On May 31, our bishop received a very pleasant visit. A community of about two hundred faithful, located in Las Palmas, a village within the administrative jurisdiction of San Juan Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, knowing in depth the life of our Church, particularly by means of the Los Guates Community, had decided to join the Church and make a covenant with us.

In view of the seriousness of the decision, the faithful asked the bishop to visit them as soon as possible. It was decided that the first visit should be the next day, June 1.

Although the community was only recently organized, the faithful  have bought a lot on which they will construct a church, and meanwhile they are improvising temporary space at the same place, and that is where the celebration was held.

About 350 faithful attended. About two hundred were members of the community. There were about fifty guests from the same village and about a hundred faithful came from nearby Renewed Catholic communities.

The three photographs show the number of faithful who attended, as well as the seriousness of the preparation and the joy and devotion with which the celebration was carried out.

Several years ago we established communion dialogues with the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Beginning at the end of last year, these dialogues have been channeled though the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), which is part of the Patriarchate, but has a certain degree of autonomy.

In February Father Ivan visited us as the representative of ROCOR

Father  Iván was charged by the Metropolitan Hilarion, Primate of ROCOR, to build a parish in Florida. As a gesture of our gratitude and our close relationship, we felt called to participate in that effort by supplying the carved chair that will serve as the bishop’s chair.

The model was provided by Father Ivan. The finish was applied in Florida so that it would have the same color and gloss as the rest of the furnishings in the Presbytery of the Church.

The carving was assigned to brother Victór, treasurer of the Association of the Iglesia Catedral de San Juan Bautista Comalapa. He had previously carved the bishop’s chair that we have in the Cathedral.
The trip to the United States was a true odyssey.  Measuring 1.8 meters high and .90 meters wide, it was a difficult object to ship.

With the help of American Airlines, our bishop took it when he set off for California.  The chair could not be used at the church’s dedication, for it was still lacking its finish, but afterwards  it will be a shining sign of the friendship that unites us.

On Saturday, June 4, Monsignor Eduardo began his visit to the Los Angeles mission with the celebration of Eucharist in the see of the parish of San Miguel Arcángel.

 

As always, the celebration began with the administration of the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Above:  The bishop administering absolution to the faithful who had just confessed their sins.

 

Right:  The end of the rite of Absolution and the thanksgiving prayers.

Late in the afternoon, our bishop visited the Pacto Divino Community. In addition to the Eucharist, there was the presentation of the daughter of brother Pedro and his wife, who was born forty days before. They had married in the community last year.

 

The Pacto Divino Community continues giving signs of great commitment, and the Lord is blessing it with growth.

Above: After the presenting the little girl to the Lord, the bishop presents her and her parents to the community.

 

Right:  Brother Nicolás, one of the communion ministers, assisting the bishop during the celebration of the Eucharist. In the background is brother Danilo, the community’s coordinator.

In the evening the bishop celebrated the Eucharist and proceeded to the installation of the Most Holy Sacrament in the Restauración Community.

Brother Pedro (at the extreme right in the photograph) is the community’s coordinator and showed his joy for the grace of having the permanent presence of the Most Holy Sacrament.

Right:  One of the brothers reading the Word of God. In the background is the beautiful tabernacle, prepared by the faithful, where the Most Holy Sacrament is to be kept.

On the morning of June 5 began the final session of the courses that have been offered in the Los Angeles branch of DETYM.  The faithful have been gradually taking on greater commitment to and renewed interest in their education. As result, the number of students has been increasing as well as their active participation in the courses.

Above:  The students  attending carefully to the instruction.

 

 

Right:  The bishop responding to questions about the interpretation of the Synoptic Gospels.

The bishop’s missionary activity ended Sunday, June 5, with the celebration of Eucharist, especially for the DETYM participants.

One of the parish ministers of the El Pescador Community was responsible for the musical enhancement of the Eucharist.

Noteworthy I the commitment that the members of the ministry have taken on to prepare themselves to participate appropriately in the liturgy.

Right:  Ramón and Victór, who had participated as readings in the liturgical celebration, leading the recessional.

On Wednesday, June 8, the seminarians presented the work accomplished during the first semester.  This activity stimulates the discussion of specific themes. In this case, the question of the Schism of the Roman Church and the fundamentals of Catholic Orthodox faith were analyzed.

The seminary coordinator is the Rev. Orlando López, who is doing his supervised field work by participating in the seminary instruction. Seminarians Arturo Pedro and José Alonso Hernández presented the conclusions of the analysis and discussions.

Above:  The Rev. Orlando introducing the presenters.

Right:  Father Juan Moisés listening to the expositions, and some of the seminarians are following carefully and taking notes.

The activity ended with a special lunch which all the seminarians shared with the instructors, headed by the bishop.

Sister Mary FaWE Hellman is the Founder and Director of the Nuestra Señora de la Preciosísima Sangre Home for Girls, which operates on the María Auxiliadora plantation, where the future Episcopal see of our church is also located.

The construction of the buildings for the Home was done with funds donated by the parents of Sister Mary Fay.

Her father died some time ago, and her mother died at the end of May.

As a gesture of gratitude both to Sister Mary FaWE’s parents and also to her and her generous benefaction, our bishop presided  at the Eucharist in the Chapel of the Episcopal See on Wednesday, June 8.

The students at the Home, their teachers and some neighbors participated in the Eucharist.

Above:  Some of those attending the liturgy.

Right:  The homily.

From June 10 to 12 our bishop made a pastoral visit to the Mexico Mission.

It is directed by Father Nicolás de Jesús Gómez de la Motta. With great generosity and self-denial, he is dedicated to the formation of Renewed Catholic communities, especially in the area of Ecatepec, in the state of Mexico and the surrounding area.

On Friday afternoon the bishop visited the members of the communities and also went to the pastoral house that Father Nicolás has dedicated to education.

On Saturday morning Monsignor Eduardo met with those who do ministerial work in the mission. The meeting was in Father Nicolás’ home. The goal was to explain clearly the identity of our Church as well as the dialogues that have begun towards ecclesial communion.

 

In the afternoon before the day on which the Mission would become a Parish, the bishop presided at the Eucharistic celebration in which a couple were married. Both the photograph above and the one at right were taken during the celebration of matrimony.

Left:  The couple whose matrimony was celebrated with their three children, Father Nicolás and Monsignor Eduardo at the end of the celebration.

In the late afternoon, the bishop visited the Sagitario VIII Community, which is also located in the area of Ecatepec. A large group of children and young people had been prepared to receive the sacrament of Confirmation and First Communion.

The community has its meetings in a rented space, and because it is small it was necessary to close off the street outside, which was completely filled with parishioners participating in the celebration.

Above:  Some of the children and young people who were to receive confirmation and participate in First Communion.

 

Right: The crowd that filled the street on which the seat of the Community is located.

Left:  Father Nicolás, as pastor of the community, presenting the candidates for confirmation to the bishop, requesting that the sacrament be administered to them.

The devotion of the participants was obvious. Right:  The bishop, assisted by Father Nicolás anointing those who were being confirmed.

Left:  The bishop distributing the Holy Communion to those who were participating for the first time in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

At the end of the celebration, the many children were presented so that prayers could be said for them and a blessing on them imparted.

 

Right:  The bishop blessing one of the many children who, in their parents’ arms came forward to the bishop.

On Sunday, June 12, the celebration began with the Eucharist, at which about thirty-five children made their First Communion, in the Jardines de los Báez in Ecatepec.

In spite of the fact that in this place is located the small church that is the seat of the San Antonio Renewed Catholic Parish, the Eucharist had to be celebrated in the street because the number of participants was so great.

Above:  Father Nicolás presents to the bishop those who were to receive communion just before the bishop led them in renewing their baptismal vows.

Right:  The homily.  Since the church was celebrating the Feast of Pentecost that day, the bishop emphasized the tight connection between the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and Holy Communion.

At the end of the celebration, those who had received First Communion wanted to have their photograph taken with the bishop and the other ordained ministers who were participating in the celebration.

The community catechist, responsible for preparing the children for communion as well as the young people for confirmation, was ill. This did not prevent her, however, from carrying out faithfully the mission that been entrusted to her and participating joyously in all the celebrations.

At the end of the morning,  a good-sized group of young people and adults received the sacrament of Confirmation. All the confirmands took on the firm commitment of working in evangelizing, in order that the presence of the church may be consolidated.

Above: During the homily the bishop explained that the feast of Pentecost has to be not only a remembrance of the past but a celebration today of the same marvels that the apostles lived at that time in Jerusalem.

 

Right:  All the participants joining hands to pray the “Our Father.”

After midday the Solemn Eucharist of creating the Renewed Catholic Parish of San Antonio took place.  Its see will be in the church of the Jardines section of Los Báez. In the Eucharist Monsignor Alejandre, Prelate of the Prelate Diocese, also participated.  We have established dialogues of communion with him.

Left:  Father Nicolás, our bishop, Monsignor Alejandre and the presbyter who works with Father Nicolás in the Mission.

The members of the community wanted to solemnize the birth of the Parish by celebrating the Christian Initiation of several faithful.

 

Right:  The bishop preparing to receive one of the children in order to proceed to its baptism.

Left:  The bishop delivering the lit candle to one of the children who had just been initiated into Christian Life. The candle is a sign of the light of Christ that has been lit in her life through baptism and chrismation.

At the end of the rite of Christian Initiation, the decree creating the Renewed Catholic Parish of San Antonio was read. Following several years of work by Father Nicolás and several co-workers, especially the president of the Pastoral Council, this decree marks a very important milestone. On being recognized as a parish, its members are aware that they are taking on a deep commitment which implies the intensification of the work of evangelism.

In addition to issuing the decree creating the parish, the bishop also issued a decree that recognizes Sr. Raúl for his untiring work that has benefited the community and names him Protector of the Church.

After the reading and the delivery of the decree creating the Parish, the symbolic gesture of sprinkling the church and the People of God with Holy Water was performed.  The church had been blessed before by Father Nicolás. This rite reinforced the feeling of gratitude. The dedication of the church was left for a future visit.

The joy of the People of God was palpable, as was the devotion with which they participated in the ceremony of blessing.

Father Nicolás addressed the community to share his joy and to thank everyone for the support that over the course of time the people had given in order to arrive at the day of establishing the parish.

At the side of our bishop is Monsignor Alejandre.

Before leaving the church, Monsignors Eduardo and Alejandre and Father Nicolás gathered at the Most Holy Sacrament in the  tabernacle that been so carefully prepared.

In late afternoon on June 12, Monsignor Eduardo and the presbyters who minister in the Mexico Mission visited the La Divina Providencia Community. It is the youngest of all the communities in the mission. Just the same, its members are committed to work for the mission of the church to continue to be fulfilled.

The bishop’s homily invited the participants to carry out faithfully the mission that comes from having received the Holy Spirit, as the apostles received it on Pentecost.

After the homily a young man, Eduardo, received the sacrament of Confirmation and accepted the firm commitment to work in evangelizing.

All the community participated intensely in  the confirmation ceremony.

In order to respond to a keenly felt need in the communities that form the Church, our bishop published on Pentecost a pastoral letter, entitled, “I Saw a New Heaven and a New Earth.”

The process of developing the letter involved intense consultation with and the participation of the People of God. The fruit of consulting first with the Presbytery and then with the Church’s leaders gathered at the various deaneries, the Letter tries to reflect the sentiments of the whole People of God.

As the faithful mentioned at one of the deaneries, this document will be the basis for the Social Teaching of the Church.

Now it is incumbent on everyone to know and truly to enact its teachings so that we can maintain a serious social commitment in keeping with our faith and calling.

After a lengthy preparation we have finally published the Divine Office to be used in singing the liturgy of the offices. At present, the edition is very limited, and is available only for the presbyters and seminarians to use. We hope that in the future it can be available for all the People of God.

For practical reasons, the liturgy is organized into several books: one is an introduction, two have the Psalms for a four-week cycle,  and there is one each for Advent-Christmas, Lent and Easter,  and one with the lives of the martyrs.

To facilitate their use, covers have been made that enables one to organize the books easily.

The version of the Bible used for the Psalms and readings is the Latin American translation of the God Speaks Today Bible.

The Psalms have markings to aid in singing them, for in the Seminary  we ordinarily sing the whole Divine Office every day.

In addition brochures are being published that contain the readings of the Holy Scripture and of the Fathers to complete the prayers of the Office of Readings.

On Friday, June 17, our bishop visited the Pajomel Community. This is one of the places that is regularly tended by the bishop, since the area is one where there are not many communities and no presbyter is available to tend to it pm a full-time basis, nor to the others in the Department of Sololá, which are organized into the Parish of the Holy Spirit.

During the celebration, in response to the community’s needs and its specific request, the bishop installed brother Andrés, as Communion Minister. He is also the coordinator of the Music Ministry and the community’s representative to the Pastoral Council of the Parish.

On the same day, Monsignor Eduardo celebrated Eucharist in the Chuitzanchaj Community.

As always, the faithful were enthusiastic to participate in the Divine Liturgy.

The celebration began with the administration of Reconciliation. After the faithful confessed their sins and expressed their repentance, the bishop proceeded to administer Absolution, which is seen in the photograph at left.

There were many sisters participating. Most of them came forward to receive Absolution for their sins.

At the end of the Eucharist the family of one of the members of the community asked that there be prayer in his house and that it be blessed.

Left:  The members of the family in deep prayer, while our bishop did the prayers of thanksgiving and blessing.

On Saturday, June 18, the round of deanery meetings for the third quarter of the year began. The meeting was in Cunén. Representatives of the Communities of Cunén and Sacapulas participated.

Perhaps the note of greatest joy was that on May 31 Father Bernabé, pastor of the area, moved into the house that we built on property where the Cunén church is located.

It was also wonderful to hear how the faithful have been working to guarantee evangelism and the growth of the communities.

The bishop took advantage of the Deanery to make a short presentation on the content of the recently published Pastoral Letter.

 

Another topic was the possibility of installing a community radio in the area to support the evangelism that is going on.

Near midday on June 18 the bishop visited the Puente Chuatuj Community in Sacapulas.

The faithful participated fervently in the celebration.

Left:  The  confession of sins.

During the homily the bishop underlined the urgency of accepting a specific commitment in evangelism as well as in renewing one’s own life and the life of the community.

During the evening of June 18, after a delay of several hours because of car trouble, the bishop visited the Media Luna Community in Cunén.

The faithful had prepared many children to be initiated into Christian Life.

Several of them belong to families that have recently joined the church.

In spite of the delay and the heavy rain, the faithful waited patiently and joyfully for the bishop.

Right:  The bishop baptizing one of the children that were presented.

The sisters, echoing the biblical narratives, remained vigilante, hoping first for the bishop’s arrival and then, through the Eucharist celebration, preparing themselves to receive communion and renew the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

In mid morning the bishop visited the new community in Tierra Caliente, Uspantán. Its coordinator is brother Zenón.

The community is still very small. Just the same it is hoped that with the enthusiasm of brother Zenón and the work of other members of the community, very soon it will be able to begin a serious process of evangelizing and growth throughout the area.

The context for the celebration was intimate and familiar. Father Denis, pastor in Uspantán, accompanied the bishop and concelebrated with him.

We prayed to the Lord that very soon the whole area might be evangelized in an appropriate way.

In the afternoon the Parish Assembly took place with delegates from many of its communities as well as from the Centers of Zona Reina (northern Uspantán) and Chamá Grande (in the western part of Cobán).

The bishop presented the pastoral letter; he also encouraged the faithful to intensify their work in evangelism.

After the Assembly, the bishop presided at the Eucharist on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, which the community that bears that name was also celebrating.

Concelebrating with the bishop were Fathers Denis (pastor in Uspantán) and Bernabé (pastor in Cunén, Sacapulas and other villages of Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango).

Right:  The faithful are at prayer, asking for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit before they come forward to receive absolution for their sins.

Left: Father Denis has organized a good group of altar boys. After the Solemnity, they wanted to have their picture taken with Monsignor Eduardo and the concelebrating presbyters.

In late afternoon, the meeting of the Deanery finally took place. 

Present were many representatives of the communities  of Uspantán, as well as delegates from the Centers of Zona Rein and Chamá Grande.

On Friday, June 24, the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist, our bishop presided at the celebration of the Eucharist in the Santa Iglesia Catedral, dedicated to St. John, and imparted the blessing on the procession before it left the cathedral to tour the streets of the town.

The façade as well as the interior of the Cathedral shone in splendor with their beautiful decorations.

The Cathedral was packed. The entire interior and its large atrium as well were full.

The bishop in his homily used the example of Elizabeth and Zacarias who by faith conquered the muteness that Zacarias had suffered as result of his incredulity and stressed that the attitude for us  to take on as Renewed Catholics is the same as theirs, and is also the same as John’s, when he recognized that he had to decrease in order that Christ might increase.

Also concelebrating in the Solemn Mass were the Cathedral’s co-pastors, Rev. Fathers Rigoberto Upún and Francisco Simón, as well as Father Hugo Patzán, pastor at the Santa Cruz Barillas parish, and Father Fredi Mux, pastor in Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango.

The devotion and participation of the People of God was marvelous. Radiant with joy for the faith they are living, the came forward in huge numbers to participate in holy communion.

At the end of the Eucharist, the bishop along with the other concelebrants imparted the solemn blessing.

Right:  The crowd that completely flooded the Cathedral atrium. The had all followed the ceremony with deep devotion, and when it ended they prepared for the procession.

The procession left the Cathedral at the end of the Eucharistic celebration, around 11:00 am. It toured the principal streets of the town and finally returned to the Cathedral around four hours later. The participation of the People of God was huge. The good weather helped. Thirty minutes after the procession had re-entered the cathedral, a particularly strong storm fell on the town. According to popular tradition, this is a sign of the Lord pouring His blessing on His people.

After greeting the People of God for about half an hour, the bishop and the co-pastors of San Juan Comalapa went to the sacristy. On their way they posed in order to remember this moment in a photograph.

In the afternoon, the bishop visited the Jaibalito Community, located on the shore of Lake Atitlán, which is in the jurisdiction of Santa Cruz La Laguna, Sololá.

As regularly happens, the joyous faithful awaited the bishop, and in spite of the rain that was falling a few minutes before the beginning of the celebration there were many participants defying the inclement weather.

In late afternoon, the bishop celebrated the Eucharist with the Xolbé Community, Sololá.

The faithful have manifested their wish to celebrate the Eucharist more frequently. Since the bishop tends to the smaller communities of this region directly, he promised, within the limits of possibilities, to accede to their desire.

Among the signs of the community’s growth is the organization of many ministries and services in the liturgy. The most notable was that of the readers. A child, who scarcely reached the height of the pulpit, and a young man (in the photograph at left) proclaimed two of the readings for the day, and did so excellently.

On Saturday morning, June 25, the bishop visited the Todos Santos Cuchumatanes Community. The community has experienced steady growth and, even more importantly, its members are becoming identified ever more clearly with their spiritual life and its growth.

In the past few months twenty-one adults from the community have participated in “Life in the Spirit” Retreats that are given in the neighboring parish of Chiantla.

The fruits of these retreats can be seen in the enthusiasm, spirituality and participation of the faithful in the entire liturgy.

During the celebration a child was initiated into Christian life and several sisters received First Communion.

Right:  The bishop explaining in the homily the commitments that Renewed Catholics are to live. The People of God, as can be seen in the photograph, attend to these explanations with great care.

The bishop pronouncing over Silvia Leticia the baptismal formula, “Silvia Leticia, servant of the Lord, be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

 

The faithful participated with devotion, invoking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the child being baptized.

During the evening of June 25, Monsignor Eduardo presided at Eucharist in the Education Center with the faithful in the second and third years, who are beginning their second semester.

DETYM (Department of Theology and Ministerial Education for the People of God) is at present the responsibility of seminarians José Alfredo Hernández Chávez as Coordinator and José Raúl López Mazariegos as Trustee. Both give courses. In addition the first year group receives help from Father Juan Moisés Mondoza Sapalú, professor at the Seminary and a music teacher.

The bishop giving the blessing for the Gospel after the reading of the Holy Gospel.

Left:  Seminarian José Alfredo Hernández and two of the students who communion ministers presenting the gifts for the celebration.

On Sunday morning, June 26, the bishop visited for the second time the new community founded in Zone 3 of Huehuetenango. Like the earliest Christian communities, the community meets in the home of a family. This does not prevent seventy members from attending, and the community is growing in numbers and in spirituality.

The bishop’s visit was the opportunity for two children to be initiated into Christian Life;  Daylan Keler and Emmanuel Neftaly.  Their parents and sponsors are active members of the community and are aware that, in accord with the teaching of Scripture, the Christian Initiation of children is tightly tied to the faith and commitment of their parents.

Aware of this reality, the parents and sponsors renew their promise to life their faith authentically and to participate actively in the life of the Church.

At the end of the morning, Monsignor Eduardo celebrated Eucharist with the Brasilia Community, Zone 7, Huehuetenango.

Coordinated by brother Mynor, the community remains true to its faith and its Christian commitment.

Above:  The celebration began with the administration of the sacrament of Reconciliation. In the photograph are those who have confessed their sins coming forward as the Bishop administers Absolution.

 

Right:  Those who came forward to participate in communion were also numerous.