Dom Joseph
News from San Lorenzo, Peru

Dom Joseph wrote to the friends and benefactors of the Parish of San Lorenzo in Peru to bring them up to date with all their activities from May to October 2009. Here is an extract from that letter.

We completed the first stage of the Gran Misión between 5th of May and the 30th of June. During this period we transported our 30 parish missionaries to the 6 centres of formation on the Tuesdays and the Thursdays, all-in-all 9 visits to each centre, using the parish's Toyota 4x4 and that of the Dominican Sisters. The Dodge was used for the celebrations of Mass which continued in the various villages.In the centres of formation the parish missionaries were to hand-on the information they themselves had received in Tambogrande last November. Our estimate of the cost of material and petrol was pretty accurate. In petrol we spent about 1,500 soles and in written material 1,100 soles. In the centres we have trained 130 "village missionaries." These missionaries received, each one, a certificate in recognition of the course they had completed.

 
On the 1st of July we started a new stage of the Gran Misión Católica with 2 goals in mind: to prepare for the imminent patronal feast of St. Lawrence and combine this with the first stage of the evangelisation.How did we set about this? (Very good question !!). Well, we decided to stop the monthly Mass schedule for the month of July and take the statue of St. Lawrence to each in turn of the principal villages of the parish. We stopped a little way before each village and the statue was carried in procession to the chapel. Once set up in the chapel one of the themes of the Gran Misión Católica was expounded by one or other of the parish missionaries, and the theme we chose was that of marriage, it being particularly relevant in our parish (and, I strongly suspect, in the majority of Peruvian parishes). This was followed by a brief summary of the life of St. Lawrence, and finally an explanation of the coloured placard of the Misión. We ended with the celebration of Mass, most days the votive Mass of SS.Peter and Paul, the greatest of the Apostles. In fact this pilgrimage continued up to the feast of St. Lawrence.

While all this was going on, 21 candidates were being prepared for Confirmation. They were nearly all adults - in various cases parents of youngsters who had been confirmed in February. The Archbishop accepted our invitation to pontficate on the feast of St. Lawrence and confirm the candidates. 6 of the candidates were in fact 3 couples who had married in the "matrimonios masivos" 2 days earlier, and 2 candidates were converts from sects - one an ex-Jehovah's Witness - who were baptised a few days earlier. In addition to these interesting candidates there was a bride of one couple and the groom of another, who received Baptism the morning of their marriages.

After Mass on the 10th of August we had planned a lunch for the archbishop and assisting clergy, and local authorities, in the convent. In the end the archbishop did not stay, but the rural dean did as did the mayor of Las Lomas and other authorities.

So far we have spoken about the Gran Misión Católica and our patronal feast of St. Lawrence. Now it's the turn of the First Comunión programme.

We have started the course with some 260 families, ten more than we had expected. We started with a meeting of the "parejas guias" (presiding couples) and the catechists who were to work with the children. This was on the 3rd of May, after the Sunday Mass. We have 32 "parejas guias" and 60 catechists. They work in 24 groups, including Cruceta and the village communities. The first session ends in the last days of November, and the second session begins in December, to end with the First Holy Communions in May 2010.

On Saturday, the 21st of November, there will be a celebration of Mass during which the non-baptised candidates will receive this sacrament according to the form for adults. This will be followed by a small bunfight in the parish hall for the children and their parents. During the second session (called here a"ciclo") there will, at some point, still to be determined, a day of recollection for the candidates of the parish, and, of course the confessions in the various communities. The day of recollection will be held in the parish hall with two or three talks given, and other exercises to keep the children on their toes.

From the members of the parish council, the Dominican Sisters, Santos - the parish secretary and coordinator, my ever gorgeous parish cat Belinda, and the present writer who doubles at parish administrador, a very holy season of Advent, a very holy and joyful Christmas and, if at all posible, a prosperous New Year to all.