Update on the Quake

Hi everyone, just a note to say that I'm in Quito and OK, we've not been directly affected with harm or property damage, although aftershocks keep people very nervous, even here in Quito. On the coast, rescue and relief workers are still recovering survivors, but from what I've seen on the local news and social media and heard from friends, there is an incredible amount of urgent work to be done and there are many villages that still haven't been reached yet. But there's a beautiful solidarity among the Ecuadorian people in the relief effort. I'm on my way back to the mountains for this week, and I'm hoping to head out into these efforts next week with some religious sisters and the organization Caritas. In the meantime, I'm working on providing a way that friends back home can help out with donations if desired, and hope to have that posted soon. Please keep everyone here in your prayers, especially that the hearts of the people might continue to bring good out of the tragedy. Thanks!

Checking In Safe

Just a note to say that I'm safe here in Ecuador. We felt that earthquake here in Chontal, we're about 80 miles from the epicenter. The houses shook and there was some movement in the mountain and we lost power for a little while. But everyone's fine and there's no real damage here, thanks be to God. It was a loooong quake. Please join me in praying for those who've lost their lives, and for those who've lost livelihood.

Visit to An Angel

Pope Francis is visiting Ecuador just when I've come back, so I'm missing all the activity. But earlier this year I had the chance to help Franciscan missionary sisters send off a man, Don Ángel, to this residence for abandoned seniors in Quito. Don Ángel was someone I occasionally got to see in Puerto Quito, but had become homeless before the sisters found him a small temporary shack to live in, and then were able to coordinate with this residence in Quito. Right now, Pope Francis is visiting his house, and so even though I'm a little sad to not directly be a part of the acitivities, I'm very happy for Don Angel and all the people like him who are getting the visit of their lives! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWYzVxal310&feature=em-lbrm

Updating!

underconstruction

I'm in the process of updating this blog, as well as A Living Monstrance, to better communicate with everyone - so it will be in transition for a bit!

I am back in Boston and will be ready to post again once the blog is updated!

Thanks!

Jerome

Scarlet's Recovery

With the generosity of a few people plus collaboration from the locals, the fundraiser for Scarlet was finished on Mother's Day. I didn't win anything in the raffle, but Scarlet has her cast off and is recovering well and crawling. Thanks to those who donated!

Opening Up for Lent

This Lent, here I've started to open the chapel in the evenings when there isn't a Mass. It goes from 6:30 to 8:00 with adoration. It's the free offer of God's heart that is always open and inviting. People here are not accustomed to this type of personal freedom, they are only accustomed to the church being opened for scheduled community events. I'll be going around offering little leaflet invitations. Please pray that God will draw all freely and personally to His heart in the church! "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." (Jn 6:44) When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself. (Jn 12:32)

I was able to buy about 20 bibles for the community here using funds that I had planned to use for returning to Boston for the funeral services of Fr Jim but have redirected for benefiting the people here in his name. It took an 8 hour round trip to Quito to get them, I bought them from the Pauline bookstore there. They are good because they have a plastic cover and have large type in the New Testament, which is important for the rural areas as there's often a lack of vision care there. Plus, the cover has a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe...

Along with this, I'm doing a presentation on different relevant themes in the Bible, each Sunday of Lent. I get out the video projector and put together a Powerpoint presentation with other dynamic elements, and go into some of the cool things about the Bible, the background history, and some personal stories, with multimedia. The idea is not a class, but biblical "paseos", or outings, like you would make an outing to a river (that is common here). The idea is that the Bible is like a river, a big mystery with a lot of entry points and a lot of different ways to make use of it. So, it's coming to know the Bible in the same way that someone would come to know the river, by guided visits. Please pray for the people and for me!

And so it was great for me to read what Pope Francis shared last Sunday about Lent and the Bible:

How do we hear the voice of God? We hear it in his Word. For this reason, it is important to know Scripture, because otherwise we do not know how to respond to the attacks of the evil one. And here I would like to return to my advice of reading the Gospel every day. Read the Gospel every day! Meditate on it for a little while, for 10 minutes. And also to carry it with you in your pocket or your purse. But always have the Gospel in hand. - Pope Francis, Angelus Address, 2/22/15

Have a great start to Lent!

Brothers and Sisters

Pope Francis, 2/18/15:

The littlest, the weakest, the poorest must make us tender: they have the “right” to have our soul and heart. Yes, they are our brothers and, as such, we must love and relate to them. When this happens, when the poor are as of our home, our Christian brotherhood itself takes on life. In fact, when Christians go to encounter the poor and the weak they do so not to obey an ideological program, but because the Lord’s word and example tell us that they are our brothers. This is the principle of the love of God and of all justice between men.