News - Prelature of Ayaviri - Impressive Feast of Faith in the closure of the Macusani Missions, around 1000 children baptized

Ayaviri, 19 Feb. 2007. An impressive number of faithful assisted at the Closing Mass of the Great Mission to the villages of the Province of Carabaya which was celebrated on February 17 in Macusani. Thousands of villagers from Macusani, Corani, Ayapata and Ituata had the joy of hosting the missionaries for three weeks in which they committed themselves to visiting the local families in their houses as they carried out an intense work of catechesis and preparation for the reception of the sacraments.

The group of 140 missionaries, the majority of whom were youth and connected to the work of the Lumen Dei union, arrived in Macusani, the capital of Carabaya from the cities of Lima, Arequipa, Cuzco and Tacna at the beginning of the month of February.

According to the testimony of some young missionaries the difficult conditions such as the altitude, the intense cold, a few days of heavy snow and scarcity of food, did not impede their total dedication to the work at hand.

One of the most impressive fruits of the three weeks of missions were the close to 1000 baptisms of children celebrated throughout the different villages. In the opinion of the local families the joy and gratitude felt for the catechists' visit was massive. The missions were also an occasion to take the sacrament of the sick to those villagers in need, to receive the sacrament of reconciliation and to get close to many cohabiting couples and initiate their preparation for religious marriage.

An especially expressive testimony of the religious effervescence experienced during these days was the mission's closing Mass celebrated by Bishop of the Diocese, Kay Martín Schmalhausen S.C.V., who arrived in the provincial capital in order to preside at the Eucharist. Also present were the Provincial Superior of the Lumen Dei Union, Fr. Emilio Acebedo, the parish priest of Macusani, Fr. Gustavo Mardones, and other priests of the same religious community.

During his homily teh Bishop gave thanks for Macusani's great showing of faith and for the generosity of the missionaries. In these parts, 4300 meters above sea-level, it has been a long time since there last was such an intense demonstration of the people's faith.

"The mission experience having reached it culmination," said Bishop Schmalhausen, "each person should evangelize, becoming a catechist and missionary in his own neighbourhood, town or community, since there are still many who desire to know Christ but who have yet to meet someone who will announce Him to them opportunely."

While this period of mission has come to a close in Carabaya, in the capital of Melgar, Ayaviri, a large parochial mission has also begun with the participation of the Prelature's seminarians who are spending vacation time in the Capital.