The Catholic Apostolate of María/Renewed Catholic Parish of the Annunciation has 2000 people as active members or regular attenders. Committed to following the Lord with radicality during the forty days preceding November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, all the members of the church fasted during this period. It ended with a long vigil through the night from October 31 to November 1. This is the day on which the bishop traditionally presides at the Eucharist, remembering and celebrating the miracles of a renewed and unbroken Pentecost. During the ceremony brothers and sisters who had been prepared with great care are baptized, others are confirmed and do their first communion, and some couples regularize their matrimonial state through the sacrament of Marriage.

Above:  The participants being prepared for the Eucharist.

 

 

 

Right:  The bishop administering the sacrament of Confirmation. The man at the right, whose shoulders are in the picture, is Brother Manlio Escobar, chosen by the Lord to begin and inspire this beautiful community. He is also the sponsor of the brother who is being confirmed.

Left:  Two couples regularizing their conjugal relationship through the sacrament of Marriage.  In addition, all the couples present renewed their matrimonial commitments.

On the first of November the bishop presided at the Eucharist in the Calvary of San Juan Comalapa. Located at the entrance to the cemetery, the Calvary is the destination of pilgrimages on this day when the tradition remembers, in various ways, the mystery of the Communion of the Saints.

Above:  Façade of the Calvary, beautifully decorated with garlands of pine for the occasion.

 

 

 

Right:  The magnificent rug and the glass casket of the Buried Lord that beautifies the interior of the church.

Left:  The Our Father is being prayed during the Eucharist. Beside Monsignor Eduardo is Father Francisco Simón, Pro-Vicar General and jointly responsible for the pastoral work in San Juan Comalapa.

During the afternoon of November 1, the bishop visited the community of Jaibalito and celebrated Eucharist there. It is located on the shores of Lake Atitlán in the municipality of Santa Cruz La Laguna. The Eucharist focused on giving thanks for all the blessings that the community has received.

Celebrating the Communion of the Saints and remembering all the faithful dead also took place on November 2. The bishop presided at the Eucharistic celebration in the Community of San Pedro Soloma. The house of prayer was completely filled.

Above:  During the sermon, the bishop recalls the mystery of the Communion of the Saints, putting emphasis on the fact that by faith and the effusion of the Holy Spirit, we all participate in the Body of Christ, and those who are no longer present in this world in a mysterious way also participate in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and are incorporated into the glorious body of the Lord.

During the afternoon of November 2, Monsignor Eduardo celebrated the Eucharist with the Community of Jolomcú in the municipality of San Rafael La Independencia. This community, which came into being scarcely a year ago, has grown rapidly. The temporary church, constructed of tin sheets but of good size, has proved too small to accommodate all the faithful who participate in the community.

The parish of San José Quixabaj was created a year ago. It includes the villages of the west part of the municipality of Santa Eulalia. The parish center is located in the East village. During the past year the number of members has more than doubled, and several new communities have arisen. To celebrate the anniversary of the parish, the Pastoral Council invited the bishop to preside at the November 3 Eucharist.

Above:  The Eucharistic celebration.

 

 

 

Left: Panorama of one of the valleys where the parish begins. Just beyond, the topography changes, and there appears a rough crest that is bounded on both sides by deep ravines. The crest is tens of kilometers in length, and the greater part of the communities that comprises the parish are located on it.

On November 4, in the central see of the Parish of Santa Eulalia, located in the canton of San Miguelito, the quarterly meeting of the deanery of Central Huehuetenango took place. Present were representatives of the pastoral councils of the four parishes that comprise the deanery. Fathers Fredi Mux, Luís Felipe Corimanya y Bernabé were all present. During the meeting there was dialogue concerning the development that the communities have experienced, as well as pastoral plans that are being drawn up for the year 2010.

On November 5, during the morning, Monsignor Eduardo, accompanied by Father Juan Moisés again visited the prosperous community of the New Maya Generation. With great effort, the brothers and sisters have finished building the walls and roof of a church of ample dimensions. They are working intensely on becoming organized and expanding their missionary witness.

Above:  Under a continuous drizzle, a large part of the community went out to meet the bishop and accompany him to the new church.

 

 

 

 

 

Left:  Prayer for the blessing of two new readers. On that day three Communion Ministers were also installed and numerous confirmations were celebrated.

During the afternoon of November 5, the bishop made his first visit to the Community of Bahí. It is located about five kilometers from San Cruz Barillas, on the top of a mountain. Since the community has a small house of prayer, Eucharist was celebrated in a pavilion that could accommodate all the participants. A large number of young people, prepared with great care, received the sacrament of Confirmation.

Above and left: The Eucharist celebration in the Community of Bahí, Barillas.

On Friday morning, the sixth of November, the deanery of Barillas and San Mateo Ixtatán had its meeting. About 80 brothers and sisters attended, representing the communities of both municipalities. They shared some of the successes that they have been having and insisted on the importance of making detailed plans for pastoral action and formative instruction for everyone.

Above: During the meeting of the deanery, the bishop addressed the participants to emphasize    the aspects that must be kept in mind in doing detailed pastoral planning.

 

 

Right:  Some of the participants at the meeting. Also present were Father Hugo Patzán, who is responsible for the deanery, and Father Juan Moisés, who will continue his ministry here until January, when he will join the group that leads the formative instruction at the Seminary.

On the afternoon of the sixth, a large group of young men and women at the Central Barillas Community received the sacrament of Confirmation.

Also the current communion ministers renewed their promises, and a group of new ministers was installed.

The growth of the Central Community of Barillas and of the communities developed in the cantons of the town is marvelous.

Above:  Presenting the communion ministers to the People of God so that they may express their approval for installing them.

 

 

Right: Father Juan Moisés distributing communion to some of the participants at the Mass.

During the morning of November 7, our bishop celebrated Eucharist in the Central Community of San Mateo Ixtatán. At present the faithful in this community are committed to broadening their service, with the view of being able in the future to have the more stable presence of a presbyter to care for their pastoral needs.

During the after of the seventh, the bishop made his first visit to the Community of Ixtenam in the municipality of San Mateo Ixtatán. From San Mateo, the road goes to Nentón and at a certain point one leaves the vehicle to make a sharp descent by foot to get to the community. It was a rainy and foggy day. Nevertheless, the efforts were very worthwhile. La community was joyously reaffirmed its promise to be faithful to the Lord and to work for the expansion of his Kingdom. During the Eucharist baptisms were celebrated, a communion ministry was installed, and the permanent presence of the Most Holy Sacrament was set up in the church.

Above: The servers and the children of the community went out to meet the bishop a half hour’s walk from the community. In the photo one sees the first moment of the meeting. Afterwards they walked together to the church.

 

 

Left:  Following the installation of the communion minister, the bishop congratulated him and encouraged him to fulfill the ministry entrusted to him with faithfulness.

Late in the morning of Sunday the eighth, the pastoral journey brought the bishop to the Community of Chuitzanchaj, where two young couples contracted their marriage. Then the bishop followed the road to Pajomel, where a baptism was celebrated.

Above: The entrance procession at the Mass in Chuitzanchaj. Father Bernanbé accompanied the bishop and concelebrated with him.

 

 

 

Right:  After the celebration of marriage, the couples, their parents and sponsors give thanks to the Lord for the grace of the sacrament received.

Left:  In late afternoon on Sunday, Monsignor Eduardo visited the Pentecostés Community in Santiago Atitlán. During the Eucharist several young people received the sacrament of Confirmation.

On Tuesday the tenth, at the Chacara Finca in La Antigua Guatemala, the bi-monthly meeting of the Presbytery was held. This one was of special importance, for its goal was to reach consensus on the pastoral responsibilities that each presbyter will have during the year 2010. The atmosphere of the meeting was warmly fraternal. A consensus evolved on solutions for the various questions and on commitment to the pastoral plans for 2010. In all there are 17 presbyters in ICERGUA who exercise their pastoral ministry in Guatemala, and all were present at the meeting. The next meeting will be at the annual spiritual retreat, during the second week of January.

The Deanery of Central Quiché has two sees:  Uspantán, for the numerous communities of this municipality, and Cunén for the communities of Cunén, Sacapulas and possibly San Pedro Jocopilas. On the eleventh the meeting was in Uspantán. There were several delicate points to take up.  There were a few tense moments, but in the end a consensus was successfully reached concerning the steps by which the pastoral work should be pursued.

In the afternoon of November 11, confirmations were celebrated in the Carismático Central de Uspantán. Many brothers and sisters received the sacrament. The church was completely filled.

On Thursday the twelfth, with a strong participation of the faithful, the Deanery met in Cunén. Both successes and difficulties that they have been facing were reported. The brothers expressed their gratitude for the sacramental and formative work that the presbyters have been doing among them, specifically Father Luís Germán Guanopatín and now Father Marcos Caicedo.

The faithful of Cecilia, a village of Uspantán, are feeling happy, proud and grateful to the Lord for having succeeded in completing the construction of their large church.

Right:  Some of the brothers and sisters posing in front of the new church at the end of the Eucharistic celebration, at which the bishop presided, still in their small church building. In the village of Cecilia, all the Catholics are Renewed Catholics.

On Thursday, November 12, in late afternoon, the bishop visited the Community of Paraxtut in Sacapulas. Eucharist was celebrated in the home of a brother who recently joined the church. During the Eucharist, his wife received the sacrament of Baptism.

 

Left:  A view of Paraxtut. The community has succeeded in maintaining its identity in spite of noticeable changes among its inhabitants.

On Friday, the thirteenth, the meeting of the Deanery of West Huehuetenango was held. The Deanery includes the municipalities of Jacaltenango, Concepción Huista y Nentón. The meeting took place in the Jacaltenango house of prayer. This area, pastorally tended by Father Santos Acosta Sol and currently also by seminarian Esduardo Vásquez, who has been assigned to do his supervised pastoral field work here, is experiencing admirable growth. The enthusiasm of all the faithful is conspicuous, as well as its missionary commitment.

Left: The meeting of the Deanery.

During the afternoon of the thirteenth, the bishop visited for the first time the Community of San Andrés Huista in the Municipality of Jacaltenango. Here a Renewed Catholic community is arising that, with the help of God, will grow quickly, given the enthusiasm and commitment of those who feel called to carry out this mission.

 

Right: The People of God having made their confession of sin, the bishop is imparting the absolution.

During the evening of the thirteenth, with the house of prayer completely filled, the bishop celebrated Eucharist in the Community of Central Jacaltenango. Recently this community had a series of difficulties and conflicts, but now it is experiencing rapid growth and is becoming a place where many people are finding the opportunity to continue in their catholic faith in the face of the syncretism and mistakes that had been prevailing in the local environment.

The meeting of the Assembly/Deanery met on Saturday the fourteenth in the Formative Instruction Center of Huehuetenango. Until a year ago, delegates from all of Guatemala met here. Now there are ten deanery meetings in different places. Nevertheless, the number of participants at this assembly, far from decreasing, was actually larger. More and more faithful from the areas near Huehuetenango are becoming aware of the importance of participating in these meetings in order to sustain their formation and deepen their Renewed Catholic identity.

Above and left:  Views of the Assembly.

During the evening of the fourteenth in the Community of Chinacá, Huehuetenango, the bishop celebrated Eucharist, within which baptisms were celebrated and one brother, coming from an evangelical church, received anointing and confirmation.

 

 

Right:  All the community at prayer while Monsignor Eduardo does the Baptism.

On the fifteenth, the bishop visited three communities of Cuilco, the first time at the Community of Posunicapa. During the Eucharist baptisms, confirmations and first communions were celebrated.

 

 

After Posunicapa, the bishop visited the Community of El Triunfo-Saravia. This is one of the first three communions that made an alliance with ICERGUA and in spite of difficulties is maintaining faith and having clear growth.

Finally, in the central see of Cuilco, with the church completely full, the celebration of several sacraments was carried out.

 

 

 

 

Above:  The baptism of a child, in his father’s arms, in the Community of Posunicapa.

Right: The bishop with Brother Rosendo, leader of the Community of El Triunfo-Saravia.

 

 

In Central Cuilco, baptisms, confirmations and first communions were celebrated.

Above: The people of God listening attentively to the reading of the Word of God.

 

 

 

 

Right:  Spiritual joy during the celebration of the baptism.

On the morning of the seventeenth, the first meeting of the Deanery of Petén was held. This deanery includes the communities that are in La Libertad, Sayajché, Santa Ana and San Luís Petén, as well as those of Chisec, Raxuhá and Fray Bartolomé de las Casas in Alta Verapaz. The brothers and sisters were excited and grateful that the deanery was held nearby so that a good number of them could attend and participate in the ongoing formation.

During the afternoon of the seventeenth, Monsignor Eduardo visited the Community of Tezulutlán in Sayajché.

 

 

 

Right: Brother Federico, leader of the Community, sings the Responsorial Psalm.

During the evening of the seventeenth, the bishop went to the new community of Santa Ana, Petén. Although it began only very recently, its membership is large and, in spite of the late hour for the celebration, completely filled the church. Brother Abundio is the leader of the community and has already begun to branch out to the villages of Santa Ana and to Santa Elena.

In addition to the Eucharist, baptisms were celebrated.

 

Above: The participants coming to the front to receive absolution.

 

Right: The celebration of baptisms.

On the eighteenth, after many hours of traveling, the bishop arrived at Veracruz, Ixcán, where a caravan of vehicles was waiting for him to make a processional entrance into the Community of Pueblo Nuevo Ixcán, central see of the new parish that has made its alliance with us.

 

The faithful of the seven communities that comprise the new parish had prepared every detail with great care. For them our presence was the answer to many prayers, asking the Lord that he show them the way out of the religious marginalization to which they had been reduced.

Above: In the street in front of the church, a large banner welcomed all the participants.

 

 

 

Right: The bishop greeting the brothers as he entered the church, the central see of the new parish.

In Ixcán two parishes have already been formed: that of Santiago Ixcán and now that of Pueblo Nuevo. In view of that fact and owing to the great difficulties of moving around in the area and with the strong number of leaders that it has, the group has become aware that the deanery of Ixcán might be created in order to accomplish there the formative instruction and planning for the communities of this area. Before the celebration of the Eucharist and with the participation of about 40 leaders, the first meeting of the deanery took place. In it, after having heard the various questions that were posed and giving solutions to them, the bishop took advantage of the moment to give a short formative instruction on the meaning of the characteristics of the Pastoral Plan that is intended to inspire and encourage us.

In Pueblo Nuevo, there are brothers and sisters who have traveled a long path of instruction and church service. There are communion ministers who have exercised their ministry for thirty-five years, and catechists with the same length of commitment. The feeling that ICERGUA has taken them in and recognized them has been of vital importance for the consolidation of the communities and of the parish.

 

Right:  One of the ministers distributing the communion to the People of God during the celebration of the Eucharist.

Father José Ángel Núñez, who has pastoral responsibility for some of the areas of Carchá and Cobán, has worked to create a sturdy organization. As result, two centers are ready to become parishes during the bishop’s next visit and another two centers have begun the organizational and formational process in order also to become a parish in the future.

The two centers ready to be made parishes are Balbatzul, which consists of seven communities, in the area of Cobán, and Yaxacté, nine communities, in the area of Lanquín-Carchá. The centers that are in process of consolidation are Chitania and El Cruce de Chiacam.

Above:  The celebration in Chitania. The house of prayer had been enlarged for the occasion and even so there was not enough room for all the faithful who, with joy and gratitude, participated in the Eucharistic celebration.

 

Right: The celebration in El Cruce de Chiacam.

In the evening the bishop celebrated the Eucharist in the Community of Central Cobán, formed mostly of shopkeepers from Quiché. During the Mass a young man received complete Christian initiation. Some children received First Communion. The community has experienced strong growth, including a good number of families.

The Deanery of Cobán was another very agreeable surprise. Knowing that two other deaneries had now left it, one might have expected a reduced presence. But on the contrary, there were not enough chairs, and all the brothers and sisters were delighted and expressed their satisfaction with the process of growth, organization and formation that is continuing.

One of the important points of the pastoral work in the K’ek‘chi’ area is that we have already succeeded in publishing the second issue of THE CHURCH ON THE MOVE in this language. The 150 copies that were printed have all been taken. It contains the translation of the readings and prayers from Advent to Pentecost.

 

Above and left: The meeting of the Deanery. Father José Ángel Núñez and Father Fredy González were present.

On Saturday the twenty-first during the morning, the bishop presided at the Eucharistic celebration in which 150 young people of the Parish of the Cathedral of San Juan Comalapa received the sacrament of Confirmation. The group of catechists, all of them young, who had been responsible for the preparation were very excited, as were Fathers Rigoberto and Francisco, who are in charge of the pastoral work of the Cathedral.

Above:  The bishop confirming one of the young people. Father Francisco and Father Rigoberto are accompanying him in prayer.

 

 

Left: A view of how those who were to be confirmed had been organized.  Everything was in perfect order and harmony.

After the Confirmation, the catechists are lighting the candle that those who have been confirmed are holding as a symbol of the light that, by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, has been put in their hearts.

In the afternoon of the twenty-first, the bishop celebrated confirmations and first communions in San José Poaquil. Seminarian Yaider Jiménez, charged with the pastoral work and the preparation of those who were to receive the sacraments, had seen to all the details with great care. In spite of the difficulties that this community has had to confront, its growth is notable not only in numbers but also and especially in faith and commitment.

Above:  The sponsors praying for those who have been confirmed.

 

 

 

 

Right: Some of the participants in the Eucharistic celebration.

On Sunday, November 22, Monsignor Eduardo presided at the Eucharist in the Community of Los Guates, San Juan Sacatepéquez: 36 young people received the sacrament of Confirmation and 87 children received First Communion. The ceremony took place at the community school, which had been carefully decorated for the occasion.

In this community Seminarians Higinio Osorio and José Rax have been working with generosity. Higinio in particular has committed himself to accompany the community in its pastoral growth and took great care in preparing the ceremony for the twenty-second.

Above:  The confirmands, seated on the front row, their sponsors on the second and the children to receive first communion are seated in the back.

 

 

 

 

Right: Intense prayer, invoking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who will receive the sacrament of Confirmation.

I MARK YOU WITH THE SIGN OF THE CROSS AND CONFIRM YOU WITH THE CHRISM OF SALVATION SO THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

 

This prayer, pronounced over each of the confirmands and accompanied by the laying on of hands and anointing with the Holy Chrism, constitutes the central part of the Confirmation rite. This is preceded by an epiclesis petitioning the outpouring of the Spirit with His seven divine gifts and followed by another epiclesis, petitioning that the gift of the Spirit may produce the same fruits that were produced in the ministry of the apostles.

Right:  The children, with profound devotion, are coming forward to receive First Communion.

From the twenty-fourth to the twenty-sixth of November, our bishop made a pastoral visit to Father Ottmar Maria Mickman. Father Ottmar, who has a hermitic calling, is being incorporating into ICERGUA. He comes from Bremerhavem in the north of Germany. His hermitage is called “Oasis San Patricio.” He is following the Benedictine spirituality. His mission, in addition to living the life of prayer, is to try to witness to the presence of the Kingdom to the people with whom he has contact. On Monsignor Eduardo’s visit he reaffirmed his sense of belonging to our church and renewed his commitment to continue giving witness in the environment in which he is living.

From the twenty-sixth to the twenty-seventh of November, Monsignor Eduardo visied Father Wolfgang Bastian and Deacon Hartmut Codura. They live in Lauterbach, Germany, about 130 kilometers north of Frankfurt. Father Wolfgang has suffered serious health problems, which has hindered him from carrying out his mission activity. On the visit of the bishop, Padre Wolfgang as well as Deacon Hartmut renewed their commitment to witness to the Gospel and to try to form communities that, in accord with the mission of ICERGUA, reflect the life, spirituality and structure of the first Christian communities. Within the limits imposed by the environment where they live and Father Wolfgang’s precarious health, they will try to carry out concretely everything that being an ordained missionary minister, a member of ICERGUA, implies.

From the twenty-eighth to the thirtieth, our bishop visited the Communities of Los Angeles, California. They are all comprised of brothers and sisters who have come to California from Guatemala, mostly from Renewed Catholic communities. The path has been slow and has had some difficulties owing to the situation in which they live. Nevertheless, firm growth is taking place and new initiatives are arising that try to respond to the call of the Lord. The central moment of the visit was the vigil that was held in the Community of El Pescador. It began with a Eucharistic celebration presided by Monsignor Eduardo, in which the installation of Sister Eulalia as communion minister was renewed and a new communion minister, Brother Juan Pascual, was installed. He is originally from Patalcal, San Mateo Ixtatán.

After the Eucharist the bishop met with representatives of the Pastoral Council of the Parish in formation in Los Angeles. After a long time of discernment, they requested the bishop’s approval for the name that they have chosen for the parish that will serve in this mission—San Miguel Arcángel. The bishop gladly gave his consent to the proposal.

The next visit to these communities, with the help of God, will take place during February, 2010.