Arrived in Cochabamba

I arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia at the Maryknoll Instituto de Idiomas (language school) on Wed. morning. Here Kitty and Alejandro are welcoming me, and designing my program to suit my needs. I am being tutored by four teachers in grammar, reading and writing, conversation and vocabulary.

Fr. Jim Coleman in Bolivia

On my way to language school in Cochabamba, Bolivia (6 week course starting Oct 20th, but due to technical difficulties ATM trouble, airline trouble, and other trouble, I started Oct. 22nd) I passed through Santa Cruz, where Fr. Jim Coleman of our Archdiocese resides and works. Here we are with Fr. Roger Clarke of the St. James Society.



Here is Fr. Roger in front of the major parish where they work in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

In Peru, Off to Bolivia

I came to Lima, Peru, en route to Cochabamba, Bolivia where I'll study Spanish for six weeks. I stayed at the St. James Motherhouse in Lima for two days. I got to visit one of the St. James Lima parishes with Fr. Derek (top picture). In the 1980s it was the heaviest concentration of the members of the terrorist group, the Shining Path. Members still live there, and cause some minor trouble. Today, Friday, I got to visit Old Town Lima with Fr. Geoffrey. Here we are in the Santuary at the site where St. Rose of Lima, and St. Martin de Porres were born and raised (they grew up across the street from each other . . . holy neighborhood!) I fly to Santa Cruz tonight, where I'll meet up with Fr. Jim Coleman of our Archdiocese, until I fly to Cochabamba on Sunday.

Puerto Quito Highlights

Fr. Martin Kelly has been in Puerto Quito for 16 years. He has a newly ordained priest with him every year. Together they cover 50 "recintos" or villages each month. They have 98 to cover if they could.


Fr. Martin has also begun an excellent Family Catechesis program, requiring parents to truly be the catechist for their children. Here before their monthly Mass at this recinto, "10 de Agosto" he is testing the children's knowledge in front of their parents.


Fr. Martin also started schools, and trains the locals in how to more effectively farm chickens, cows, pigs, silk worms and grow cacau (chocolate beans). This picture below shows the chocolate beans drying in the . . . cloudy weather (they will have to be moved inside into the heater for further drying).

Puerto Quito

On Thursday, Oct. 9th, I was picked up in Quito by Fr. Martin Kelly, and we crossed the equator, and descended the Andes Mountains, through a cloud forest to the coastal plains (but still cloud forest) of Puerto Quito (where I'll stay until Monday). Fr. Martin has 50 recintas (villages) that he tends to at least monthly! I can take off my jacket and sweater again! I still won't get my tan back here, though!

Quito

I flew to Quito, the nation's capital, on Monday, Oct. 6th, where I visited with Fr. Patrick McIntyre in his parish. I also got to know Fr. Bob Thomas, former St. James Director, and another priest (pictured here), Fr. Don Kenny. Quito is suprisingly beautiful, at an altitude of 8,000 ft., surrounded by snow covered volcanic mountains, and filled with historic churches and missions. Here we are in the still active gardens of the Franciscan Monastery (with 395 friars). I was surprised at the cold weather! It was 40 degrees at night, and got to 60 degrees during the day!


Here, Fr. Bob Thomas took me on a tour of his former parish (he's semi-retired), and we reached an altitude of 11,000 ft.! Here's looking down on Quito.

Quito Friend

In Quito, I got to visit with Rodrigo Caicedo, who was an exchange student in my previous parish of St. John's, Port Orford.

This Feels Like Missionary Work

While substituting for Fr. Frank (see blog below), I said Mass in one of his 15 chapels, in a rural area called Ocho Rios. They celebrated four First Communions. Horses galloped by (why they weren't in Church, I don't know . . . the riders that is). I was invited to a reception at the home of Stephanie, this house of cana is on stilts. I didn't get ill from the local food, but I did get salmonella last week from one of the priest's cook's raw chicken I didn't catch on time!

First Baptism in Ecuador

While substituting for Fr. Frank Jones, who is in the United States for surgery, and to take care of his sister who also had surgery, I did my first baptism. Here on October 5, I baptized Jorge Justin at the Capilla de Belen in the barrio of San Francisco at the 8:00am Mass. Of course, I had no prior warning!

2 Parishes in One Shot

I got to watch Fr. Colm Hogan buy 7 solares (15m x 8 m each, equals one solare size piece of land) for $12,000. He plans on building a chapel here soon. In the background, you can see Fr. Tom Oates (another St. James priest) parish.

New Mass at School-Convent Site

On Friday, Oct. 3rd, Fr. Colm Hogan celebrated a new Mass he is beginning at a school and convent being built here. You can see workers building the convent in the background. Fr. Colm's new parish and chapels are in the barrio called Monte Sinai.


We were driving around advertising that a new Mass was about to begin at the new school under construction (and convent too) (on other side of the fence) and came across this group, we thought was an evangelical gathering, but it was only bingo!




Youth love to evangelize for us. I think one of them is a little too young. Jose is announcing that a new mass is about to begin.

On Oct. 1st, Fr. Cornelius Keilly, a priest from the Diocese of Baker, Oregon picked me up from Fr. Martin's parish, and treated me to a tour of his parish. Here we are toasting the Baker Diocesan priests of Oregon!

On Oct. 2nd, Fr. Colm & I visited Fr. Edward Veasey in Guasmo, Guayaquil, where he not only built a church, but a hospital for the poor! He lives on the top floor, in an apartment.

I visited Liam Reilly's parish on Oct. 3rd, in El Recreo, Durán, where our own Fr. Jim Coleman once served. Fr. Jim built the ceiling, and others have finished the Church.

Fr. Martin Chambers Parish

I am staying a few nights with Fr. Martin Chambers in the barrio of Preciosisima Sangre de Cristo in Guayaquil. He has a total of seven chapels as well as his main parish pictured here. He began this parish about 3-4 years ago.

Inside Preciosisima Sangre de Cristo

Here is the inside of Fr. Martin's main parish. It is beautiful, and he thanks the blessings of the falling US dollar. He says his donations mainly come from his home country, Scotland, and the value of the pound to the dollar is almost 2 to 1. The buying power of a pound in Scotland and a dollar in Ecuador (they use US dollars in Ecuad0r) is almost the same, which makes a pound go almost twice as far here.

Fr. Martin Chambers Chapel

Here is the latest chapel built by Fr. Martin. It will be blessed on Oct. 5th. He has a total of 7 chapels in the barrio called Nuevo Prosperino in Guayaquil.

Mass at Pan de Vida Sept. 28, 08

I got to substitute for Fr. Frank Jones at the barrio San Francisco. Here we are celebrating the Mass at the main Church, that isn't fully built yet. It is still in the cana (sugar cane bamboo) style. I remembered the Filippino Community in Portland, as they celebrate their feast day of San Lorenzo Ruiz and the blessing of their Dambana at the Grotto in Portland. I also remembered the Contitution that passed in Ecuador this day, that justice may prevail.