Back home in Honduras

After a twenty four plus hour day of travel from Rome to San Pedro Sula and three hours in bus to Santa Rosa de Copán, I arrived home in Santa Rosa de Copán on Friday.

Saturday morning I woke up early to get to Dulce Nombre, to see if they needed help in the new catechists training session. I dropped by and gave them holy cards from Assisi.

I ended up, though, spending most of the day with Padre German Navarro, the pastoral administrator, in two distant communities.

As almost always, it delights me to be out in the countryside; in addition, it was great to see Padre German in action.

Padre German with the quinceañera and her mother

We first went to Piedras Coloradas where Mass would be accompanied by a quinceañera celebration; a young woman in the community turned fifteen. This was only the second quinceañera celebration I’ve seen in the countryside in five years and this was rather subdued, with no attendants, compared to the other. This village is poor, but the family wanted to celebrate this day for their daughter.

Before confessions and Mass, Padre German sat down with the community leaders to talk about a problem that had arisen. Sitting on a step in the church he helped them seek a solution to the problem. 

After spending a little time at the meal that the family offered to the whole community, we went to Aldea Nueva (which Padre German kept calling “Tierra Nueva”).

Again there were confessions and Mass in the tiny church. Before Mass, I talked with Mario from the community in the sacristy which was filled with concrete blocks. He proudly told how the community had fundraising activities to buy a thousand blocks to help build a new, larger church. They only need 500 more. He also told me that the Protestant owner of the place where they bought the blocks gave them 50 blocks free.

Mass in Aldea Nueva

I was impressed by the initiative of the community, raising funds for their new church, not always looking for help outside.

Sunday was a day of rest, cleaning, writing, and getting things arranged. Most of this week will be in Caritas, but I’m looking forward to renewing my ministry in the parish. It’s what gives me animo.