First Wedding 2 of 2

My first wedding in Brazil. See previous blog for wedding ceremony. 2 of 2.

All aboard on the parish jeep for the reception
The reception was held in the family home
Washing the dishes in the local water hole
Cooking the food
In the Hen House - literally!


After the reception the bride asked me for a lift into town to do some shopping. This has to be the first time I did a wedding and brought the bride home with me!!!!!

First Wedding 1 of 2

27th July I officiated at my first wedding in the community of John The Baptist. This is an area of forest owned by some rich landlord living elsewhere and it was invaded by the poor - these "Invasions" are very common but dangerous. Often it is followed by killings, usually by the landlord or his deputies, who acquired the land in a dubious manner in the first place. This is a big political problem in Brazil today.

The poor are hungry and the rich are powerful.

The Church - Igreja São João Batista

Full House & Parish Jeep

The Vows
The Happy Couple
The Road to Happiness, including football

See other blog for wedding reception pictures......

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Santa Clara bids farewell to Pe. Miguel

The other church in the town is Santa Clara and they had a little party to bid farewell to Michael.

Some of the local kids
The Altar area in Santa Clara

One thing that is not short here is the best of hard wood timber

Some more of the locals

First we had to have a sing song before "bebidas e comes" - "Drinks & Eats"

(all home made). The wooden church is also the hall and meeting area.

São Pedro bids farewell to Padre Miguel

São Pedro is the Main / Mother Church and a group of locals organised a Churrasco {BBQ} and music in the grounds of the church to say farewell to Michael.

Always music at the drop of a hat

The chef at work with a makeshift BBQ

A musical tribute under the palms

Michael & Neuza {Catechist Co-ordinator}

Also my travelling companion & navigator to all the communities

SORRY NO MOBILES

Many thanks to all who have been sending regular mobile phone text messages, but sadly that technology has yet to reach here.

I suppose we are lucky to have electricity, there are big diesel engines on the outskirts of the town that supply power and if they break down or run out of fuel in the rainy season then its up to the wood burners.

Juruena, Mato Grosso - ARRIVAL

Bom Dia / Hi all,

At last I have arrived. Where???
It is like an oasis in the middle of the sea of the jungle. To get here it took a 2 hour flight from Sao Paulo to Cuiaba {Capital of Mato Grosso state}. Then an overnight 14 hour bus journey to the bishop´s house on Juina. Only half the journey was on paved roads. That was a rough journey and I was glad it was overnight, because when daylight came and I saw the conditions of the so-called-roads and bridges, I would have been praying the whole time.
Then Fr. Michael Byrne was waiting with the parish Jeep to bring me on the final 4 hour road journey to Juruena.

Of course it was all dirt tracks with pot holes bigger that Tom Furlong´s swimming pool, see below. {At 31c inside and 36c outside and this is the winter, how I would love to have your pool here Tom}.

{Tom in his pool}

I am in the middle of the middle of nowhere it seems. The town has all dirt roads except the main street is paved. A lorry goes around all day, every day, spraying water on the roads to keep the dust down.

There are 20 communities in the parish all miles outside the town on dirt roads. Last week I visted two a day with mass in each. Morning and night, out all day and night. Part of my work will be to visit each community at least once a month.

Michael Byrne is here with me until next Monday and then he returns to Ireland to take up his new duties as Parish Priest of Cushinstown outside New Ross. {Paddy is also on the move to St. Senan´s Parish in Enniscorthy - I wish him well}. So I will be on my own until mid September when Fr. Paudie Moloughney arrives back from Ireland. So it will be sink or swim for me for the next three months, especially in terms of the my three months of language training. {Say a prayer for me}.

Any way more news later - this not my computor - here is my new address / Endereço:

Casa Paroquial
Travessa Frei Caneca S/Nº
CP 02
CEP 78.340-000
Juruena
Mato Grosso
Brazil

Tel: 00 55 66 3553 1214

EMAIL carnew@gmail.com

Sorry no mobile phone coverage here. I miss this as I used to receive regular text messages from home.

Tchau

Denis

Rio de Janeiro

While waiting in Sao Paulo for more documents to arrive from the Federal Police I took the opportunity to visit a very cold Rio de Janeiro - winter here.

A cold winters day on Copacaban Beach in Rio

I was in the middle of world cup fever - Brazil won the match on this day and the party in the street began

With a guide from a local parish we ventured where few tourists would go, a favela {shanty town} we took a local and ancient tram and of course we gathered a few hangers on as we climbed the hill.

With Fr. Muriuki {from Kenya} at Christ The Redeemer

A view from the Christ The Redeemer of the Sugarloaf mountain and Rio Harbour.