THINGS I BOUGHT IN BRAZIL

Every pilgrim knows this one fact - you need to keep an eye out for souvenirs! But, I was determined not to get anything that I would regret later when my much awaited trip to Brazil finally happened. Why? Because I had visited Australia twice, Singapore once and had gone overboard with my souvenir collection. In retrospect, I did regret a few purchases.

So, when I first entered the shop at Tabor, motherhouse of the Heralds of the Gospel, I had just planned to 'browse'. But, when my eyes fell on a beautiful blue rosary, I fell in love with it. I remembered a promise made to a friend to get her husband a blue rosary. This was it! I made my first purchase that day.

Muito bonita.

Later, during the pilgrimage and even after, I made quite a few more purchases from that very shop. There was also a gorgeous locket in the shop just outside the gates of Tabor which I bought - one for me and one for my soul sister.

It now houses petals
from the tomb of Msgr Joao.

At the Tabor shop, I saw a Consecration bracelet and recalled St Louis de Monfort saying that one could wear little chains around the waist or on the arms (True Devotion 236-242) as a reminder of one's sacred slavery to Jesus through Mary His Mother. So, I bought myself the first of four bracelets. I started wearing it as soon as I had touched it to the tomb of Msgr Joao. Later, I bought one for my soul sister too as she had done her Consecration online with Fr Timothy Ring, EP in April 2025. I also bought her a brooch of Our Lady of Fatima to wear on her lanyard (she works for the railways in Australia).

For my soul sister

During the Third Order Congress in July, the shop was moved up to the main school building to make it more accessible to the people. During that period, I popped in and out several times. I found the car stickers that I was interested in buying as gifts for my friends in India. And I did make a daring purchase - the book 'Mary Most Holy: Axis Of History'. I say daring, because it is in Portuguese, a language that I am at kindergarten level in. I also found, to my surprise, an English copy of the book 'Dr Plinio: Prophet For Our Times'.

It very rare to find English books in Brazil as the people there rarely speak English. Very few were able to get beyond kindergarten level English. My conversations were with sign language after my customary shake of the head and a sheepish "Eu não fala Portuguese." Or dead silence, which was so, so awkward.

Coming back to my purchases, I bought ten car stickers and the two books mentioned during those Congress days. Oh, I forgot to add the five holy water bottles I bought there too.

TABOR SHOPS

2 heart lockets, 45 reais each ✓

4 Consecration bracelets, 30 reais each✓

Blue rosary for Peter 180 reais✓

Brooch for Maria is 25 reais✓

Car stickers, 10 for 30 reais✓

Mary Most Holy part 3 40 reais✓

Dr Plinio: Prophet for our times 35 reais✓

Five holy water bottles, 2 reais each. ✓

At Aura Prophetarum, one of the First Order Seat, there's a treasure trove which is called PROVEDORIA. Such beautiful souvenirs but alas! I had to stick to my resolve not to make any purchases that I would regret later. I visited this place once during the pilgrimage and then twice thereafter, once, to collect the Third Order cape and later, with Dona Fabiola, who shops there for produce for the home.

The first time that I went there, it was with the pilgrimage group. I purchased a black onyx rosary for Glenn and a teal jade one for myself. I also bought two medals with Our Lady of Good Counsel on one side and St Joseph on the other. One is around my neck right now as I pen this article while the other is soon going to be flying to Australia along with the other purchases.

PROVEDORIA - Alladin's Cave.

I also bought a Preces cover for my future Preces, a couple of wallets for myself and leather pouches to gift to family & friends. I saw a pretty pink stone tree and bought that too but later I gifted it to Dona Fabiola who helped us during the month of July.

PINK STONE TREE

Wallets and a stone tree
not in this picture

For my children, I picked up three patina picture frames of Our Holy Founders, and nightstand picture frames for Bro. Nathan (Msgr Joao) and Ana Teresa (St Therese of the Child Jesus). The little reliquaries were also for them.

In June, I went to collect my Third Order cape from their Habits and Boots department. We later popped into Provedoria which is next door and made some important purchases - the medallion and keys that are worn with the cape.

The papal keys
worn on the collar.

Cape with medallion
and keys attached.

I was super thrilled to see three black crosses on one of the shelves. I had been praying for them but they weren't available when we went the first time. So, I put two in my cart immediately.

The crosses on the shelf, me in my cape, Bro Nathan buying the amendoim sweets.

Bro. Nathan helped me choose an amethyst rosary for one of my older sons and we also asked for boxes of Amendoim sweets.

Amethyst rosary for Aaron

In July, we visited Provedoria for the third and last time. I was with my daughter so she requested for a new Preces and I added a cover to the cart for her. We also went upstairs for wine and liquers. Ad - I bought yet another rosary, a green tiger's eye one this time.

Ana Teresa's Preces with cover, wallets (I purchased two more for my sons), velvet rosary pouches ad holy water bottles.

My most coveted purchases, however, were the scrolls of Immaculate Heart of Mary and Our Holy Founders. (There was no scroll of Dr Plinio available so I was a little disappointed). We picked another three boxes of Amendoim sweets, one to have during our stay and two to carry back home to India.

I also picked up ten more holy water bottles to gift to friends and some velvet rosary pouches. And two kgs goiabo (guava) paste to carry home!

Sometime in the third week of July, Dona Fabiola went again to Provedoria and bought me a cape cover. (Her son works there so she's got permission to buy stuff from Provedoria). She said that it was the last one left. Dona Lucilia to the rescue yet again!

ANOTHER MIRACLE!

PROVEDORIA PURCHASES

Black rosary for Glenn 120 reais✓

Teal rosary 100 reais✓

Amethyst rosary for Aaron 120 reais✓

Green Tigers eye rosary, 120 reais✓

2 Medals, 20 reais each✓

Stone tree, 75 reais✓

Preces cover for self, 70 reais✓

4 wallets, 70 reais each✓

Five leather pouches 60 reais✓

2 crosses, 100 reais each✓

3 picture frames, 60 reais each✓

2 pictures for Charis, Nathan, 45 reais each✓

4 reliquaries for Charis, Nathan, 35 reais each✓

Banner of SDL 20 reais✓

Banner of Msgr Joao 48 reais✓

Banner of Immaculate Heart of Mary 20 reais✓

6 liqueur bottles 50ml, 60 reais✓

1 liqueur bottle, 50 ml, 30 reais✓

Wine bottle, 21 reais✓

10 holy water bottles, 3 reais each✓

3 velvet rosary pouches, 7 reais each✓

5 Amendoim boxes, 150 reais✓

Preces, cover for Charis 103 reais✓

2 kgs guava paste, 31 reals✓

Cape cover, 60 reals✓

When I review my purchases, there are no regrets. I'm going to miss the guava paste when it's over though. Each item that I have with me will remind me of my memorable stay at Sao Paulo, Brazil. I got an English Preces to go into the cover that I had purchased in faith.

The books now rest on my shelf or in the book basket. The crosses and scrolls hang in my cell and other areas of my home, constantly reminding me of my call to grow in holiness. The Consecration chain on my right wrist is never taken off even when I go for a bath. Whenever I see it, I am reminded of my desire to be Mary's slave. All the items were blessed in Brazil by a priest and some were also touched to the tomb of Msgr Joao.

Cape in one hand,
Consecration bracelet on the other.

The rosaries might break eventually and the wallets wear out. Things in the material realm do not have value until I attach spiritual worth to them. A house becomes a home when there's unity and love. A school becomes a temple of learning. A church, an earlier heaven, when the people's hearts are elevated to God. So too, these material souvenirs will only have value when they help me grow in holiness. When I look at them, I will remember the graces I received and the gifts I need to use to help others receive the Word, become slaves of Our Lady and thus become free from the clutches of the devil.

I pray that I can evangelise just by sharing with others what I bought as they visit my home or ask me, "What's that on your wrist?". When I shared pictures of my cell, someone commented, "How blessed you are to have an oasis to rest in!"

So, look around your own homes and revive the memories each artifact or souvenir represents. Was it worth buying? How does it enhance your life? Does it aid you to draw closer to God or to the devil? In eternity, material things won't matter. What we will have are our merits in Christ. Strive for the better life, like all the saints (known and unknown) that went before us did.

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