Br. Fernando Valente da Silva Mota, current Minister Provincial of the Province of the Holy Martyrs of Morocco in Portugal, died unexpectedly on the morning of September 4, 2024, in the fraternity of Luz, Provincial Curia, Lisbon.
Fernando Valente da Silva Mota was born in São João da Madeira on March 1, 1951, to Manuel da Silva Mota and Maria Helena Valente da Silva. He was 73 years old, 41 years professed, and 34 years a priest.
He was invested in the habit on October 3, 1982, and he made his temporary profession on October 4, 1983, his perpetual profession on October 19, 1986; he was ordained to the priesthood on July 1, 1990.
He was twice animator of the Franciscan course for temporary professed friars, promoted by CONFRES in Leiria in 1991 and 1996; coordinator of the Province’s pastoral care of vocations from 1992 to 1995; member of the commissions for the pastoral care of vocations of CNIR, FNIRF and FNIS from 1992 to 1995, of the National Commission of PROJUVAN (Youth Project of the Antonianum) from 1996, and of the youth ministry coordinating team from 1995 to 1998; rector of the secondary seminary. He was master of the temporary professed from 1998 to 2004, provincial economo from 2004 to 2016, and guardian of the fraternities of Angra, Azores, and Immaculate Conception in Luz, respectively from 2016 to 2022. In the provincial chapter of April 2022, he was elected Minister Provincial, a position he continued to hold until his sudden death.
Br. Fernando Mota was always a brother dedicated to the province and to his brothers, providing various services with the same simplicity that characterized his person and his way of being.
It is significant that Sister Death called him when he was doing what he loved most: taking care of the plants, the garden, and the common house of the brothers and of all those who among whom he felt like a happy brother.
Therefore we can say, with St. Francis:
Praised be you, my Lord, for our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no living mortal can escape; Blessed those who find death while doing your will. In this case spiritual death will do them no harm. (Francis of Assisi, The Canticle of Creatures)
Lisbon, the Provincial Curia, September 4, 2024
Ler a carta da Cúria Provincial em português
