Foreign priests and immigrant families are contributing to the renewal of local communities in Portugal

Joaquim Armindo reports that foreign priests are helping to address the shortage of clergy in Portugal, where the country has lost 600 priests in ten years. Miguel Ndund, a priest from Angola, moved to Lajeosa do Dão in 2023 to serve as a parish priest. He manages a main church and five chapels. This year, he was assigned to administer the church in Papízios and the chapel in Pinheiro in the Carregal do Sal municipality. Ndund stated that his current work involves evangelizing baptized people who primarily attend church for Christmas, weddings, or funerals.

In the Alto Douro Vinhateiro region, immigrant families are also affecting local demographics. According to the magazine O Tripeiro, the presence of these families helps maintain local schools and services while increasing the number of births. This presence helps to mitigate population decline in the region.