News of the MSP Sisters in Ilo-Moquegua, Peru

Pope Francis’s words, "I want to stir up the parishes," challenged and encouraged us to stir things up a bit at one of our mission chapels, the Virgin of Guadalupe Chapel. After being away to visit family in Cusco, we noticed that many children, young people, and adults had stopped attending catechism classes and Sunday Mass. Consequently, we decided to reach out to families by going door-to-door to encourage them to continue their sacramental preparation and to remind them that Sunday remains the Lord’s Day. During these visits, in addition to collecting phone numbers to stay in touch, we encountered a surprise.

Some of the people we visited had never once stepped inside the chapel, even though it was located very close to their homes. Meanwhile, at the Saints Joachim and Anne Soup Kitchen—frequented primarily by the elderly—perseverance continues to bear fruit. Each day begins with a time of prayer, followed by various educational and recreational activities. We have recently introduced biblical reflection. Many participants engage in this using Aymara, their native language, which allows them to express themselves with greater ease and depth.