AMERICA/PERU - Great Mission in the Prelature of Ayaviri: 140 missionaries visit families and organise sessions of catechism and preparation for the sacraments

Tuesday, 6 March 2007

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Ayaviri (Fides Service) - In the Prelature of Ayaviri in the southern Peruvian province of Carabaya, large crowds gathered to celebrate the closing of a Great Mission which had lasted three weeks in February. Some 140 missionaries, ( 5 priests 10 women religious and 125 catechists belonging to Lumen Dei Union) from Lima, Arequipa, Cuzco and Tacna met in the provincial capital Macusani. Then, braving cold temperatures and snow at altitudes as high as 4,300mt above sea level, they went to villages all over the area, visiting homes and giving sessions of catechism and preparation for the Sacraments.
The missionaries had the joy of baptising about 100 new born infants, administering the anointing of the sick, hearing confessions and meeting young couples preparing for marriage. The successful mission concluded with a special Mass presided by Bishop Kay Martín Schmalhausen and concelebrated by Lumen Dei Union Provincial Superior Fr. Emilio Acebedo, parish priest Fr. Gustavo Mardones and two other priests of the same community.
In his homily the Bishop said it had been a long time since the town saw an event of such intense devotion and he praised the people for their great witness of faith. He also thanked the missionaries for their generous service. Bishop Schmalhausen said the mission was only a beginning "after the experience of the mission every Catholic must now shoulder responsibility for spreading the faith because many people are waiting to know Christ but those who announce Him are few".
A similar parish mission in Melgar undertaken by the seminarians home for the holidays concluded on March 4. Some 15 seminarians on door to door visits in the parish of St Francis of Assisi were warmly and gratefully welcomed. The seminarians organised sessions of preparation for adult and infant baptism as well as the other sacraments. On Saturday 3 March the eve of the closing of the mission a number of babies were baptised. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 6/3/2007; righe 33, parole 447)