Honduras Epilogue

Before, between and after the youth formation week and Guajiquiro mountain mission I had the chance to do a few other things in Comayagua. Among them were a formation day with the local Corazón Puro (Pure Heart) youth chastity group; three Sunday Masses, Confessions and a showing of the film For Greater Glory at the Granja Jesús Nazaret boys orphanage; and a formation talk for the staff at St. Benedict Joseph Medical Center. The photos in this post are from a trip into the nearby village of Matasanos, in the Mountains of Comayagua, where Missioners of Christ assist the Missionaries of Charity in working with a youth group comprising several local communities. This visit focused on Advent and included making Advent wreaths for the chapels in the different villages represented.

Mountain Mission in Guajiquiro, La Paz, Honduras

San Juan Village Team with local lay leaders.

The Monday following the week of mission formation five youth teams headed into the mountains of Guajiquiro, La Paz to different villages in the parish of San Sebastian: San Juan, San José, San Miguel, Talanga and Guanacaste. We travelled in three pickups and dropped teams off at villages along the way. In each village there were daily programs for children, youth and families, and Mass, Confessions and Adoration when a priest was available.

Villagers in San Juan.

The team in front of the chapel in San José.

St. Joseph and the Child Jesus with sombreros in San José.

Stop along a bridge over a gorge (above and below).

San Miguel team with children.

I was part of the team that stayed in San Miguel (above and below), and celebrated Mass there daily, as well as in Talanga and another nearby village, San Antonio.

A view of the mountains from the chapel in San Miguel.

Honduras Otra Vez (Once Again)

I was in Honduras for the last two weeks of November and the first ten days of December. I spent the first week in La Ceiba on the north coast, helping out in the very busy cathedral parish and doing some additional preparation for the Pan de Vida (Bread of Life) Eucharistic youth retreat planned for the last week in January, and a youth mission for Holy Week next March. My visit coincided with the annual national convention of Delegados de la Palabra de Dios (lay leaders who celebrate a Liturgy of the Word each Sunday in rural communities without a priest), hosted this year by the Diocese of La Ceiba. I was able to help fill in a little for Bishop Michael Lenihan, OFM (who also happens to be the national episcopal moderate for the Delegados) and Fr. Francisco, who accompanied the Delegados most of the days of their stay, by celebrating Mass in the Cathedral parish and three of its satellite chapels in the city. Additionally I was a guest on the weekly youth radio program and helped with Confession.

Following my time in  La Ceiba I travelled by bus to Comayagua to assist the Missioners of Christ with a week of missionary formation for youth who just finished their academic year. Above and below are photos from the week of formation.

December 2012 FMO Emissary Activity Update

Emissary - December 2012