(ANS – San Pedro Carchá) – On 11 December about 3000 people gathered together in the Salesian parish of San Pedro Carchá to remember and to celebrate the beginning of the Oratory, on 8 December 1841.

Inspired by the invitation which the  Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Pascual Chávez, has given in the first year of preparation for the bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco (1885-2015) and which is taken up again in the Strenna for 2012: “Coming to know Don Bosco and his history,” the main aim of the enthusiastic Q’eqchi people was to come to know Don Bosco.

The parish of  San Pedro Carchá, entrusted to the Salesians has about 250,000 people in 350 villages. Pastoral activities are mainly on behalf of the local Indian tribe the Q'eqchi, of Mayan origin. The gathering was for the 45 villages in the area in the care of  Fr Vittorio Castagna.

There had been nine days of preparation with the help of the Novices of the “Daughters of the Resurrection”, a group of the Salesian Family founded in Guatemala  by Fr Jorge Puthenpura with their Generalate in the parish of San Pedro Carchá. During the novena celebrated in various villages incidents from the life of Don Bosco were presented, from his birth up to the meeting with Bartholomew Garelli. Five small statues of the saint were carried round the villages in imitation and memory of the pilgrimage of the casket.

On 11 December a procession led by the young people went through the town along the road between the parish church and the local sports centre where a celebration was held. In the first part there were performances by some groups from the villages who presented incidents from the life of Don Bosco as seen through Q’eqchi eyes. Then Sunday Mass was said. A local radio station broadcast it enabling thousands of people left at home, to follow the whole programme.

At the end of the day  Fr Vittorio Castagna told the young people from the villages he has care of that he wanted to start some festive oratories where possible each Sunday following the spirit of Don Bosco. In fact, at present two small rooms are being built in just two villages.

Published 15/12/2011