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As our friends are aware we have spent many months campaigning together with the local people, for the removal of the large telecoms antennae which, being erected too close to our monastery and the dwellings of the people, are a serious health threat. After much effort and many approaches to the local and national authorities we have finally received an official letter from the Minister for the Environment in Lima informing us that the antennae are in fact installed illegally and he cites the law which governs these matters. So please will you keep up your good prayers that our local mayor will be prompt in his duty of having the masts removed from their present site. He is reluctant to do so because they bring a certain amount of revenue for the local council. One day recently we saw several workmen climbing on the masts and we rejoiced to think that they were being dismantled, but alas, the men were doing routine repairs and the masts still stand towering over our little town of Sechura.

In March our Archbishop sent a letter to all the religious in the Archdiocese asking for prayers for a ‘Gran Mision Catolica’ in Piura and Tumbes (near us) during 2004 and 2005. He made the official announcement at the Chrism Mass on 1 April. This, together with the year of the Eucharist which the Holy Father has proclaimed from October 2004 to October 2005, will be a wonderful opportunity for everyone and we hope that even more people will be drawn to come and pray in our chapel and share in our Adoration.

Our annual retreat in March preached by Rev.Padre Uriel OSB was a time of many graces, not only for us, but for all the people who came and listened to the conferences in the church and had confession and spiritual guidance from Padre Uriel. Padre brought with him Brother Jorge for two days during which time the good brother worked very hard in our chacra extracting the honey from the bee hives. He brought with him a centrifuge for us to separate the honey from the wax ­ so now we have beautiful bees honey and bees-wax for making candles.

For the moment we have had to suspend work on our enclosure fence due to lack of funds. To build an effective fence in the desert is not a simple procedure as care has to be taken that the fence will be able to withstand the onslaught of sands in the desert winds. Hopefully we will be able to continue work before too long.

Events

On 23 June we celebrated the grand event of the Monastic Profession of our Madre Emanuel at which our Archbishop was the chief celebrant. He was assisted by Rt.Rev. Abbot Paul Stonham OSB of Belmont Abbey and Padre Simon OSB with 4 of the monks from the monastery at Tambogrande, Rev.Padre Juan Luis Hernandez Ostudillo S.J. Superior of the Jesuit Fathers, and Rev.Padre Edwin Castro. It was a beautiful thing to have so many priests from various orders share in our joy and the gift of herself by Madre Emanuel to the Lord. Quite a number of our Oblates were able to be present and many religious from other Orders. The church was full and Madre Emanuel’s mother and sister had travelled all the way from New Zealand to be with her on this special day. Padre Paul gave an excellent homily on the monk ­ the one alone with God. At the reception afterwards many children from local schools entertained us with traditional dances and songs. May God continue to bless our country with good vocations to the priesthood and the religious life, and may he grant those whom he calls the generosity of heart to respond with all their being. Amen. Alleluia!