Parishes:

SAINT TIMOTHY and of ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

Casilla 09-01-2558, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Email: sanjoseobrero05@gmail.com

Dear .
You might be surprised by the photo which you
see below.

January was relatively quiet after the flurry and

bustle of the Christmas period. Somebody
mentioned that I would be overburdened with
masses. Maybe so but in the two weeks around
Christmas I had 33 periods for confessions; four
marriages; seven funeral masses and First
Communion and Confirmation masses for
about 350 children. Yes it was quite a
tumultuous time.
HOUSE BLESSINGS

Well it is a Guayacan plant which yields wood

as hard and as heavy as iron. The peculiar thing
about it is that it is heavy with flowers that
should have faded five months ago. Such are
the changes the weather provides today. I
believe that Scotland has been hit with
hurricane winds and rains as never before. It is
the story all over the globe. I am thankful to a
strange plant which I have in the garden which
produces these magnificent flowers in great
abundance week after week. You deserve to
see one of its flowers. A joy to see each day.

People here simply love blessings. On Sundays I

go to the church door and shake hands with
people as they leave. I was taken a bit (but only
a tiny bit) by surprise when a lady lowered her
skirt or trousers to reveal a huge womb and
asked me to bless the baby inside. As the
people passed by I was the only person who
was a bit taken aback (but only a tiny bit!).
Anyhow it was not that I was going to refer to
but to the fact that I was asked to bless houses
built by the government for those who owned a
patch of land and joined a particular scheme.

The houses were scattered all over the land and

they were thirty four in number. I spent three
hours in scorching sun trudging from one to
another and each owner insisting on equal
treatment with the previous one!
In the photo above you can see the old house
inhabited till last week and the new house on
the left which would fit into one room of the
previous building. Till more bits fall of the old
house I think that it will continue in use.

I had more interesting photos but a virus

entered the camera and I am afraid that they
are lost. It is a bit annoying.
MISSIONARY FORMATION CENTRE
On Saturday the Archbishop of Guayaquil
comes to open a missionary training center
which I have established in Guayaquil. You
might remember that a number of months ago
I had formed a missionary association. At the
moment it will have about forty members and
they attend to areas where there are few
priests. In my parish they also help with
marriage preparation (those who have not
made their confirmation have to do a three
months course in basic catholic teaching
knowledge of the faith is not very profound
although expression of faith is the most natural
thing in the world for them); these missionaries
also help with baptism talks, visit the sick and
help with the weekly collection of primary
foods which we divide amongst the poorest in
the parish. There are quite a number that
simply depend on these food parcels which the
parish provides.
I think that I have gone off the track. The house
I referred too has two storeys. The bottom part
serves as a conference center and there are five
bedrooms above where we hope to hire out to
students so as to provide an ongoing income
for the Centre. The house is based in the city of
Guayaquil which has a population of over 3
million people. I have been able to establish
and partially equip the house with the help of
the Archbishop of Guayaquil. There is much to
do as yet but it is an ongoing process.
Unfortunately it is almost two hours away from
my parish in Anconcito. I sometimes ask myself
if I have gone crazy (if I ask someone else they
will say yes). I have more than enough to do in
my two parishes. At the same time, once
established it will be of great for the Missionary
Association. At least I hope so.
.

I think that people prefer to look at the photos

than read what I write. You have my sympathy,
I do not like to read over what I have written
and then I cringe when on occasions I come
across a letter that I have sent you. It was in
Barra that I last read one of my open letters
and I felt like running. It is good for the
humility. But for another photo!

Over a year ago I was in Argentine at the Iguau

falls. They are impressive. These are sights you
could gaze at for a long time (a similar situation
to staring lazily at a peat fire) and they would
not lose their fascination. I was very pleased to
have gone there as it was the first time I
travelled in Latin America without going to
some meeting or something similar and be
caged indoors all day.,
My ramblings must cease and the clock is
moving on. May God bless and keep you all.
Fr Colin