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Annual Appeal and Collection |
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2011 Annual Collection – August 6 and 7, 2011
Making Missionary Disciples
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Mt 28:19)
These words of our Lord are being fulfilled by our Latin America Apostolate of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Learn how our St. Louis priest missionaries are “making missionary disciples” of Our Lord in Bolivia, South America and why they need our support to continue carrying out this missionary work.
Maria Reina Parish—La Paz
Fr. Patrick Hayden (pastor), Fr. Bob Menner, and Fr. Jim Michler serve the people of Maria Reina Parish in La Paz. Maria Reina, a parish of roughly 90,000 people in 14 neighborhoods, is located on a steep hillside. Most of the residents are very poor.
 A health clinic operates at Maria Reina Parish. Sr. Guillermina Loma, C.PP.S. is the clinic’s director. Doctors, a dentist, and nurses staff the clinic and make medical/dental services and prescriptions available to the patients, who would not otherwise receive care because of their poverty. Over 5,000 patients are treated at the clinic each year.
 On Palm Sunday, “making missionary disciples” took on new meaning. After training by our missionaries and lay leaders of the parish, Fr. Hayden blessed and commissioned lay missionaries of various ages to go forth and share their faith by visiting all the homes in the parish.
 There continues to be a shortage of native Bolivian priests. Our missionaries train seminarians for the priesthood in the Archdiocese of La Paz. In May, three transitional deacons were ordained as priests of the Archdiocese of La Paz: Fr. Luis Fernando Blanco, Fr. Iván Bravo, and Fr. Franz Jauregui. The Papal Nuncio to Bolivia, Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro, ordained the three new priests. We thank God that progress in the ordination of Bolivian priests is being made.
Santa Barbara Chapel—La Paz
The construction of Santa Barbara Chapel (part of Maria Reina Parish and located in the El Vergel neighborhood of La Paz) has been one of the main goals of Fr. Hayden. The chapel now has a roof, doors, and windows. The interior work is only partially completed, but progress continues to be made. Parishioners have raised over 3,000 Bolivianos ($427.58)—a gift representing several months of donations and meal preparations. They made a special presentation of this gift to Fr. Hayden in January.
 While they are carrying out their call to be missionary disciples by offering their own prayers and financial support, parishioners cannot raise all of the funds still needed to complete the chapel. Your help is still needed.
 Building the chapel has been a great help for parishioners to attend Mass closer to their homes. Not everyone in the parish can fit into the main Church of Maria Reina, and many parishioners live beyond walking distance and do not own cars—so the chapel has allowed these parishioners to attend and fully participate in Mass.
Our hope is that Archbishop Carlson’s forthcoming pastoral visit to Bolivia in July 2012 will coincide with a ceremony to consecrate Santa Barbara Chapel.
It is thanks to the annual collection for our Latin America Apostolate that Santa Barbara Chapel is being built. With your support, it will be completed.
Santiago Parish—Calamarca
 Santiago Parish is in the high Bolivian plateau, nearly 14,000 feet above sea level and about an hour’s drive outside of La Paz. There are over 10,000 parishioners throughout 30 villages in the parish territory. Our missionaries visit an average of 8 villages during their monthly visit to Calamarca—where they celebrate Mass and other sacraments.
Due to the severe shortage of native priests, there is no resident priest in Calamarca. A permanent deacon, Francisco Zuleta, administers the parish and trains the local catechists. Our Latin America Apostolate supports Deacon Francisco as he travels to the villages.
 There was great joy in Santiago Parish in April as one of the young men from the parish was ordained for service in the Prelature of Corocoro. Fr. Abraham Alvarez was ordained by Bishop Toribio Ticona Porco, Vicar Apostolic of the Prelature of Corocoro. Fr. Abraham, a native of the Aymara people, is from the village of Vilaque, part of Santiago Parish.
 The ordination of Fr. Abraham is a sign of hope and growth in the training of native priests. Fr. Abraham will also help train the laity to respond to their calling to become missionary disciples, even as his presence meets a huge need for the Church to continue to take root in this missionary territory of Calamarca, Bolivia.
Vicariate of the Pando
Since June 1988, Bishop Morgan Casey has served as Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of the Pando. This vast subtropical territory in northwestern Bolivia is home to rainforests, intense heat, and many rivers that flow into the Amazon. Many communities are built near the rivers, so travel is possible only by boat. Bishop Casey serves some 250,000 inhabitants of the Pando—150,000 of which are Catholic.
 One of Bishop Casey’s pastoral priorities has been the formation of native clergy. Bishop Casey has ordained two new priests within the past six months in the Pando.
Fr. Rigoberto Manu was ordained in December.
 Fr. Rafael Puro Landivar was ordained in June.
Both priests were born in the town of Riberalta. The ordinations of Fr. Rigoberto and Fr. Rafael show how our Latin America Apostolate is making missionary disciples in the Pando.
 Bishop Casey expects the Holy Father to accept his letter of retirement and for a new Bishop to be named in the coming year. His future plans upon retirement are not yet known—much will depend on his health and the plans of the Bishop who will be his successor. Bishop Casey’s presence and ministry has been made possible through your support of our Latin America Apostolate.
Would you like more information about our Latin America Apostolate? Click below to find out more!
Read a letter from our director, Msgr. Francis Blood
Read Archbishop Carlson's letter
Learn about traditions and hear stories from Bolivia
We appreciate your donations and support!
Praying to Mary, the Mother of God: Blog by Fr. Jim Michler
Compassion in Bolivia: Blog by Fr. Jim Michler
St. Louis Review article: July 29, 2011
As a former missionary in La Paz and in his role as Director of our Latin America Apostolate, Msgr. Blood is grateful for all of your support. He thanks you for your generosity, which helps to continue the extraordinary work of all of our St. Louis priest missionaries!
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Archdiocese of St. Louis: Mission Office
20 Archbishop May Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63119 • missions@archstl.org
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