(ANS – San Pedro Carchá) – The Salesian Mission in San Pedro Carchá, entirely dedicated to the apostolate among the Q’eqchí Indians, descendants of the Maya, has a parish of about  250,000 inhabitants, spread through about 350 villages. Some months ago, in communion with the whole Latin-American Church, the missionaries in the parish began the “Peoples’ Missions.”

In the first place this has been made possible through the help of the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Pascual Chávez and his Council who have approved and funded a  pastoral project on behalf of one of the poorest Indian groups in Guatemala.

Last weekend, 28-29 October, Fr Vittorio Castagna, an Italian missionary who has been in the country for about a year gave a short retreat for those involved in the Peoples’ Missions. Based on the proposals drawn up by the Latin-American Church at the V General Bishops’  Conference (Aparecida 2007), the retreat provided a strong spiritual impetus to encourage communities to a genuine renewal.

70 lay people whose role is to act as coordinators in the villages took part and they will try to ensure that in the parish for which the Italian missionary is responsible with about 70 villages and 50,000 inhabitants, the seeds of the mission will be sown.

The Q’eqchí people whose culture already possesses a deep spirituality, will benefit greatly from the various retreats which will be given in the parish. Given the shortage of priests- only six for 350 villages – the retreats will also provide the opportunity to offer the necessary formation to build up the relationship between the local Church and the lay people working as catechists in the villages.      

Published 03/11/2011