Fr. Alberto Toutin sscc, Superior General of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, was one of the speakers at the International Symposium on Health and Peace, held last August in Belo Horizonte. His lecture focused on the figure of Blessed Eustaquio van Lieshout and his ministry of healing, understood as a “collaboration in the reparative action of Jesus.”
The Superior General structured his talk around the spirituality of the Sacred Hearts, highlighting the love of God manifested in the Heart of Jesus. Fr. Toutin delved into the notion of vulnerability as a key to understanding the human condition, emphasizing how inherent fragility makes us interdependent. This acknowledgment of vulnerability is the starting point for God’s reparative action to take place.
A central moment of the talk was the exploration of a radical and contemporary question: “Is it possible to repair the irreparable?” Fr. Toutin referred to the deep ruptures and wounds in society and within the Church itself, such as abuse, armed conflicts, and social injustice. In this context, reparative action is presented as a humble and hope-filled act that does not seek to return to the past but rather begins with the recognition of harm. Quoting Pope Francis, Alberto emphasized that reparation nurtures the hope that every wound can be healed, opening the possibility of a “new beginning” for both victim and aggressor, rooted in the ability to offer and receive forgiveness.
Finally, Fr. Toutin described the pastoral style of Blessed Eustaquio, whom he defined as a “shepherd shepherded by God and by his people.” Eustaquio embodied his mission through concrete gestures of closeness, prayer, and blessing. His iconic greeting, “Health and Peace,” summarizes both the longing and the source of his ministry, as Blessed Eustaquio was a witness who expressed through his struggles and gestures that “God is the source of life” and whispers to the heart that He is health and peace.
The participation of the Superior General in the Symposium underscores the commitment of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts to promoting integral health and building peace from a profound spiritual and social perspective.
You can watch the full lecture in Portuguese at this link: https://goo.su/0whfAsM
10/21/2025