The mission grows...

Well, once again quite a bit of time has gone by since the last time I updated this page. For that I am sorry. Life has simply been very very busy. In a mission like mine, that is a very good thing. Rather than recount too much all at once, allow me to give more of a status report.

In the past few weeks school has started up again. This year the school is working in shifts, with grades 4-6 in the morning and 1-3 plus kindergarten in the afternoon. As such, I now have two masses a week with the kids, one in the mornings and one in the afternoons. We have also started up religion classes again. I reorganized the plan so that all the kids have religion classes in the school and separate classes outside of school in preparation for first communion. Before I add any other masses, I want to see how the parish responds to these two. If people begin to attend regularly, then I will add also other masses during the week.

I have also started to visit the sick of the parish. I think it has been a while since someone brought communion to the sick, but slowly people are finding out about my willingness to do and are beginning to ask. I now regularly visit 3 people on Fridays, and sporadically visit others. Now if they would just start calling me to come and visit the dying instead of telling me about a month later when they want an anniversary mass…

I have also now started a group for adults, with the idea being to prepare those who have yet to receive first communion or confirmation, but also to serve those adults who would like to deepen their knowledge of the faith. So far the numbers have continued to grow and interest has been good, but we are really only just getting started.

We have also started a group for confirmation kids. So far, it has been a fight. Sr. Maria de los Angeles has that group, and getting them to come has proven difficult. With their odd class schedules and the total neglect of that age group over the past years, it is difficult to make meaningful contact. Like all things, it will take time…

Right now I am swamped in preparation for my first Holy Week here in the parish. I am still working on figuring out local customs and traditions so that I can accommodate them. In general, though, everyone seems quite happy with everything that I have been trying to do in the parish, and the response to things is always positive.

Here are a few links to photos that I put up already weeks ago, but never got around to putting links in…

Uruguayan Rodeo

30th Birthday in the parish