Bidasoa 

Thus, in 2024, he began his training as a seminarian at the Propaedeutic Seminary of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, and in early 2025, he had the opportunity to come to study at the Bidasoa Seminar to continue their education. He has been in Spain for about a year, “where I feel very at home,” he says. 

When he received the invitation to study in Pamplona, he felt a mix of emotions: surprise, joy, fear, uncertainty, gratitude, and many others. “It was very unusual, because I went the first seminarian from the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro to come to Bidasoa to study the first year of philosophy. Until then, everyone else had come solely to begin their studies in theology. For me, this opportunity has been a great blessing from God.”. 

A movement among young people to draw closer to their faith 

Regarding the Church in Brazil He says that reality is very diverse in a country this large. And something new is changing: “I get the impression that, Right now, there is a growing movement toward faith, especially among young people, driven in part by digital apostolate initiatives.”. 

This young Brazilian man says that Many young people are discovering a certain emptiness in today's world. See how social media, especially platforms like TikTok, are taking up more and more of people’s time, but often without helping them find a deeper meaning in their lives. When they discover that the Church has a solid history spanning two thousand years—one that continues to be tangibly present in the lives of so many people—they feel a desire to get to know it better, and many end up drawing closer to the faith.

Pastoral Life, Vocations, and Priests 

The Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro has a very active pastoral life, and depending on the region, one can find different charisms. As a result of this reality, There are a large number of vocationsYes, both for diocesan life and for the religious life of men and women. 

There are 162 seminarians at the Major Seminary and 41 at the Preparatory Seminary. “Without a doubt, this high number is also the result of the excellent work of Cardinal Don Orani, the prayers of the people of God, and the reawakening of faith among young people that I mentioned earlier,” he says. 

He also points out that there are quite a few priests in the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, but since it is such a large city, “I think that if there were more, it would be even better,” especially because of the need for priests in outlying areas. “Furthermore, there are priests who live alone and, in some cases, are somewhat isolated, without much contact with fellow priests, which would help them live out their brotherhood more fully,” he laments. 

As an example of the pastoral, social, and charitable work carried out by the Church in its diocese, he cites his home parish, Santos Anjos. It grew out of a project promoted by Don Hélder Câmara, called the São Sebastião Crusade, which included the the construction of a church, ten apartment buildings for families living in the favelas, a school, and a parish center dedicated to technical and vocational training. The idea was to provide opportunities to those most in need in a high-income neighborhood like Leblon.

The Challenges Facing the Church in Brazil 

João Victor recalls that Brazil is a nation with a deep-rooted Catholic tradition, but for many years, faith has been viewed and lived primarily as a cultural expression, without ever reaching a deeper level of experience and without understanding the most basic aspects of faith.

“This has led to the growth of Protestant communities in recent decades, which, in turn, has become an opportunity for Let us Catholics deepen our own formation ”and may we be able to give an account of our faith and the hope that is within us,", he says enthusiastically. 

Another major challenge is indifference toward God. “We live in a culture where many people organize their lives as if God did not exist, and this is not limited to Europe. It is, without a doubt, a major challenge for evangelization. However, I believe it can be overcome, especially through the example of one's life. A life that is consistent, centered on God, and focused on the people closest to us is ”like a candle that burns itself out to bring light and warmth to others,", says this seminarian. 

His experience among Spaniards  

As for his experience in Spain, many things have surprised João Victor. First of all, the entire history that speaks to us through architecture, through the great temples, and through a millennia-old culture that remains present not only in the buildings but also in the way many people live their lives.

“I spent the Easter in Granada and I had the chance to see how practically the entire city took part in the processions: some as float bearers, others playing in the bands, and still others simply accompanying or watching the brotherhoods pass by. What impressed me most was seeing that ”The whole city celebrated Holy Week as one,", recounts. 

However, João Victor got the impression that there wasn’t always a strictly religious motive behind that participation. In other words, not everyone participated out of faith. “But I don’t see that as a problem; rather, I see it as a reflection of a society that has gradually been drifting away from God. Actually, it seems to me like a a great opportunity for evangelization, ”because it shows that there is still an open door to sow the Gospel in the hearts of many people.". 

Contrasts Between Brazil and Spain 

He has also noticed differences between Brazil and Spain: “It is one of the major challenges facing our country: urban violence. ”In Rio de Janeiro, drug trafficking is rampant, and many people live in fear and feel vulnerable in this climate of violence. All of this influences the way people live, think, and make decisions, since they often have to take into account potential risks that shape their daily lives,” he says. 

Although we also face insecurity in Spain, it’s not comparable to your country. “A a child growing up in an environment like the one I've found in Spain, ”With a greater sense of security, you can enjoy many experiences with greater peace of mind. In the face of this problem, the Church plays a fundamental role, for only God’s love is capable of transforming hearts in a profound and genuine way,” he says. 

The priest who wants to become a doctor of souls 

After completing his training in Spain, he will return to Brazil to be ordained as a priest. And this raises some inevitable questions: “How can we proclaim Christ to people today? ”What kind of priest do I want to become?". 

João Victor offers some insights, drawing a parallel between medicine and the priesthood: “I believe that priests, just like doctors, need to develop many skills. Not only a solid theoretical foundation, but also great sensitivity in dealing with people, keen observational skills, ”pastoral sensitivity and closeness to the people God has entrusted to him.". 

But above all, he insists that A priest is a man of prayer. “The graces he receives, the fruits of his ministry, the effectiveness of his preaching, and all his pastoral work do not come solely from his own efforts, but from its correspondence with God's grace. ”In short, it is God who does the work. We are merely His instruments.”. 

That is why, in order to reach people’s hearts—whether they are young people or those who are farthest from God—, A life of prayer is necessary. “We must follow the path that God shows us, listen to and recognize the voice of his sheep, protect them with our very lives, and love them. Deep down, there isn’t much to figure out: ”It's simply a matter of following in Christ's footsteps,", concludes this Brazilian seminarian. 

Marta Santínjournalist specializing in religion.

João Victor’s experience reflects a process that many young people go through when they begin to consider a possible priestly vocation. God’s call does not usually manifest itself in extraordinary ways. It often arises in everyday life: a more intense prayer life, the guidance of a priest, participation in the sacraments, or a growing desire to devote one’s life to the service of others.

Baptizing young children is a decision that many Catholic parents take for granted, although today some families prefer to wait until their children can decide for themselves in the future. The question seems reasonable: if baptism has such a profound impact on a person’s life, shouldn’t it be a free choice made once sufficient maturity has been reached?

However, since the early centuries, the Church has upheld infant baptism as a gift from God and the beginning of the Christian life. Many parents do not view baptizing their children as a restriction on their freedom, but rather as a way to offer them grace, faith, and a sense of belonging to the Church from the very beginning.

Baptism: A Sociological Phenomenon

There are many decisions that parents make without waiting to consult with their children, in matters that will affect them in a decisive way in their lives.

They provide them with food, clothing, warmth and affection before they have the use of reason, without their having freely asked for it, but this is essential to keep them alive. But they also do things, in addition to covering basic subsistence needs, that will have a decisive impact on fundamental life issues.

Let’s consider, for example, the act of speaking to them in a specific language. The acquisition of a native language stems from a decision made by parents that will shape the way their children express themselves, their deepest cultural roots, and even very specific perspectives on reality.

No reasonable parents would decide not to speak to their child at all until the child grew up, heard several languages, and decided for themselves which one they wanted to learn. Language is a very important cultural element in human development, and delaying its acquisition until adulthood would cause serious harm to the intellectual development of the young person.

But does the decision to baptize and begin faith formation bear any resemblance to speaking to children in one's own language?

A person who does not have faith and does not know what the existence of God, his goodness, his way of acting in the world and in people means, and who does not know the deepest reality of baptism will think that it has nothing to do with it, that language is indispensable and faith is not. But this does not mean that his assessment is reasonable, but rather that it is due to his cultural deficiencies, or even to his prejudices, which prevent him from reasoning on the basis of all the real data.

Therefore, in order to rationally take charge of all the factors involved in this issue it is essential to know first what it means to receive Baptism, and then to assess the situation.

"...Holy Baptism is the foundation of the whole Christian life, the portico of life in the spirit and the door that opens access to the other sacraments..." Catechism of the Catholic Church 

What Baptism entails

God has designed a love story for every human being, which is revealed little by little throughout life. To the extent that we have a close relationship with Him, that story will be revealed and take shape. And the first step for this closeness to be effective is Baptism.

The Christian faith considers the Baptism as the fundamental sacrament, since it is a prerequisite for receiving any other sacrament. It unites us to Jesus Christ, conforming us to Him in His triumph over sin and death.

In ancient times it was administered by immersion. The one to be baptized was completely immersed in water. Just as Jesus Christ died, was buried and resurrected, the new Christian was symbolically introduced into a tomb of water, to divest himself of sin and its consequences, and be reborn to a new life.

Baptism is, in fact, the sacrament that unites us to Jesus Christ, introducing us to his saving death on the Cross. frees us from the power of original sin and from all personal sinsand allows us to rise with him to a life without end. From the moment of reception, we participate in the divine life through grace, which helps us to grow in spiritual maturity.

Through Baptism, we become members of the Body of Christ, brothers and sisters of our Savior, and children of God.

We are freed from sin, plucked from eternal death, and destined from that instant to a life in the joy of the redeemed. "Through baptism, each child is admitted into a circle of friends who will never abandon him, neither in life nor in death. This circle of friends, this family of God into which the child is integrated from that moment, accompanies him continually, even in the days of sorrow, even in the dark nights of life; it will give him comfort, tranquility and light" (Benedict XVI, January 8, 2006).

"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19)

Baptism in the Teachings of St. Josemaría

«Baptism makes us "fideles"—'faithful,' a word that, like that other one, '"sancti —"saints"—a term used by the first followers of Jesus to refer to one another, and one that is still used today: we speak of the »faithful” of the Church. —“Think about it!” (The Forge, 622).

Why Does the Church Continue the Practice of Infant Baptism?

This practice dates back to time immemorial. When the first Christians received the faith, and were aware of the great gift of God of which they had been the object, they did not want to deprive their children of these benefits.

The Church continues to practice infant baptism for one fundamental reason: before we opt for God, he has already opted for us. He has made us and called us to be happy. Baptism is not a burden, on the contrary, it is a grace, an undeserved gift that we receive from God.

Christian parents, from the earliest centuries, applied common sense. Just as the mother did not deliberate at length about whether she should breast-feed her newborn child, but fed it when the child required it, just as they washed it when it was soiled, clothed it and wrapped it up warmly to protect it from the rigors of the cold, just as they talked to it and gave it affection. 

In this way, they also provided him with the best help that any human creature needs to develop life to the full: the cleansing of the soul, the grace of God, a large supernatural family, and an openness to the language of God, so that when his sensitivity and intelligence awaken, he can contemplate the world with the light of faith, that which allows him to know reality as it is.

Baptism as the Beginning of the Christian Life

Christians know that they are grafted into Christ through Baptism; empowered to fight for Christ through Confirmation; called to act in the world by sharing in Christ’s kingly, prophetic, and priestly office; and made one with Christ through the Eucharist, the sacrament of unity and love. Therefore, like Christ, he must live in relation to others, looking with love upon each and every person around him, and upon all of humanity.

Faith leads us to recognize Christ as God, to see Him as our Savior, to identify with Him, and to act as He did. The Risen One, after dispelling the apostle Thomas’s doubts by showing him His wounds, exclaims: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”.

“Here,” remarks St. Gregory the Great, “we are spoken of in a special way, because we possess spiritually the One whom we have not seen bodily. We are spoken of, but on the condition that our actions are in accordance with our faith.” No one truly believes except the one who, in his actions, puts into practice what he believes. That is why, speaking of those who possess nothing more than words of faith, St. Paul says: they profess to know God, but deny him by their deeds.

In Christ, it is not possible to separate his nature as God-Man from his role as Redeemer. The Word became flesh and came to earth so that all people may be saved, to save all people. With our personal weaknesses and limitations, we are other Christs, the very Christ, and we too are called to serve all people.

That commandment, which will remain new throughout the centuries, must resound again and again. “Beloved,” writes Saint John, “I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the divine word that you have heard.” And yet I tell you that the commandment of which I speak is a new commandment, which is true in itself and in you, because the darkness has passed away, and the true light is already shining. Whoever claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother dwells in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

Our Lord has come to bring peace, the good news, and life to all people. Not only to the rich, nor only to the poor. Not only to the wise, nor only to the simple. To everyone. To our brothers and sisters—for we are brothers and sisters, since we are children of the same Father, God. There is, therefore, only one race: the race of God’s children. There is only one color: the color of God’s children. And there is only one language: the one that speaks to the heart and the mind, without the clamor of words, yet revealing God to us and leading us to love one another.

• The following text is from point 106 of St. Josemaría’s book *Christ Is Passing By*, in the chapter 'Christ Present in Christians.' Link: https://escriva.org/es/es-cristo-que-pasa/106/

Article published at http://dialogosparacomprender.blogspot.com/

Mr. Francisco Varo PinedaDirector of Research at the University of Navarra and Professor of Sacred Scripture in the School of Theology.