In order to provide travellers with a “oasis,” a large Brazilian gas station company is constructing chapels for the Blessed Sacrament along the nation’s roadways.
Even while it’s common for travellers to stop at a service station or gas station to refuel their vehicles, eat, or relax, there are certain stations in Brazil that include chapels where visitors may venerate the Blessed Sacrament, make a confession, and attend Mass.
Janeth Vaz, director of Rede Marajó, a network of Brazilian highway service stations, told ACI Digital, CNA’s Portuguese-language sister news agency, that the chain maintains seven chapels at its stations with the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle because “faith is the primary value of our firm.”
Having a chapel is a luxury, but having the Blessed Sacrament there is a huge benefit, according to Vaz.
The chapel lies in the centre of Marajó, and we are aware that the Blessed Sacrament is present there.
Since the Blessed Sacrament makes “a very huge impact,” she stated, “we want to keep constructing where there are none… so the Blessed Sacrament may be there,” even though there are now seven chapels.
Rede Marajó claims to be the “only one” that travels the whole 1,200-mile Belém-Brasilia Highway, which takes an average of 30 hours to complete. Rede Marajó boasts more than 30 years of expertise. The network of petrol stations is also “the biggest distributor of Shell” in the nation.
In the states of Pará, Tocantins, Goiás, Mato Grosso, and Minas Gerais, the network currently comprises 19 stations.
Vaz said that despite coming from a family of “sporadically” attending Catholics, she “fell in love” with the Catholic Church after taking part in a charismatic renewal group.
She continued by saying that she now has a strong devotion to the Virgin Mary and that, despite his initial “resistance,” her husband is now the one who has done the most to advance the cause of chapel construction.
Because I often attended church, her husband “stated that one day he would build me a church in the backyard.” Yes, you will, I assured him, but you will participate more than I will. That’s what really occurred, she remembered.
The apostolic administrator of the diocese granted them permission to receive the Blessed Sacrament when the couples constructed the first chapel at the Nova Olinda station in 1992.
“The first thing we do is go to the parish priest, who requests the bishop for permission to have the Blessed Sacrament,” she added. This is done each time a new chapel is constructed.
They later constructed chapels at Belém, Santana do Araguaia, Frutal, Centralina, and Várzea Grande in the states of Pará, Minas Gerais, Aparecida de Goiânia, and Goiás.
Every Sunday, they all hold Mass, and in a few of the chapels, a priest meets with the pious to hear confessions, provide spiritual counsel, and pray with them.
The director of Rede Marajó Company said that the construction of these chapels over the last 30 years is “a mercy” and the work of the Holy Spirit since, although it is simple to begin an endeavour, continuing it is more difficult.
The enterprise is still going on thanks to her children, who now oversee the network of petrol stations.
“They want these chapels and want people to pray there far more than I do. We implanted it in them, and it persisted in their hearts, she continued.
a haven for motorists and trucks
Truck drivers, who spend a lot of time on the road, inspired the idea for chapel construction, according to Vaz, who said that the chapels are dedicated to Our Lady under various Marian titles.
The entrepreneur said that the truck drivers get rosaries from the priests who go to the stations to say Mass and do so “joyfully” because “they adore the Virgin” and sense her concern for them.
The chapels prevented two truck drivers from committing themselves
For them, it seems to be an oasis in the midst of a desert. At least two drivers’ lives had previously been spared by this sanctuary, she recalled.
First truck driver “extremely desperate” and “with a pistol” because he “intended to kill his own life” came at Nova Olinda station late at night.
The night watchman brought him to the chapel of Our Lady of Graces when he spotted him, where he spent some time.
She reported that when he went, “he was entirely transformed. He no longer intended to commit himself, and he indicated that he was even going to get rid of the weapon.”
In the other incident, a truck driver visited the chapel at the Belém station where Our Lady of Nazareth is located. He met a priest there and opted against committing himself.
When the visiting priest entered the chapel to light the sanctuary lamp on that particular day, he saw a man sobbing. Vaz said that the priest “thought the sanctuary lamp next to the tabernacle had gone out.”
“The priest introduced himself and asked if he could assist. The guy said that while he had intended to commit suicide when he entered the chapel, he had instead prayed to God and declared, “If I find a priest here who hears my confession, I’ll alter my mind.” Just then, the priest entered, the guy spoke with him, the priest prayed with him, and he quickly changed his mind.
Finally, Vaz said that the firm supports its workers’ practise of the Catholic religion and that they conduct a monthly Mass at each of their gas stations, including those without chapels.
She also said that the staff pray together every morning while using the appropriate liturgy.
She said that while the staff “isn’t required” to pray, “everything pauses until the prayer is held.” Vaz pointed out that the overwhelming majority do participate, however, since “Catholics and non-Catholics are quite united.”