Guatemala Partnership: The November Delegation A Brief Q&A with Monsignor Robert and Padre Juan Jose

Monsignor Robert Q: What are your hopes and aspirations for the upcoming delegation which will include five high school aged parishioners from Queenship of Mary? I am very much looking forward to travelling with this group of young women and men! They are all very excited and will be bringing much enthusiasm and faith. Each trip, for me, has been enjoyable and productive, but I am looking forward to seeing our Partnership through the eyes and enthusiasm and faith of our young people! I am hopeful that their enthusiasm and excitement will spread, not only within our friends in Chiquimulilla and La Morena, but most especially here at Queenship of Mary! Our Partnership has been such a blessing for our parish community, to finally be in a place to bring our young parishioners, and to have them bring this back to our parishioners, particularly their peers is quite exciting. Our youth have always shown much interest in our Partnership and have participated locally in many different ways, but I am hopeful that hearing about our Partnership from their peers will serve to engage them even more fully! Q: How do you think this delegation will differ from previous trips? This delegation will differ in several ways! If for no other reason it is ‘different’ in that it is larger than any delegation we have taken since our very first one in 2008! It is also obviously ‘different’ in that we are, for the first time, taking high school aged parishioners. We have, in the past, taken several young adults with us, but never anyone under the age of 18, and never as a group. This dynamic, along with their enthusiasm…and the faith that they have shown, will certainly make it different from all the others! But it’s also different in that our mission is to also engage the youth at the parish of Santa Cruz and the aldea of La Morena. Typically we see and interact with many adults and young adults…and, at La Morena, with MANY elementary school aged children, but we don’t typically see many youth of the middle school and high school ages…and so our hope is that by bringing youth from that age group we will also ‘draw’ out some of the youth from those communities as well, engaging them in our Partnership and building a foundation on which to build our future!

Padre Juan Jose P: ¿Cuáles son sus esperanzas y aspiraciones para la próxima delegación que incluirá los 5 feligreses juveniles del Reinado de María? Q: What are your hopes and aspirations for the upcoming delegation which includes five high school aged parishioners from Queenship of Mary? Será de mucha bendición para nuestra parroquia ya que los jóvenes en la iglesia y el mundo son un signo de esperanza, alegría y bien acompañados de servicio generoso, Bienvenidos. It will be a great blessing for our parish because the youth in the church and of the world are a sign of hope, joy and they come in generous service, Welcome!

P: ¿Cómo usted cree que esta delegación será diferente de los viajes anteriores? Q: How do you think this delegation will differ from previous trips? Todas las delegaciones han sido buenas e importantes pero esta tiene la característica de los jóvenes ya que el compartir con los de nuestra parroquia van a unir y a enriquecer los lazos de amistad y fe, no solo en el programa de la Morena sino de las dos parroquias en general poniendo en común trabajo actual y proyectos esperanzadores, para el futuro esta visita marcará sin duda un nuevo itinerario y compromiso para nuestras vidas. All of the delegations have been good and important but this has the characteristic of youth and having them share with our parish will enrich the bonds of friendship and faith, not only with the program in La Morena but with the two parishes. In general sharing the actual work we have in common and encouraging projects which offer hope. For the future this visit will surely mark a new path and commitment to our lives.

Manténgase en sintonía con nuestra Hermandad a través de Facebook (www.tinyurl.com/qomfacebook), el boletín, Twitter (@qomguatemala) y la página web de la parroquia.

Stay tuned to the Guatemala Partnership via Facebook (www.tinyurl.com/qomfacebook), the bulletin, twitter (@qomguatemala) and the parish website.