Love
never ends” (1 Corinthians 13:7)
These
words of St Paul from our second reading this weekend remind us that we are in
the “Love” part of our tripartite “Pray-Love-Celebrate”
theme for St Philip’s 200th anniversary year. Paul’s description in that
reading of love as “a more excellent way” also reminds us
that, as I read once somewhere, “the Catholic Faith is a way of life,
and the only thing that should dominate is love – love of God and of our
neighbour.”
As part
of that effort to show love and to bring love to others, each year, for the
last 14 years, I have led a group of parishioners on a two-week mission
trip to Peru. Our next mission trip begins on 7th February and continues onto
19th February. Eight of us from St Philip’s, St Clare’s and Lift Jesus Higher
will be travelling at our own expense, and bringing a couple of suitcases each,
containing shoes, clothes, toys, toiletries and bibles for distribution to the
people of the three shanty communities we have been supporting for 14 years. This
year, we will be bringing close to 60 people, children, youth and adults to
Camps of Faith and Prayer (CFO) in Peru. CFO provide a safe, friendly
environment, wherein the participants receive 3 meals a day (in itself a luxury
for most of them), plus lots of good Christian teaching to provide them with a
sound spiritual, moral basis for their lives, again something they do not
receive normally, as there are not nearly enough priests or catechists to
provide this. There are a number of activities arranged during the week also.
The CFO experience is truly a life-changing experience for the participants,
as, indeed, IS the chance to go on mission to Peru is also for those able to
join us on mission.
We have a
saying about the Peru mission: “Who is going on mission? – WE ALL
ARE !!” Yes, even those who
are not able, for one reason or another, to join us on one of these annual
trips, are a part of the whole experience of mission, which is truly part of
the New Evangelization, called for by our most recent popes. By your
contributions, in money and other things, by your prayers, and sufferings
offered up for us, you are part of the whole endeavour. The annual Peru
fundraiser, which this year raised almost $4000, is a great example of that.
All those who came, or bought tickets, or were part of the entertainment, or
the meal, or the raffle, or helped sell tickets or helped with the set up
and clean up, all of you can see your efforts as enabling these 60 people to
experience something they normally would never have a chance to do.
Please
keep us in prayer during these two weeks we are in Peru. And, on our return, we
will hold a presentation to show you how your contribution has brought so much
joy and hope to the poorest of the poor in Peru. On their behalf, I say to you:
“MUCHAS GRACIAS” (THANK YOU VERY MUCH)!!
