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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

REMEMBERING THE FEAST DAY OF A CHILD/ by OLGA LUCIA ALVAREZ, ARCWP


A year ago, the child Juan Dieguito Borda:
"He pleased God y God loved him...y he took him away" (Wisdom 4:10)

Gilma and her sisters, aunts of Juan Dieguito.
His family, little friends, neighbors and the neighborhood, have wished to honor his memory with a community Eucharist in the House/Church.

His grandmothers, his aunts, uncles, cousins, friends y neighbors of the family were there.

The aunts set up the altar, in the living room of the house and arranged the seats for everyone. The cousins and little friends of Juan Diego, with whom we saw him playing foot-ball so many times in the block in front of the house, spontaneously, asked to organize the presentation of the gifts and thus they did it:
Cousins and friends of Juan Dieguito, at the Presentation of the Gifts.

The family and members of the Community, had invited a Catholic priest (of Old Catholic) whom we also invited to concelebrate, explaining to the Community, giving the sense of ecumenism which is provided in the sharing of inter-denominational and inter-religious communion, which goes farther than just meetings and signing documents of mutual "closeness", posing for the "ecumenic
al" album.

Father Miguel Adolfo Figueroa reading the Gospel.

The readings were shared. The sharing of the homily in a community way, is still hard for us, but efforts were made to do it and it's a work in progress which will continue.

At the moment of consecration, we acted as community, women and men extended their hands over the elements reciting the words of the consecration as a sign of promise and solidarity in the service of the community and the church.


One of the grandmothers of Juan Diego, who will give out Communion.

Before Communion, the grandmothers were asked to help with the distribution, explaining to the community why they were going to do so. "They through the years, in their homes, have cared for our lives, providing us with food. Giving us Communion today is caring for the spiritual life of their family, their sons, daughters and grandchildren, protecting them and helping them grow in the faith; therefore they are going to share Communion not only with their family, but also with the Community, recognizing thus their experience and wisdom."

When the church speaks of the importance of the laity, it is referring to the empowerment of the laic in it, causing the laity to assume responsability for the building of the Kingdom of God, in a community way and with a sense of church.

This was a powerful moment, understood and accepted by the community, which afterwards was much remarked about among the people.


"As his life was pleasing to the Lord, the Lord acted quickly to remove him from the midst of evil. The people see, but neither hear nor understand, that God treats his chosen with mercy and goodness, watching over his faithful ones." Wisdom 4:14-15


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