"I am Father Cezar Luis Morbach, a priest of the Diocese of Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul / Brazil. I was born on September 4, 1984 in the city of Campina das Missões, a municipality in the northwestern region of the state. I am the son of Amantino Morbach and Petronilla Schutz Morbach, farmers. I am the fourth of five childrenmy siblings are: José (who passed away), Maria Alice, Renato André and Marco Antônio.
I was born and raised in the simple rural life, helping my parents with chores and farming. I received from them from the beginning the example of honesty, simplicity, but above all, faith and love for God. Our family is very religious and prayer at the table before meals is and remains a custom in our home, as well as the recitation of the Rosary, participation in Sunday Mass (or celebration of the Word, since it is a community in the interior and often there is no possibility of Mass every Sunday).
We also always dedicate ourselves to community service, helping people in need, playing a leadership role, doing manual work in cleaning and preparing for liturgical celebrations or community prayer.
The example of my parentsThe love with which they dedicated themselves to the ecclesial community, the faith they lived, along with the testimony of friends who have entered the Minor Seminary of the Diocese of Santo Angelo (Diocese to which my parents, territorially, belong), awakened in me the desire to have an experience at the Seminar. Then, in 1998, after a vocational weekend at the Seminary, I made the decision to join.
However, some circumstances made me postpone this decision. So, in 1999, at the age of 14, I left my parents' house, no longer to join the Seminary, but to live, with my sister and her family, in the city of Dois Irmãos, in search of a better life. So, in August 1999, still 14 years old, I started working in a shoe company.
During the day, from 07:00 to 17:30, he worked and, at night, he studied. After 8 years of work (4 in the footwear sector and the other 4 in the furniture sector), in 2006, after a period of "escape" from God, After completing high school and starting a Mathematics course at the University of Vale dos Sinos (UNISINOS), God met me again through a childhood friend, on the eve of his ordination to the priesthood.
Then, on August 26, 2006, at the age of 21, I quit my job, my university course, my plans to have a family, a girlfriend, friends.... I left everything to join the Propedeutic Seminary, in the city of Novo Hamburgo.
"After a period of "escape" from God, the Lord met me, again, through a childhood friend, on the eve of his ordination to the priesthood."
Fr. Cezar Luis Morbach is very active on social networks. In his Facebook profile he posted this image with the following message: "That ′′′smile chimuela′′ of the one who is accustomed to the things of God... and that gladdens the heart. Parents: accustom your children from a young age to the things of God!".
Another of his teachings on social networks regarding childhood: "There is no way not to love a child, Your innocence, purity, simplicity, tenderness... enchant the heart. That is why some of the biggest scandals are related to mothers who abandon their newborn child, who resort to abortion, who do not give the love, protection and care that the child needs...Scandal is not loving!!!"
After only 4 months of Propedeutica, at the beginning of 2007, my companions of the diocese and I were sent to São Paulo to study Philosophy. In 2007 and 2008 I studied at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Seminary Maria Mater Ecclesiae, in the city of Itapecerica da Serra and finally, in 2009, I returned to Rio Grande do Sul to reside at the Major Seminary São Luiz Gonzaga, located in the city of Viamão, thus attending the first cycle of Theology at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, at the University of Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil.
In 2012, at the request of the diocesan bishop - and as was customary in the diocese - I was invited to interrupt my studies and dedicate myself to the so-called. "Pastoral Year" in the Church of the Archdiocese of Porto VelhoMore specifically, in the parish of São José in the city of Monte Negro, doing pastoral work in the aforementioned parish.
At the beginning of 2013, I returned to Rio Grande do Sul to resume my theology studies and prepare for ordinations: the diaconal ordinationwhich took place on August 4, 2013 at the Cathedral Basilica of São Luiz Gonzaga, in the city of Novo Hamburgo, and the priestlyOn December 20 of the same year in the parish of São Miguel, in the city of Dois Irmãos.
As a priestI served my priestly ministry as parochial vicar of the Parishes of São Pedro, in the city of Gramado (2014-2015), Cathedral Basilica São Luiz Gonzaga, Novo Hamburgo (2016) and São José Operário, also located in the city of Novo Hamburgo (2017).
In January 2018 I assumed the role of Pastor in the Parish of São José, still in the city of Novo Hamburgo, a role I held until September 2020, the eve of my life in Rome, to pursue doctoral studies.
Without neglecting the pastoral work, I started, in 2016, the course of Master in Theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), concluding it, with praise, in May 2019, with the thesis: "The silence of God: the theology of suffering in Hans Urs von Balthasar ".
Since then, always in tune with the will of God present in the person of Monsignor Bishop, Dom ZenoThe doctoral studies project was presented in a very tangible way.
Then, even in the midst of the difficulties faced by the pandemic, I received authorization to study for a Doctorate in Systematic Theology at the Pontifical University of Santa Croce in Rome, the field of study being Ecclesiology. The topic of my research will be: "From Communio Sanctorum a Communio cum SanctisThe Theology of Communion with the Saints from Chapter VII of the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium".
"At the age of 21, I gave up my job, my university course, my plans to have a family, a girlfriend, friends.... I left everything to join the Propedeutic Seminary, in the city of Novo Hamburgo."
Fr. Cezar was born and raised in a simple rural life, helping his parents with their chores and farming. "I received from them from the beginning the example of honesty, simplicity, but above all, faith and love for God. Our family is very religious," he says. In the picture, a snapshot of his pilgrimage to Assisi, walking the paths of St. Francis.
His family has always been dedicated to community service, helping people in need, playing a leadership role, doing manual labor for cleaning and preparing for liturgical celebrations or community prayer.
The lifelong learning is always urgent and necessary for the clergy and for the lay faithful. Although it is a necessity, not everyone seeks it, not even among the clergy. Then, once the course is completed, I will assist in the academic formation of the seminarians of the Diocese, of the clergy, as well as in the pastoral and academic formation of the lay faithful, through seminars and theological courses, according to the new Pastoral Plan of the Diocese.
In addition, I will be at the disposal of Universities - among them the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul - for a possible need of integration in their teaching staff.
Despite all the challenges and difficulties, already here in Rome, God's mercy and providence never abandons us. One example is the economic issue, since the Diocese of Novo Hamburgo can only provide me with a small support in my studies, a support that is far below the basic needs.
Therefore, this study project and, above all, the completion of my research and training, would not be possible. without the generous help of my benefactors at CARF, to whom I address all my thanks. for the good you do me and my diocesan Church by helping, so generously, to carry out God's will in my life. Thank you very much and may God bless you always!
Moreover, I trust, once again, in divine providence, happy to be able to serve the Church of Christ through study. I would like to ask my benefactors, giving them many blessings, to entrust me with much, so that God's will may be fully realized in our lives.
With my prayers, gratitude and blessing!"
Gerardo Ferrara
BA in History and Political Science, specializing in the Middle East.
Responsible for the student body
University of the Holy Cross in Rome
