Dear Parishioners and Friends,
One of the great blessings for our parish last year was Mission Immersion Peru 2025. A group of sixteen parishioners and friends journeyed to Peru, where the Paulist Missionaries serve communities who live with hardships many of us rarely encounter. It was a grace-filled experience that allowed us not only to witness their ministry, but also to encounter the deep faith, resilience, and generosity of the people we met.
During our preparatory meetings, a community spirit began to grow among the group members. By the time we arrived in Peru, that bond had already taken root, and during the following three weeks it deepened through moments of prayer, service, reflection, and shared experiences. I am deeply grateful to Joyce, Amanda, Charlie and Rita, Yvonne, Pauline, Daniela, Ally, Anthony, Cindy and Adam, Lesley-Anne, Marlyse, Lee-Anne, Ophelia, and Annabelle. Your generosity, patience, openness to learning, perseverance in challenging situations, and your warm outreach to the people we encountered were truly inspiring. Your presence became a witness to faith and solidarity.
One of the greatest gifts of this experience was the spirit of encounter. Within our group and with the people we visited, we discovered again how powerful it is simply to be present to one another. Through shared work and the hospitality offered and received, we experienced something of the joy of the Gospel. On one occasion I thanked a man for his warm welcome. He replied: “Thank YOU Padre, and thank your group for thinking of us and coming to visit us.” Mission is not only about what we give, but also about what we humbly receive.
Please join me in praying for Bishop Giovanni and his dedicated team in Huancané who welcomed us so warmly; Fr Alex and his co-workers at the orphanage and clinic in Arequipa; Frs Victor and Carlos at St Paul’s and St Helen’s parishes; and the many others whose lives touched ours. Their love for the poor and the vulnerable reflects the heart of the Gospel and echoes the words of Jesus: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
May the grace of this experience continue to bear fruit in all our lives.
God bless you
Fr Silvio