SHARING OUR BOUNTY

MATT. 24:40

OUTREACH

 

HONDURAS
St. Francis has undertaken a large project in 2007. A church has been planted in Jacaleapa, Honduras under the direction of Marlene, Leader pastorale. A few of our parishioners have visited the area and the church site. Items have been collected and sent to Honduras. Christmas gifts have been sent to the children and funds are collected monthly to help support this outreach ministry.

 

The Rev. Canon Kathleen Pennybacker, Deacon (Canon to Honduras from Central Florida) has recently returned from Honduras after visiting our sister parish and many other areas over the Christmas holidays. She described harvesting the crops and the tedium of sorting beans before the Christmas festivities could begin. Once the harvest is in, dried, sorted and placed in #50 bags, the priests visit

2 to 3 villages each day to celebrate Eucharist. Our sister parish in Jacaleapa enjoyed a Christmas Party where youngsters from the age of 2 and 11 received presents that our parishioners provided. Other parishes gave as well to provide Christmas in Santa Maria and Cristo Rey.


Cristo Rey in Danli is a church that is being rebuilt with the help of the Diocese of Central Florida and a UTO grant. The walls are nearly completed with only three more course of block before the roof goes on. Deacon Pennybacker continues to explain the services on Christmas, she explained that when the Gospel was being read Christmas Eve the lights in all Yuscaran went out and the Gospel was read by the light of the Advent Candles....The "lights out" is a tradition until midnight when the bells of the Catholic Church begin to ring and firecrackers explode....then the lights come on to a round of cheers from everyone waiting in the central park and streets throughout the village as they celebrated the coming of the Christ Child - THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

 

Deacon Pennybacker concludes by saying there is no way to explain what a holy and spiritual Christmas this has been for her. No glitz and no hype. Just giving from the heart and keeping her mind and heart centered on Jesus. Jesucristo

Another trip to Honduras is planned soon and a group from St. Francis is planning on going with them.



Each month an offering is collected to send to our sister church in Jacaleapa to help defer the expenses and to subsidize the leader pastorale (Marlene). A cistern is set up in the parish hall.

For more information....you can contact the church office and leave a message for Vicki or Dick.


Click Here for Our Honduras Slide Show