MISSION EL SALVADOR NEWSLETTER
December, 2005
It’s the Christmas Season: time for gratitude and joy for our many blessings, and time for reviewing and previewing the activities around our projects in El Salvador.
The annual PILGRIMAGE to El Salvador is planned for February 6–13. By popular demand, a second group is going Jan. 30-Feb. 6. Due to increased airline rates, the total cost will be about $850. The purpose of our trips is to build bridges of awareness and solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to have the names of those interested very soon. Please, even if you have already told us you might want to go, tell us again! We don’t want to inadvertently miss anyone.
SPONSORED STUDENTS – the new school years begins in late January and we are connecting sponsors with students. If you sponsored a student last year, would you let us know if you were satisfied with the communication from your student? Would you like to sponsor again? With about 80 students being sponsored, this would save us a lot of time trying to contact people individually. Also, if you would like to be a new sponsor (at $25/mo. for 10 months or $250/year), please contact us.
The CLINIC project in Chalatenango is moving forward. The first container is almost ready to be shipped. Many medical facilities in Northeast Ohio donated supplies and equipment. Folks donated money to help pay for the shipment. Linda Bennett, after visiting the site of the clinic while on pilgrimage in El Salvador in February, volunteered to head the support efforts here. Contact Linda at 330-544-0363 or the web site for more info. In addition, a $2,000 GRANT was awarded for the clinic from the Rev. A. Joseph Bissonette Memorial Foundation out of Buffalo,NY. Fr. Joe spent his life working with the needy until he was killed in 1987 while preparing food for two homeless men in his home. More information on the foundation can be found at: www.geocities.com/welinehan
SPECIAL VISITORS - Many of you met with Bishop Alas and the seven priests from El Salvador who visited their sister parishes in Northeast Ohio in September. The parishes gave wonderful welcomes and the bishop and priests truly enjoyed themselves. Thanks to all!!
PARISHES IN OHIO WITH SISTER PARISHES IN CHALATENANGO, EL SALVADOR
Alliance: St. Joseph; Ashtabula: Mother of Sorrows; Ashtabula: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Boardman: St. Charles Borromeo; Elyria: St. Vincent de Paul; Garrettsville: St. Ambrose
Geneva: Assumption; Kent: St. Patrick; Kent: KSU Newman Center. Other parishes are also in the discernment process. Please pray for them as they seek God’s will as to whether to become a sister parish.
The INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR sold $20,000 in crafts made by the needy in 30 developing countries with all proceeds returned to them. Thanks to all who helped make it a success.
El Salvadoran COFFEE from a tiny cooperative in Sumpul Chacones is available at $6.00 a pound – whole bean or ground.
About 75 of you came by for the annual El Salvador PICNIC last summer. It is usually held in June for anyone interested in the folks in El Salvador.
Congratulations to Fr. John Dailey on his retirement from service in the missions. He will be living in Ashtabula but will still be spending a good amount of time in El Salvador.
Again MISSION APPEALS were coordinated in 2005 between the Diocese of Chalatenango and 21 parishes in 8 dioceses in the United States.
FMI on projects – check our WEB PAGE at: chalate.freeshell.org (don’t use “www”)
CONTACT INFORMATION on all the above:
Linehan Family 440-466-3207 or welinehan@yahoo.com
or Linehan Family 5834 Route 307, Geneva, OH 44041
(checks made out to Assumption Church, Central American Account)
May God Bless You and your interest in building bridges of solidarity with the needy in the world. With God we can make a difference!!