As we gather for the Eucharist today, we extend a warm welcome to our former pastor, Fr. Terry Cyr, O.Carm., who will be preaching on the Carmelite Missions at all our parish Masses this weekend. For our newcomers, Fr. Terry was our pastor from 1995-2000. After leaving Leavenworth in 2000, Fr. Terry ministered in our Carmelite Spiritual Center in Niagara Falls, Ontario, for two years, and then became pastor at our Carmelite parish in Bogota, NJ. It's great to have Fr. Terry with us as we focus on the needs of our Carmelite Missions.
Our second collection today will be taken to support the missionary work done by the Carmelites in many parts of the underdeveloped world, especially in Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Zimbabwe, Africa.
The Carmelite Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, whose first foundation was St. Joseph's Parish in Leavenworth, currently has a mission presence in Peru and Mexico. I was fortunate to be able to visit our Peruvian Missions in 1986, 1990, and 1994. Not only do we have a presence in the capital city of Lima, but we administer an entire diocese in the southern Andes area of Sicuani, a three-hour distance from the beautiful city of Cuzco. Bishop Michael LaFay, O.Carm., of our Province, is the bishop of this diocese. 90% of the people have tuberculosis, and 33% of the babies born there die before their first birthday.
In 1995, our province made its first foundation in Mexico with a community and parish in the northern Mexican city of Torreon. We now have a formation house with a number of seminarians in Mexico City. I visited our parish in Torreon in 1997, and was part of the committee researching a house of formation for our Mexican candidates in 1999. Next month, I will be visiting our parish in Torreon for the second time as part of our Carmelite Hispanic Commission. Please know that your generosity helps our Carmelites proclaim the Good News in mission lands around the globe. Your financial help does make a difference!
Fr. David Fontaine, O.Carm., our new parochial vicar (associate pastor), arrived here from California this past Friday afternoon! After weeks of 100-degree temperatures and drought, and a weekend of flooding in the Kansas City area, I am glad that we can welcome him to Kansas with some mild weather! You will have a chance to meet Fr. David Fontaine next weekend as we celebrate "Welcome Sunday" in our parishes. We will have a reception to welcome our new priests and parishioners after the 8:00a.m. and 10:30a.m. Masses. Also, members of the Parish Council will be available to register you in the parish if you have not had a chance to do so. Finally, we will also be beginning a new year of CCD classes and our Children's Liturgy of the Word at the 10:30a.m. Mass next Sunday. Plan on joining us for this special weekend!
God bless you always!
