Archbishop Juan Larrea Holguin blessing St.Rose of Lima school
April 3rd 2000. It Began with 300 pupils.
MISSION
THIS IMPLIES THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN SENT TO DO A SPECIFIC JOB. JESUS SENT HIS DISCIPLES WITH THE MISSION “GO TEACH ALL NATIONS,BAPTISING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY GHOST”.THIS IS THE BASIS OF ALL CHRISTIAN MISSIONS AND MISSIONARY WORK. IN FACT THE SUPERIOR OR THE BISHOP SEND THE MISSIONARIES ON THEIR MISSION. IN THE ISLA TRINITARIA THE MILL HILL MISSIONARIES FOUND FIRST THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIVING IN A SWAMP UNDER THE MOST AWFUL HUMAN CONDITIONS.THE FIRST STEP WAS TO BUILD ACCOMMODATION SO THE MISSIONARIES COULD LIVE AMONG THE PEOPLE AND SHARE THEIR SUFFERINGS.,NO RUNNING WATER, NO SEWERAGE, DUSTY DIRT TRACK ROADS, UNRELIABLE ELECTRICITY,LOTS OF FLIES ,MOSQUITOES AND FROGS.AND MANY SICK BABIES,CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THE SECOND STEP WAS TO MEET THE PEOPLE IN THE BAMBOO SHACKS AND INVITE THEM TO THE CHAPELS ON SUNDAYS FOR CELEBRATING THE MASS AND FOR MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM. SHOULD WE CALL THIS PRIMARY EVANGELISATION OR SECONDARY EVANGELISATION’’? SINCE THE ISLA TRINITARIA WAS A TOTALLY NEW PLACE, A SWAMP CREATED INTO A SOLID EARTH,A NEW CREATION ,EVERYTHING WAS PRIMARY.THE PEOPLE WERE FROM THE RURAL AREAS AND FROM THE CITY CENTRE WHERE THEY COULDN’T AFFORD TO LIVE ANYMORE. THEIR EVANGELISATION WAS IN STAGES. SOME KNEW NOTHING, SOME KNEW SOMETHING, AND A FEW KNEW A LITTLE MORE.BUT NOT MUCH..WHETHER PRIMARY OR SECONDARY,IT WAS A GREAT CHALLENGE.
CARDINAL VAUGHAN SAID “ WE CARE FOR THEIR BODIES AND THEIR TEMPORAL INTERESTS AS WELL AS THEIR SOULS.
FATHER ARTHUR McCORMACK MHM SAID “ WE SHOULDN’T BE SO HEAVENLY MINDED THAT WE ARE NO EARTHLY USE.”
ST MATTHEW SAYS “JESUS PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM AND CURED EVERY SICKNESS IN THE REGION.” MATT.21.4.
THIS IS EVANGELISATION AS MISSION,THE CARE OF BODY AND SOUL.
CARDINAL VAUGHANS MOTTO FOR HIS MISSIONARIES IS “AMARE ET SERVIRE”. TO LOVE AND SERVE. THIS IS MISSION.COMPASSION FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER IS AN ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL QUALITY FOR A MISSIONARY.IF THERE IS NO COMPASSION, THERE IS NO LOVE FOR THE POOR,THE SICK AND THE ABANDONED.. THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR. THE STORY OF THE MILL HILL MISSIONARIES IN ECUADOR HAS VERY MUCH BEEN BASED ON THE GOOD SAMARITAN. YOU WILL SEE THIS WHEN THE PHOTOS OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HELPED APPEAR ON THIS PAGE.. THE CHURCHES AND PRESBYTERIES WERE BUILT, THEN THE DISPENSARIES WERE BUILT, THEN THE DAY CARE CENTRES WERE BUILT AND THEN THE SCHOOLS. A GREAT DEAL OF BUILDING WAS ACHIEVED IN THE ISLA TRINITARIA ONCE THE SWAMP HAD BEEN FILLED IN.
.POPE BENEDICT 16TH HAS SAID THAT OPTION FOR THE POOR IS PART AND PARCEL OF OUR FAITH IN CHRIST.. OPTION FOR THE POOR IS THE MAIN THEME OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY. SO LIBERATION THEOLOGY IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE. THE CHURCH COMMITS ITSELF TO HELP THE POOR.. IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT LIBERATION THEOLOGY GOT SUCH BAD PUBLICITY.
THE FOUNDERS,LEONARDO BOFF AND CLOVIS BOFF(BRAZILIANS),GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ(SPANISH), AND JON SOBRINO(PERUVIAN) ARE ALL GOOD PEOPLE..THEY HAD DIFFERENCES OF OPINION WHICH STILL CONTINUE, RE THE METHODS TO ACHIEVE LIBERATION THEOLOGY.. WORSE STILL,THE MARXISTS HAILED LIBERATION THEOLOGY AS THE PERFECT FRAME FOR THEIR ANALYSIS OF THE WORLDS ECONOMIC WOES..SOON THE VERY VOCABULARY OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY WAS MARXIST. SOME PROMULGATED LIBERATION WITHOUT ANY REFERENCE TO GOD OR THE CHURCH. THIS WAS A TOTAL MISREPRESENTACION AND THE VATICAN BECAME ALARMED. ..THERE FOLLOWED ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE THE FOUNDERS OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY. WHEN SOMEONE ASKED GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ IF LIBERATION THEOLOGY WAS DEAD, HE REPLIED,” WELL IF IT IS,I WASN’T INVITED TO THE FUNERAL.! IT IS VERY MUCH ALIVE IN BRAZIL AND PERU.IT IS INHERENT IN THE OPTION FOR THE POOR PROCLAIMED BY THE PUEBLA,MEDELLIN, AND APARECIDA.MEETINGS OF ALLTHE LATIN AMERICAN BISHOPS.
MISSION IS NOT A ONE WAY AFFAIR .IT IS AN EXCHANGE OF CULTURE.THERE HAS TO BE DIALOGUE AND SHARING.FATHER MATT HAUMANN MHM,ONE OF MILL HILLS OUTSTANDING MISSIONARIES OBSERVED THAT MISSION IS TO SIT WHERE THE PEOPLE SIT AND LET GOD HAPPEN..THIS IS A VERY HUMBLE VERY INSPIRING OBSERVATION BUT BRILLIANT AND VERY HELPFUL TO THOSE MISSIONARIES LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE ALWAYS BUSY,BUSY,BUSY.IT IS A VERY GOOD THEME FOR MEDITATION.
ANOTHER GREAT MILL HILL MISSIONARY WHO HAS SPENT MANY YEARS IN THE FAR EAST, FATHER MATT CARPENTER RECENTLY VERY COURAGEOUSLY TOOK ON A NEW MISSION TO CHINA SAID WHEN HE BEGAN HIS MISSION…”I HAD NO PLANS EXCEPT THE DESIRE TO OBSERVE, TO LISTEN, TO MAKE FRIENDS, AND TO GIVE SERVICE.” ONCE HE BEGAN TEACHING STUDENTS,HE DISCOVERED TRUE DIALOGUE.
MOST MISSIONARIES WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR LIVES HAVE BEEN REALLY ENRICHED BY SERVING AND LOVING THEIR PEOPLE. BOTH THE MISSIONARIES AND THE PEOPLE BENEFIT ENORMOUSLY. IT IS THE MISSIONARIES IN ECUADOR WHO ACCEPT THE POOREST AREAS AND FACE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES. WHEN BISHOP OLINDO SPAGNUOLO,A COMBONI MISSIONARY(ALSO KNOWN AS VERONA MISSIONARIES) DIED LAST YEAR IN JULY THOUSANDS FLOCKED TO HIS FUNERAL. HE HAD BEEN THE PIONEER EVANGELISER IN PERHAPS THE BIGGEST SLUM IN GUAYAQUIL CALLED EL GUASMO. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
FATHER PETER WINDRAM MHM WROTE A BOOK CALLLED “PRIEST” ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES IN WORKING AS A MISSIONARY IN ITAGUAI DIOCESE BRAZIL. HE SAID: THE MISSIONARY LIVES ON IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE HE HAS SERVED. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
THE MISSIONARY NOT ONLY MAKES MANY FRIENDS IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL BUT HE ALSO MAKES ENEMIES. FATHER FRANK MCCARTHY MHM WHO DIED VERY RECENTLY(MAY HE REST IN PEACE.) WROTE A BOOKLET ON THE MILL HILL MISSIONARY MARTYRS,OUR GOOD MISSIONARIES WHO WERE KILLED WHILST FULFILLING THEIR MISSION. MAY THEY ALL REST IN PEACE.
THIS IMPLIES THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN SENT TO DO A SPECIFIC JOB. JESUS SENT HIS DISCIPLES WITH THE MISSION “GO TEACH ALL NATIONS,BAPTISING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY GHOST”.THIS IS THE BASIS OF ALL CHRISTIAN MISSIONS AND MISSIONARY WORK. IN FACT THE SUPERIOR OR THE BISHOP SEND THE MISSIONARIES ON THEIR MISSION. IN THE ISLA TRINITARIA THE MILL HILL MISSIONARIES FOUND FIRST THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIVING IN A SWAMP UNDER THE MOST AWFUL HUMAN CONDITIONS.THE FIRST STEP WAS TO BUILD ACCOMMODATION SO THE MISSIONARIES COULD LIVE AMONG THE PEOPLE AND SHARE THEIR SUFFERINGS.,NO RUNNING WATER, NO SEWERAGE, DUSTY DIRT TRACK ROADS, UNRELIABLE ELECTRICITY,LOTS OF FLIES ,MOSQUITOES AND FROGS.AND MANY SICK BABIES,CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THE SECOND STEP WAS TO MEET THE PEOPLE IN THE BAMBOO SHACKS AND INVITE THEM TO THE CHAPELS ON SUNDAYS FOR CELEBRATING THE MASS AND FOR MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM. SHOULD WE CALL THIS PRIMARY EVANGELISATION OR SECONDARY EVANGELISATION’’? SINCE THE ISLA TRINITARIA WAS A TOTALLY NEW PLACE, A SWAMP CREATED INTO A SOLID EARTH,A NEW CREATION ,EVERYTHING WAS PRIMARY.THE PEOPLE WERE FROM THE RURAL AREAS AND FROM THE CITY CENTRE WHERE THEY COULDN’T AFFORD TO LIVE ANYMORE. THEIR EVANGELISATION WAS IN STAGES. SOME KNEW NOTHING, SOME KNEW SOMETHING, AND A FEW KNEW A LITTLE MORE.BUT NOT MUCH..WHETHER PRIMARY OR SECONDARY,IT WAS A GREAT CHALLENGE.
CARDINAL VAUGHAN SAID “ WE CARE FOR THEIR BODIES AND THEIR TEMPORAL INTERESTS AS WELL AS THEIR SOULS.
FATHER ARTHUR McCORMACK MHM SAID “ WE SHOULDN’T BE SO HEAVENLY MINDED THAT WE ARE NO EARTHLY USE.”
ST MATTHEW SAYS “JESUS PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM AND CURED EVERY SICKNESS IN THE REGION.” MATT.21.4.
THIS IS EVANGELISATION AS MISSION,THE CARE OF BODY AND SOUL.
CARDINAL VAUGHANS MOTTO FOR HIS MISSIONARIES IS “AMARE ET SERVIRE”. TO LOVE AND SERVE. THIS IS MISSION.COMPASSION FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER IS AN ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL QUALITY FOR A MISSIONARY.IF THERE IS NO COMPASSION, THERE IS NO LOVE FOR THE POOR,THE SICK AND THE ABANDONED.. THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR. THE STORY OF THE MILL HILL MISSIONARIES IN ECUADOR HAS VERY MUCH BEEN BASED ON THE GOOD SAMARITAN. YOU WILL SEE THIS WHEN THE PHOTOS OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HELPED APPEAR ON THIS PAGE.. THE CHURCHES AND PRESBYTERIES WERE BUILT, THEN THE DISPENSARIES WERE BUILT, THEN THE DAY CARE CENTRES WERE BUILT AND THEN THE SCHOOLS. A GREAT DEAL OF BUILDING WAS ACHIEVED IN THE ISLA TRINITARIA ONCE THE SWAMP HAD BEEN FILLED IN.
.POPE BENEDICT 16TH HAS SAID THAT OPTION FOR THE POOR IS PART AND PARCEL OF OUR FAITH IN CHRIST.. OPTION FOR THE POOR IS THE MAIN THEME OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY. SO LIBERATION THEOLOGY IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE. THE CHURCH COMMITS ITSELF TO HELP THE POOR.. IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT LIBERATION THEOLOGY GOT SUCH BAD PUBLICITY.
THE FOUNDERS,LEONARDO BOFF AND CLOVIS BOFF(BRAZILIANS),GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ(SPANISH), AND JON SOBRINO(PERUVIAN) ARE ALL GOOD PEOPLE..THEY HAD DIFFERENCES OF OPINION WHICH STILL CONTINUE, RE THE METHODS TO ACHIEVE LIBERATION THEOLOGY.. WORSE STILL,THE MARXISTS HAILED LIBERATION THEOLOGY AS THE PERFECT FRAME FOR THEIR ANALYSIS OF THE WORLDS ECONOMIC WOES..SOON THE VERY VOCABULARY OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY WAS MARXIST. SOME PROMULGATED LIBERATION WITHOUT ANY REFERENCE TO GOD OR THE CHURCH. THIS WAS A TOTAL MISREPRESENTACION AND THE VATICAN BECAME ALARMED. ..THERE FOLLOWED ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE THE FOUNDERS OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY. WHEN SOMEONE ASKED GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ IF LIBERATION THEOLOGY WAS DEAD, HE REPLIED,” WELL IF IT IS,I WASN’T INVITED TO THE FUNERAL.! IT IS VERY MUCH ALIVE IN BRAZIL AND PERU.IT IS INHERENT IN THE OPTION FOR THE POOR PROCLAIMED BY THE PUEBLA,MEDELLIN, AND APARECIDA.MEETINGS OF ALLTHE LATIN AMERICAN BISHOPS.
MISSION IS NOT A ONE WAY AFFAIR .IT IS AN EXCHANGE OF CULTURE.THERE HAS TO BE DIALOGUE AND SHARING.FATHER MATT HAUMANN MHM,ONE OF MILL HILLS OUTSTANDING MISSIONARIES OBSERVED THAT MISSION IS TO SIT WHERE THE PEOPLE SIT AND LET GOD HAPPEN..THIS IS A VERY HUMBLE VERY INSPIRING OBSERVATION BUT BRILLIANT AND VERY HELPFUL TO THOSE MISSIONARIES LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE ALWAYS BUSY,BUSY,BUSY.IT IS A VERY GOOD THEME FOR MEDITATION.
ANOTHER GREAT MILL HILL MISSIONARY WHO HAS SPENT MANY YEARS IN THE FAR EAST, FATHER MATT CARPENTER RECENTLY VERY COURAGEOUSLY TOOK ON A NEW MISSION TO CHINA SAID WHEN HE BEGAN HIS MISSION…”I HAD NO PLANS EXCEPT THE DESIRE TO OBSERVE, TO LISTEN, TO MAKE FRIENDS, AND TO GIVE SERVICE.” ONCE HE BEGAN TEACHING STUDENTS,HE DISCOVERED TRUE DIALOGUE.
MOST MISSIONARIES WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR LIVES HAVE BEEN REALLY ENRICHED BY SERVING AND LOVING THEIR PEOPLE. BOTH THE MISSIONARIES AND THE PEOPLE BENEFIT ENORMOUSLY. IT IS THE MISSIONARIES IN ECUADOR WHO ACCEPT THE POOREST AREAS AND FACE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES. WHEN BISHOP OLINDO SPAGNUOLO,A COMBONI MISSIONARY(ALSO KNOWN AS VERONA MISSIONARIES) DIED LAST YEAR IN JULY THOUSANDS FLOCKED TO HIS FUNERAL. HE HAD BEEN THE PIONEER EVANGELISER IN PERHAPS THE BIGGEST SLUM IN GUAYAQUIL CALLED EL GUASMO. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
FATHER PETER WINDRAM MHM WROTE A BOOK CALLLED “PRIEST” ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES IN WORKING AS A MISSIONARY IN ITAGUAI DIOCESE BRAZIL. HE SAID: THE MISSIONARY LIVES ON IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE HE HAS SERVED. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
THE MISSIONARY NOT ONLY MAKES MANY FRIENDS IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL BUT HE ALSO MAKES ENEMIES. FATHER FRANK MCCARTHY MHM WHO DIED VERY RECENTLY(MAY HE REST IN PEACE.) WROTE A BOOKLET ON THE MILL HILL MISSIONARY MARTYRS,OUR GOOD MISSIONARIES WHO WERE KILLED WHILST FULFILLING THEIR MISSION. MAY THEY ALL REST IN PEACE.
The School St Rose of Lima School. Isla Trinitaria.
The Blessing of the School with Digna Caicedo Guagua one of our
Founding teachers reading a passage from the Bible. April. 2000.
Another view of our school
One of our first parishioners. Sandy Godoy is her name.
Father Maurice McGill the Superior General of the Mill Hill Missionaries with Obemia and her daughter Elizabeth .Visit to the Isla Trinitaria 1993
The Kinder Day Care Centre.St Rose of Lima 1994
The Day Care Centre.St Rose of Lima parish
The top floor of the school has two classrooms.
The Archbishop with Maria Luisa Plaza Vergara,Obemia Plaza Vergara
Doctor Lorena at the inauguration of the school April 2000
A view of the classrooms
Another view
The Holy Family Church ,cooperativa Che Guevara
Isla Trinitaria, built by our Mill Hill
Associates Mary Kilcoyne MHM ,
Anne Harrison MHM, and Ildi Dunai MHM.
They used the Logos of the Mill Hill Missionaries
to embellish the Church.1995
Father Jac Hetsen mhm our Superior General visiting
St Rose of Lima parish
Walking the plank with Father Jac Hetsen.!
St Rose of Lima parish.
St Teresa,s church, Palm Sunday, 1998.Isla Trinitaria
The parish in the rainy season .February
StRose of Lima church 2005. Meeting of the Legion of Mary
St Rose of Lima church.Palm Sunday.
Father Jac Hetsen mhm Superior General visiting our school.
