Fr. Denis, rector of St Meinrad came to visit along with another monk, Fr Raymond, and a priest of Indianapolis who works at the seminary, Fr Peter. It was good of them to come. I remember last year, when I spent the summer in Omaha, Fr Denis and Fr Godfrey came to visit us there. Father likes to visit groups of his seminarians during the summer, which means a lot to us, especially considering the distances that are often involved, because it is a testament to how much our seminary cares for us. Anyhow, we got to spend some time with the priests and had dinner at Fridas. Fr Peter bought a few drinks for us afterwards. Got home around 9 in time for part of a party celebrating the return of a student who lived here in the house last year. Good day and night.
Tuesday, June 19
Went to Las Palmas...awesome. Studied.
Wednesday, June 20
Pretty normal day
Thursday, June 21
Returned to the market for some supplies...that was the excitement of the day
Friday, June 22
Went to Guatemala City again on the Probigua bus. One of the neat things about the Spanish school I attend here is that part of its mission is to expand literacy in Guatemala. The school owns an old school bus, much like the Pollo busses here, and the thing has become a bit of a book mobile. Book shelves and books all over the place, but still plenty of seating. The bus goes to different places in Guatemala and school kids get on and read. Petty cool. We took the bus to Guatemala city and looked around there for a while. Saw the cathedral. Pope JP 2 came there around 2002 to canonize Centeal America's first saint, St Peter de San Jose Betancur, whose remains are no in Antigua at San Fransisco. Beautiful church. Also visited the Palacio Nacional de la Cultura Ciudad de Guatemala. Cool stuff
Saturday, June 23
Slept in. Nice. Had planned to go swimming but the rain came and prevented that. But had a nice day thigh the family and then went out in the night with them. I have been blessed with a wonderful host family!
Sunday, June 24
Breakfast at Cafe Condesa. Mass at the cathedral and again I understood the homily. Same young and holy priest as last time. Father talked about the two questions Jesus posits in the gospel: why are you afraid? Have you no faith? Beautiful homily. Spoke about the many problems people have in life and here, and said that at the end of the day we simply need to ask Jesus, where are you?, and make a statement of belief. What a terrific homily. Lengthy but good. Interestingly, while in the US the Church celebrated the feast of the nativity of John the Baptist, here that feast has been moved to July 25 in order that the twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time can be observed. Spent time with friends in the afternoon, went to a bible group at La Fonda de la Calle Real, and then off to meet a friend studying for the Fathers of Mercy who just returned from a trip. Went to a pizza place for dinner. Good day.
