When the first Consolata Missionaries arrived in Mexico in 2008, they rented an apartment in the village of San Antonio Juanacaxtle, in the outskirts of Guadalajara, at the invitation of a local family. Their aim was twofold: to lend a hand to the local Church where there was most need and to find vocations for their worldwide missions. On Christmas of 2016, the missionaries moved to a new house they had managed to build in the same village.
Since the house hosts the fathers and the first Mexican Consolata seminarians, it would be of great advantage to purchase a piece of land attached to it, as the house has none. The land will be used as a playground for the seminarians and local youth, as a parking lot when Holy Mass or other events open to the public take place at the house hall, and, in part, as a vegetable garden. At the new Consolata Missionary House, the Sunday Holy Mass is celebrated every Saturday evening; a parking facility will greatly increase the opportunity to attend.
A group of local young people gather after Mass to deepen the knowledge of their faith. They are led by one of the Fathers and a Seminarian.
An area for them to play sports will attract them even more. The benefit of having the possibility of doing some daily physical exercise for students – albeit for everybody – is showing more and more crucial for one’s health.
The availability of a parking place is a great advantage since the dirt road leading to the Consolata House is only about 10 feet wide and all the properties along it are private. Finally the tending of a vegetable garden will train the seminarians to look for ways to be self-supporting in life. This lesson is important not only for them, as they will have to fend for themselves in whatever mission they happen to work, but also as an activity for them to pass on to the people they will be sent to. Besides, local young people will have the opportunity to learn to do the same at their homes.
Father Patrick, the local Consolata Missionaries Administrator, has done the numbers and told us that the total cost of the purchase is $14,600.
On behalf of our missionaries and of all the people in San Antonio who will benefit from this project, I thank you in advance for your support.
Your help to the Consolata Missionaries in Mexico on their 10th year of activity in this country would be of high value: It will consolidate their presence and boost their mission among people who have shown to be so receptive of their witness.