Commissioning Mass
Although we've already done a clinic on Saturday, the official commissioning of the mission occurs in Ateos on Sunday during morning mass. Father John concelebrated and translated during mass.
Both years that I've attended, they give the missionaries a warm welcome, a special blessing during mass, and the gift of a small cross to wear.
This year, I learned that St. Oscar Romero used to be the pastor in Ateos, so the parish has an even stronger devotion to him than other places we've been (which is saying something in El Salvador). I was told that he actually had the present church built there. That was a really cool revelation!
After mass, it was time for the official group photo and then we were off to check out the new school building that is under construction thanks in large part to a summer fundraising campaign run by several of the Wisconsin missionaries. Apparently donations have been coming from multiple fronts - including Germany! I noticed that everyone has a look of concentration on their faces - it's because Padre was off-camera to the right explaining the building in Spanish, and it took some extra effort to soak it in...
The building in progress is a suite of four classrooms, with the option to build a second floor for a total of eight. There will also be an extra set of bathrooms connected off the side. Just off the cuff, I think this might come close to doubling the capacity of the school, so that's a pretty big deal.
Talking to some translators, I learned that, although school attendance is mandatory, there are lots of people living in the poorer outlying areas who are so off the grid that there is really no realistic enforcement of the law. Lots of children still grow up without an education. The public schools aren't considered to be great, so there is a wide variety of private school options to fill that void. I had wondered about the access to education last year, but hadn't had the opportunity to ask about it until this year.
After that, lunch in the schoolyard. We had more delicious ice cream popsicles again. They call them "paletas" here.
It's a Sunday, but the plan is still to do a half day of clinic after lunch, so onward and upward...
Both years that I've attended, they give the missionaries a warm welcome, a special blessing during mass, and the gift of a small cross to wear.
This year, I learned that St. Oscar Romero used to be the pastor in Ateos, so the parish has an even stronger devotion to him than other places we've been (which is saying something in El Salvador). I was told that he actually had the present church built there. That was a really cool revelation!
After mass, it was time for the official group photo and then we were off to check out the new school building that is under construction thanks in large part to a summer fundraising campaign run by several of the Wisconsin missionaries. Apparently donations have been coming from multiple fronts - including Germany! I noticed that everyone has a look of concentration on their faces - it's because Padre was off-camera to the right explaining the building in Spanish, and it took some extra effort to soak it in...
The building in progress is a suite of four classrooms, with the option to build a second floor for a total of eight. There will also be an extra set of bathrooms connected off the side. Just off the cuff, I think this might come close to doubling the capacity of the school, so that's a pretty big deal.
Talking to some translators, I learned that, although school attendance is mandatory, there are lots of people living in the poorer outlying areas who are so off the grid that there is really no realistic enforcement of the law. Lots of children still grow up without an education. The public schools aren't considered to be great, so there is a wide variety of private school options to fill that void. I had wondered about the access to education last year, but hadn't had the opportunity to ask about it until this year.
After that, lunch in the schoolyard. We had more delicious ice cream popsicles again. They call them "paletas" here.
It's a Sunday, but the plan is still to do a half day of clinic after lunch, so onward and upward...
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