Andean Dancing Group. Photo:cavna.com.
In the parish of Combapata in the Andes of Peru, the biggest feast of the year is that of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, which is held for the three days of the 6th, 7th and 8th of October. For 12 years I lived there, and yesterday I returned technologically. I rang up some friends there on messenger to see how the fiesta was going, and one of them was Benigna who was the parish secretary and a great missionary to the rural communities when I was there.
When she answered on her cell phone, she was just coming down in a van from Yanaoca, where she works with children in the parish where Columban associate Michael McKinnon lives and works. Then, in 15 magical minutes, she took me, via her phone, around the plaza where I saw some of the 18 dance groups performing, each with a band, including the youth Tinkus group, which I had helped to form.
From there we entered the church to pray for a moment in the presence of a newly robed image of Mary. Benigna then took me to the shop of Jaime, restricted to a wheelchair, but who had helped me by leading other communities in the Sallca Valley.
Next, Benigna took me to talk to some other old friends, including those organising the fiesta. At present, there is no priest in residence in Combapata. Newly ordained Edgar comes on Sundays, and now for the fiesta. But such is the devotion of the people that many now living in Lima or Arequipa return each year for the celebration, which continues to grow as it is entirely organised by the people and so does not depend on the priest.
It was a great blessing for me to see how the people continue to express their love for the mother of our Saviour, and I felt for those precious moments that I was actually back there with them.
Columban Fr Don Hornsey lives and works in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban eBulletin
