Santa Maria del Mexicano de Colon, QRO. I.A.P.
APDO. Postal No. 13, C.P. 76270
Colon, Queretaro, Mexico
To dial phone direct from U.S. 011 52 429 20245
Direct FAX from U.S. 011 52 429 20046
Mexico: LADA (91-429) 20248
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1999
A SHARED THOUGHT
LIFE IS OS FILLED WITH SO MANY WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL MYSTERIES. REALLY IT IS MIND BOGGLING IN ATTEMPTING TO DISSECT AND ANALYZE THE MANY AND TANTALIZING PARADOXES OF OUR TIMES. WHEN PLAYING AROUND WITH THESE THOUGHTS AND THEN PRAYING OVER THEM IS INDEED A FASCINATING PASTIME. HERE IN MEXICO THERE ARE THINGS SO INCREDIBLE THAT ONE MUST ALMOST HAVE TO LAUGH AND CRY AT THE SAME TIME. MATERIALLY SPEAKING, BUILDINGS ARE BIGGER AND MORE BEAUTIFUL BUT YET JUST A COUPLE HUNDRED OF MILES AWAY WHERE THEY HAVE DEFORESTED THOUSANDS OF ACRES TO BUILD THE "BEAUTIFUL" AND TO PUBLICIZE IT, THEY LEFT DEFENSELESS THOUSANDS OF POVERTY STRICKEN PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES AND HOMES WERE DESTROYED BY MUD SLIDES CAUSED BY THIS GREAT ADVANCEMENT OF OUR NEW "GOD". TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTIVITY.
NOT LONG AGO I READ AN ARTICLE ENTITLED, "PARADOX OF OUR TIMES" THAT BROUGHT HOME AND TO LIGHT SOME VALUABLE THOUGHTS. "THE PARADOX OF OUR TIME IN HISTORY IS THAT WE HAVE WIDER FREEWAYS BUT NARROW VIEWPOINTS; TALLER BUILDINGS BUT SHORTER TEMPERS; WE SPEND MORE BUT HAVE LESS; WE BUY MORE AND ENJOY LESS." HOW VERY TRUE IS THIS FALSEHOOD THAT WE ARE LIVING. BIGGER HOUSES, SMALLER FAMILIES; MORE CONVENIENCES BUT LESS TIME; MORE KNOWLEDGE BUT POORER JUDGMENT; MORE EXPERTS BUT MORE PROBLEMS; MORE MEDICINE BUT LESS HEALTH.
THIS COULD CONTINUE ON AND ON WITHOUT MUCH THINKING, ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF OBSERVATION IS ENOUGH. ONE THING IS CERTAIN, WE HAVE INDEED MULTIPLIED OUR POSSESSIONS BUT HAVE TREMENDOUSLY REDUCED OUR VALUES. LIFE WITHOUT VALUES IS AS PART OF OUR OTHER "GODS", MODERNISM AND NIHILISM, WHICH IN REALITY ARE ABSOLUTELY GODLESS.
POINT: WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT? FORGET ABOUT BEAUTIFUL HOUSES, CARS, CLOTHING, VACATIONS AND GIVE MORE TIME TO YOUR FAMILY, YOUR NEIGHBOR AND ESPECIALLY TO YOUR CREATOR AND PROVIDER, E.G. GOD. ONLY IN GOD WILL YOU BE AT PEACE AND HAPPINESS WILL ABIDE IN YOUR HEART. St. AUGUSTINE SAID THIS HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO AND NO ONE HAS PROVEN HIM WRONG, AND I DOUBT IT VERY MUCH IF ANYONE EVER WILL PROVE THIS WRONG
IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION
NEW RULES AND REGULATIONS RECENTLY ENFORCED BY THE BANKING SYSTEM HERE IN MEXICO MAKE IT NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO CASH CHECKS THAT ARE NOT EXACTLY WRITTEN IN THE NAME OF OUR ACCOUNT. SO PLEASE, ALL CHECKS SENT TO MEXICO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER SHOULD BE MADE OUT TO:
1) SANTA MARIA DEL MEXICANO OR
2) FR. CLIFFORD A. NORMAN
LAUNDERING OF MONEY HAS BROUGHT THIS ABOUT.
NORMAL PROCEDURE IS TO SEND CHECKS TO: SANTA MARIA-HAND OF HELP, P.O. BOX 1406, ROBSTOWN, TX, 78380
Thank you very much
DURANGO, COLORADO VISITORS - JAMES MANNELLY FAMILY
JAMES AND CISSY MANNELLY AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN, PATRICK, COLLEEN AND JOSEPH VISITED AND REDEDICATED A 1000 SQ. YD. BUILDING, WITH THREE FLOORS, THAT IS 3/4 FINISHED. THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND PATRICK WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MIRACLE OF ST. PHILOMENA. IT WAS ON THE OCCASION OF CISSY'S BIRTHDAY. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL AND UNFORGETTABLE DAY FOR ALL PRESENT. THEY ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR "LITTLE FAMILY" AND WHAT A BLESSING THIS IS FOR US.
NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL
WHAT A WONDERFUL TRANSFORMATION HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED HERE IN SANTA MARIA WITH OUR NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL. ONLY LAST MONTH OUR SCHOOL COMPETED AGAINST ELEVEN OTHER SCHOOLS AND I AM PROUD TO TELL YOU THAT WE WON THE TROPHY OF "INTELLIGENCE" THAT IS #1 IN A RIGID TESTING EVALUATION THAT IS JUDGED BY OTHER TEACHERS WHO ARE SOMEWHAT ENVIOUS OF OUR RESULTS. OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE: "EXCELLENCE" IN ALL ASPECTS- FOR GOD AND COUNTRY."
FR. JOHN HENLEY AND SISTERS
FR. JOHN CONTINUES TO MOVE ALL OF US BY HIS CONSTANT PRODUCTIVE WORK. A GREAT MAN AND EVEN GREATER PRIEST. THE SISTERS AND ESPECIALLY SR. MARIA TERESA PACHECO WERE BEAMING WITH JOY RECENTLY WHEN ONE OF OUR GIRLS ENTERED THE FORMATION FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. ALSO FR. JOHN AND SISTER MARY CARMEN SANDOVAL, BOTH FROM THE SOCIETY OF OUR LADY PAID A VISIT TO US.
CHILDREN
WE NOW HAVE ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR - TOO MANY. NOT REALLY. IT IS JUST THAT OUR STAFF IS SOMEWHAT SMALL AND AT TIMES THE TASK OF CARING FOR THEM AND ATTEMPTING TO FORM THEM IS SOMEWHAT OVERWHELMING. YET THE GOOD LORD PROVIDES US WITH THE NECESSARY MEANS TO DO THE JOB., JUST A SMALL REMINDER, IF YOU CAN SPEAK SPANISH WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GOOD DEDICATED-STAFF MEMBERS. YOU JUST MIGHT WANT TO ACCEPT THIS INVITATION FOR THE LORD
ANOTHER WONDERFUL THOUGHT
THERE ARE SO MANY ELDERLY AND OTHERS NOT SO ELDERLY WHO REALLY DON'T KNOW, OR DON'T HAVE RELATIVES, ETC. ETC. TO REMEMBER IN THEIR WILLS. I KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT OUR PROGRAM WHICH IS GROWING GREATLY WILL BE NEEDING HELP IN THE FUTURE. IF YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE OR EVEN MAYBE YOURSELF. PLEASE MENTION US IN YOUR WILL AND TESTAMENT. YOU WILL BE WONDERFULLY BLESSED BY THE LORD. THANK YOU.
WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE LOVE YOU AND PRAY FOR YOU EVERY DAY. YOU ARE SHARING IN A GREAT WORK OF THE LORD IN TAKING THESE CHILDREN FROM IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS AND FORMING THEM INTO CREDITABLE CITIZENS AND CHRISTIANS
P.S. SORRY THAT TIME DOES NOT PERMIT A PERSONAL NOTE.
CHILDREN, STAFF, SISTERS, FR. JOHN, AND FR. CLIFF NORMAN