Two weeks in June

I have been remiss in the last few months, writing only occasionally. Perhaps it’s just laziness, perhaps it’s a busy schedule. Probably a combination of both.

June included: visiting the sick, training catechists, interviewing those preparing to be married, Sunday celebrations with Communion, preaching at Masses, visiting the prison with members of the parish, going to the celebration of 25 years of a priest, a Corpus Christi procession, meeting with the extraordinary ministers of Communion, meeting with youth leaders, and more.

From the church in Quebrada Grande, after a Celebration of the Word with Communion

In the last two weeks we have had training of the catechists in four locations – partly because of the difficulties that many people have to get to the parish center, as well as the cost of transportation. It also helps that there are usually only between twenty and thirty catechists in each session. That makes it much more manageable and personable.

The majority of communities only have one or two catechists which makes it difficult for them. In those villages, much of the religious education is oriented toward sacramental preparation. However, there are several communities that have between five and eight catechists. I am hoping that we can initiate a pilot project in some of these to have religious formation by levels, using the materials from the national catechetical office.

Father German, the pastor, was away for a national meeting for five days and so I presided at Celebrations of the Word with Communion several times, including three times one weekend. (I don’t know how he presides at four Masses each Sunday, together with one on Saturday evening. I guess that’s why he usually expects me to preach when I serve as a deacon at least once each Sunday at Mass.)

I also filled in at a celebration of the inauguration of a water system in the village of Agua Buena, Concepción. Finally, the village of “Good Water” (the meaning of its name, Agua Buena) has a good water system. An international group, Operation Blessing, helped finance the system but the people put in lots of labor – and their community water board took on a lot of responsibility for the project. I led an opening prayer and stayed for the celebration and the trip up to the water tank. I'm hoping to get back there one Sunday so that we can go up to the tank after the Celebration and bless the tank as a way of celebrating  and reaffirming a commitment to take care of creation, our common home.

One of the speakers was the vice president of the village water board. What surprised and pleased me was how he began his short speech, remarking on how much this would be of benefit to the women of the community. It was great to see such sensitivity.

Monday, June 25, I went to the town of La Unión, Lempira, for the celebration the next day of twenty-five years of priesthood of Padre Onofre. He comes from campesinos and was a late vocation, being ordained in his early forties. It was a joy to be there – especially to see him with his aged and frail father.

On Friday, June 29, I went to San Agustín to visit the sick. There were two surprises. I visited a man who had a stroke a few years ago, is paralyzed on the right side, and had trouble talking. I encouraged the communion minister there to try to find ways to see that he has some warm food every once in a while. People from the parish are visiting him. Also, someone has built a latrine and shower by his house. But what really surprised me this time was that his speech has improved.

Walking in one neighborhood in San Agustín, I came across a woman from one of the remote villages in the parish. She had come for some medicine for a very sick child, which cost more than 350 lempiras (about 15 dollars) in one pharmacy; she was looking for a less expensive pharmacy. But that was not the surprise.

I had visited the community in April and brought communion to her mother who lives in a remote part of the village. It was a great joy to be able to visit this older woman whom I had visited twice before. She had an operation a few years ago and never seemed to have fully recuperated. The surprise was that soon after me visit, fortified by Communion, the woman had regained some strength and was even able to get to the church in the village for celebrations. I am awed at the power of Christ and the faith of such a woman.

What else? 

The coffee association brought its coffee to the Beneficio where it was processed. It's now on the way to Ames, Iowa, and should be in a warehouse in South Bend, Indiana, in a few days. 

Several young people were able to get to the National Catholic Youth meeting in La Ceiba, helped by their connections with folks in Santa Rosa. Maybe next year we'll be able to get a larger group from here. 

Today I am off to Dulce Nombre for a meeting with the coordinators of Social Ministry from each village of the parish. I have no idea how many will come, but I really hope we can revive this ministry in the parish.