 |
| January 2005 |
| Pacem in Terris Monastery in Colombia
moving forward |
Gene Young
Managing Editor |
A new monastery in Colombia supported
by the Sioux Falls diocese is coming close to being finished.
Bishop Robert J. Carlson has been promoting “Pacem in
Terris” (Peace On Earth) Chapel and mission in Villa de
Leyva, Colombia.
The monastery is part of Bishop Carlson’s effort to promote
peace in Colombia and the world. “The mission in Colombia
has been something that, for me, has come out of prayer,”
the bishop said.
The idea dates back to 2002 when through prayer, the bishop
understood that he should work toward building the monastery
and chapel and dedicate the effort toward praying for peace
and centering it on Eucharistic adoration.
Bishop Carlson communicated his plan to the Apostolic Nuncio
to the United States, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo who is a native
of Colombia. Permission was granted and along with diocesan
priest, Father Luis Mesa, also a native of Colombia, set out
to find a place to locate the mission and monastery.
Bishop Carlson and Father Mesa worked with the bishop of the
Diocese of Chiquinquira to locate the monastery in Villa de
Leyva, a village of 5,000, two-and-a-half hours north of Bogota.
“It is a village that was founded in 1532,” said
Father Mesa. “It is a national monument. The history and
background for this town is just incredible.”
The village is already home to a community of Discalced Carmelite
Sisters whose monastery was founded in 1635 in the village.”
While the chapel is finished, the rest of the monastery property
is being completed. An existing house on the property is being
converted to monastery space for the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
who will call the monastery home.
The community of sisters at the monastery will be from the same
order as the sisters who now call the Sioux Falls diocese home.
The sisters traveling to Colombia, though, will come from a
different monastery in Tampico, Mexico than the sisters who
now reside in Sioux Falls.
“It is almost ready for them to come,” said Father
Mesa. “We had to work on a water system. We had to do
some changes to the property but it is ready for eight of the
sisters to come right away.”
The community of Villa de Leyva is excited about having the
sisters arrive at the monastery and begin perpetual adoration
and prayers for peace.
“Peace is something I have been very concerned about,”
said Bishop Carlson. “I believe that the only way we are
going to get peace is if we turn to Jesus, the prince of peace.”
The bishop points to how clear Pope John Paul II has been in
all of his writings about praying for peace. “It is interesting
to me,” said the bishop, “that this place which
is focused on peace and has the Eucharist at its heart is something
that is happening in the Year of the Eucharist.”
“Every person can help bring peace to the world if they
pray because it will first come to their own heart, then it
will come to their family, and then to their community, then
to their nation and then to the world,” the bishop said.
“I think it is going to be a sister diocese relationship,
so there will be ties for, I’m sure, a long, long time,”
said Father Mesa.
The community of Villa de Leyva is dominated by the faith of
the people.
“Throughout the whole day, all you hear is the bells that
start calling people for Mass,” said Father Mesa. “They
call the people at noon for the Angelus. They call the people
in the evening for Vespers.”
Many people in the village trace their roots back hundreds of
years there. “They don’t have a lot of material
things,” said Father Mesa, “so the thing they treasure
the most is their faith and that’s the most solid thing
they can fall back on, or rely on or trust in.”
Bishop Carlson realizes that the monastery and mission effort
will only succeed with help from people in the form of prayer
and other support. “So, we turn to men and women of good
will who are concerned about peace and we invite them, to the
extent that they can, to help us make this happen,” he
said.
The chapel and monastery have been constructed with the help
and dedication of local laborers and materials.
Having the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in town and sharing
Eucharistic Adoration will make a big difference for the people
of Villa de Leyva and great influence for both.
“I think it is going to be a real blessing for everybody,”
said Father Mesa. “It is going to be a beautiful monastery.” |
|
|
|
