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!