Father Fábio Silveira on vocation, service, and the future of the Church in the Azores

When Father Fábio Silveira was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of Angra this past Sunday, the moment carried a significance that extended beyond his own vocation. With his ordination, a chapter in the history of the Diocese of Angra quietly came to a close. Silveira became the last priest to complete his entire formation within the historic Seminary of Angra before the institution’s training model was restructured.

Yet for the newly ordained priest, the day was not defined by endings. It was defined by continuity, mission, and hope.

“I never fully realized the importance and responsibility of being the last priest formed entirely at the Seminary of Angra until people began asking me about it,” he reflected. “It marks the end of one era and the beginning of another. The Seminary was always considered the heart of the Diocese. It was a place where prayers, resources, and hopes converged for generations of vocations born on these Atlantic islands.”

Founded more than 160 years ago, the Seminary shaped countless priests who served communities throughout the Azores and beyond. For Silveira, closing that chapter carries both gratitude and emotion.

“Many beautiful moments were lived within those walls,” he said. “Friendships were formed, tears and joys were shared, and generations of men prepared themselves to serve the People of God.”

Unlike many seminarians, Silveira entered the Seminary after establishing himself professionally. Deeply involved in culture and music, he spent years working in artistic and cultural fields while remaining active in parish life.

“Jesus was always present in my life,” he explained. “I always felt called to serve Him, but I believed there were many ways to do that beyond the priesthood.”

For years he collaborated with parishes both on his native Pico Island and on Terceira, where he lived for fifteen years. Professional challenges and moments of uncertainty eventually led him to reflect more deeply on his future.

“We often expect God to call us by telephone or by knocking on our door,” he said with a smile. “Instead, He calls through concrete signs in our lives.”

Some professional doors closed unexpectedly, while others opened in new directions. Gradually, the signs became impossible to ignore.

“God was asking me to commit myself more fully. Once I became open to that possibility, the answers became very clear. The Lord was saying: ‘Come and follow me more closely.’”

The transition was not easy. Leaving behind professional independence to join a seminary community of twenty-four younger men required adjustment and sacrifice.

“It was challenging,” he admitted. “But it was also profoundly enriching.”

Today, as he begins his ministry as a priest, Father Fábio approaches the future with confidence and realism.

“I see this mission with confidence and hope,” he said. “The Church and society are both going through difficult times. We live in an increasingly secularized world, and sometimes our presence creates unity, while at other times it can create tension.”

His vision of priesthood is rooted in closeness rather than distance.

“There is an urgent need for ordained ministers to be among the people, not apart from them. People need to see the face of Christ through concrete gestures of empathy, compassion, and presence.”

Asked about the decline in priestly vocations, Silveira believes the issue reflects a broader social reality.

“What we are facing is not simply a crisis of religious vocations,” he said. “It is a crisis of vocations directed toward others.”

He points to shortages in medicine, nursing, education, and other professions centered on service.

“In a society that increasingly promotes individualism and self-interest, vocations that require self-giving become more difficult. The priesthood is one example, but it is not the only one.”

The solution, he believes, cannot be found in strategies alone.

“Today, witness speaks louder than words,” he said. “When people encounter authenticity, trust, and hope, seeds are planted. The harvest comes in its own time.”

Despite the changes facing priestly formation, Silveira remains optimistic about the future of vocations in the Azores.

“The Seminary of Angra continues to form priests, even if in a different way,” he explained. Seminarians now complete much of their academic preparation through partnerships with institutions in mainland Portugal, including the Diocese of Porto and the Catholic University.

“The Seminary remains the birthplace of priestly vocations for these islands,” he said. “The door at number 33 on Rua do Palácio may no longer be wide open and overflowing with adventures and emotions as before, but its mission continues.”

As Father Fábio Silveira begins his priestly ministry, he carries with him not only the legacy of the Seminary of Angra but also a conviction that the future of the Church depends less on buildings than on relationships.

For him, vocation is ultimately simple.

It is found not in institutions alone, but in people.

And it is there, among the people he is called to serve, that he hopes to continue discovering the face of Christ.

This piece is based on an interview originally published in Diário Insular, Joseé Lourenço-director