A Gift for the Church On May 5 at the Tor Vergata Charism promotes in a particular University in Rome and with more way the need for the New Evange- than 150,000 people present, Pope lization, a word Saint John Paul II Francis celebrated the 50th anni- always used and which is found in versary of the Neocatechumenal many of the documents of Vatican Way in Rome. Together with the II. We live in a secularize society initiators of this charism, the Pope today which promotes more and and the 135 countries represented more a model of life where God is by the number of people men- not to be found. As pointed out by tioned before, sung the Te Deum our Bishop Most Rev. Lawrence as a thanksgiving for the gift of Sydney Nicasio in his recent letter this charism to the Church (as to the faithful, we live in a time pointed by Benedict XVI in 2012), where the heart of man needs to and the fruits it has produced all change because here in Belize over the world. After the Te Deum we see the destruction of many was sung, Pope Francis sent more families, an alarming increase in than 30 “Missio ad gentes,” that suicides, divorces, minor sexual is, families with a large number of abuses, drugs, etc., how to reach children who go to places where the modern man who does not there is no longer a presence of want to listen anymore to moraliz- the Church or where the Church ing sermons or speeches? how to is frail due to the rapid spread of reach to the young people - future secularization. Also some “Com- of our society? how to reach those munitates in missionem,” commu- who don’t believe anymore in the nities in mission that have reached presence of Christ in the Church?, the end of this Christian itinerary etc. In this sense there are the dif- were sent to support some parish- ferent Charisms within our Catho- es in the peripheral areas of Rome. lic Church in Belize that can help The Neocatechumenal Way is each with its own gift, and with a Charism born during the 60’s in the support of the parish priests, the slums of Madrid, the initators to give an answer to the particular Kiko Arguello and Carmen Her- problems posed by the seculariza- nandez (+) began, without intend- tion we are experiencing in our ing to, a Charism that has brought country. The Neocatechumenal Way Team of Belize spent an afternoon at about the renewal of Vatican II to continues on page 4 St. Peter’s Square along with Fr. Leo Palma on May 9, 2018. the parishes. The Way is a Post Baptismal catechumenate in order to rediscover the richness of our Mexican Ambassador Rewards baptism. As Pope Paul VI said in an audience on May 8, 1974: “To live and foster this re-awakening Belizean Students is what you call a kind of ‘post Catholic Schools in the Cayo baptism,’ which can renew in our District Receive Free Education- contempopary Christian commu- al Trip to Chetumal Courtesy of nities the effects of maturity andthe Mexican Embassy depth which were achieved in the early Church during the period of By Kenrick E. Francisco preparation before baptism… You May 16, 2018 do it afterwards. Whether ‘before’ Students from both Our Lady or ‘after’ is secondary, I would of Guadalupe Roman Catholic say.” High School in the City of Belmo- From Pope Paul VI to Pope pan and St. Joseph Roman Catho- Francis this Charism has always lic School in Cotton Tree Village, been supported by the succes- Cayo District were beneficiaries sors of Peter. The presence of the of a Free Educational Trip to the Neocatechumenal Way in Belize Planetario Yook’ol Kaab, Zoo began about 9 years ago; it is cur- (Zoologico Payo Obispo) and the Museum of Mayan Culture in Che- rently present in three parishes tumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico. and one chapel in Belize. We were The trip was a reward from His present at the event on May 5, rep- Excellency Carlos Quesnel Melen- Belizean students at the Zoologico Payo Obispo in Chetumal, resenting the Diocese of Belize- continues on page 4 Belmopan, a group of 19 people Quintana Roo, Mexico. who witnessed and experienced the universality of the Church and Five Jesuits of the USA Central and Southern the communion of saints through- out this pilgrimage. We were wel- Province to be Ordained to the Priesthood comed in different cities of Italy News Release Dawson, S.J., will be assigned to Juan. by the brothers and sisters of the May 14, 2018 minister in Belize starting this sum- All five men have undergone- ex communities there. We went to Five members of the Jesuits USA mer. Another, David Paternostro, S.J., tensive formation in the Society of Je- Rome, Pompey, Naples, Porto San Central and Southern Province will be served in Belize as part of his forma- sus, training that integrates spiritual, Giorgio, Assisi, Perugia and Bolo- ordained to the priesthood this sum- tion. personal and professional develop- gna. We also attended the general mer in two separate ordination litur- The Most Reverend Terrence T. ment. A Jesuit’s preparation for ordi- audience of Pope Francis on May gies. Jesuits W. Penn Dawson, Jason Prendergast, S.J., Archbishop of Ot- nation can take anywhere from eight 9 and had the opportunity to see C. LaLonde, Michael J. Wegenka and tawa, will preside at the sacred liturgy to 12 years. They are among 27 new the Pope not only once, but three David C. Paternostro will be ordained of ordination at St. Francis Xavier Jesuit priests to be ordained in the on Saturday, June 9, in St. Louis; Fer- College Church in St. Louis. The United States and Canada this year. times from at least 1 meter away. nando Luis Barreto Mercado will be Most Reverend Roberto O. González W. Penn Dawson, S.J., a native We see as a gift for the Church ordained on Saturday, July 28, in San Nieves, OFM, Archbishop of San of Tampa, attended the University of in Belize the presence of the Neo- Juan, Puerto Rico. Juan, will preside at the ordination catechumenal Way since this One of the new priests, Penn at St. Ignatius Loyola Parish in San continues on page 5 Next Issue: September 2018 THE CHRISTIAN HERALD June 2018 Page 2 Our Lady of Guadalupe Procession Homily The following Homily was delivered by Bish- need for more wine at the wedding at Cana in op Larry Nicasio at the end of the Annual Galilee. Our Lady cannot ‘stand,’ cannot bear Guadalupe Candlelight Procession held on to see people suffer unnecessarily. To the poor Sunday, May 20, 2018. Aztec Indians in Mexico, she appeared allow- ing them to see that she, the Mother of Jesus You think you have it bad/hard, think again! and their Mother hears their cry and that she Many people do not have what they really need is their hope and that she will never abandon to survive in this life/world, here in Belize. For them. Mary’s presence and her example of a many, their share of this ‘pie’ call earth has been faithful mother always points us to her Son who taken by others out of greed; out of selfishness. endorses and supports her commitment to us, to Everyday people worry about what will her people. happen to them and their family tomorrow. At We join in a procession this day in order the same time, many people, in their poverty, to express our faith and trust in God, trust in have their priorities all wrong. These persons his Mother. We don’t come to God if we do not will spend their last penny on clothes or hair believe in Him, or in his Mother. Our life is a and ignore their basic need for food, just in the wasted life, if we are unbelievers, if we have no name of appearance, to impress others. In all of faith in God; for a life without God is no kind of this, while you are concern about impressing life at all. others, other people suffer, children suffer. Miracles happen only for those who put With our own eyes we see this happening their faith in God. Like his Mother, Mary, let everyday - the sad faces, the worried and anx- our lives be a witness to Jesus’ presence in the ious faces. We see the advantage, the ‘chance’ world; his presence in Belize. taken of people who do not know better, who I say, surrender all your cares to Him and He cannot talk for themselves. On top of all of this, will take care of them. Surrender all your cares we disrespect the precious gift of life God has to her and she will take care of them. given to us. We don’t even need to wait for a As we are about to enter the hurricane sea- hurricane, or natural disaster to take life, we hu- son, I want to urge you to a complete surrender mans, our young people of Belize, easily shoot to Him, through his Mother Our Lady of Gua- and kill with no kind of remorse. of God, Mother of the Church is always about dalupe. We pray: Lord, we surrender ourselves Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Mother responding to voices in need. There was the to you, take care of everything. Amen! Itara La! News from the Diocesan Pastoral Life Commission The Diocesan Pastoral Life Commission LAY MINISTRY TEAM: source Team.