Dicastery Mission Strengthens Ties with Local Churches in Portugal and Cape Verde

Getting a close look at the social realities of the territory and appreciating the Church's responses to obstacles to full human development

With a view to the effectiveness of action for the promotion of human dignity, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has been carrying out in loco missions to strengthen bonds between ecclesial communities around the world, translating the principle of a "Church going forth" into concrete proximity.

In the last days of February and the first of March 2026, the Dicastery representatives, Elaine da Silva (Research and Reflection Section) and Mário Almeida (Listening and Dialogue Section) – were in Lisbon and, subsequently, Cape Verde, on an official mission of listening and accompaniment.

Lisbon: Dialogue with Episcopal Conferences and the Academic World

Between February 25 and 27, the envoys participated in the Final Conference of the 3rd Cohort of the Post-Doctoral Program in Integral Human Development at the Portuguese Catholic University, an opportunity to deepen the interrelationships between scientific research and ecclesial praxis. The delegation met with the Episcopal Commissions for Health, Persons with Disabilities, and Migrations, identifying areas for collaboration and fostering pastoral networks. Mário Almeida, in his intervention on "Human development from the territory," highlighted the importance of direct presence with local churches. "For us, this means listening to the priorities of the Churches, what are the major obstacles to integral human development they face, and how we can help them in their efforts to confront and overcome difficulties. There is a permanent dialogue between the global and the local, between reflection and action," he emphasized.

Cape Verde: Proximity and Sharing at the 50th Anniversary of Caritas

Between February 28 and March 7, the two Dicastery officials were active in Cape Verde, where, at the invitation of ecclesiastical authorities, they also participated in the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Cape Verdean Caritas. The agenda included visits to social projects on the islands of Santo Antão and São Vicente, meetings with Cardinal Arlindo Furtado, Bishop Ildo Fortes, priests, religious, and members of social commissions. The envoys noted the solid roots of Caritas in the parish fabric, highlighting the sustainable family farming project in Santo Antão.

Although the Dicastery already accompanies the pastoral action in the two dioceses of Cape Verde, Santiago and Mindelo, from a distance, the in loco mission was considered irreplaceable. "Getting a close look at the social challenges of the territory and appreciating the responses that the Church offers in the face of obstacles to full human development — persistent drought, environmental degradation, unemployment, lack of opportunities for young people, widespread poverty, family breakdown, drug addiction, and many others — constituted, for those working on the ground, a privilege: to feel the solicitude of the Universal Church and the Holy See, and to recognize the synodal attitude of listening and accompaniment that moves this Dicastery to place itself in service," states Almeida.

Elaine da Silva highlighted the concrete impact of the Dicastery's work on the formation of pastoral agents: "We always work starting from reality […] experiencing the encounter in person is an irreplaceable experience. It makes it possible to reflect on the priority themes of a given context, having before our eyes and in our hearts concrete people and their environment."

A Service of Listening and Accompaniment

These trips are part of the Dicastery's strategy to make its proximity to geographical and existential peripheries effective, promoting integral human development through encounter, listening, and fraternal collaboration between local Churches and the Dicastery.