Women's Lingerie

Women's Lingerie is not a subject I know much about, thank goodness. But the other day a travelling salesman's lorry stopped outside the parish office and all the women in the area descended on him to see his wares. I thought they were going to buy some sheets or towels or something like than. To a woman, they all came away with arms full of women's underwear. There must have been a special on them, I suppose!!! I wanted to buy a hammock off him, but the women advised me it wouln't hold my weight!! such is life!

Eucharisitc Ministers Training Course

This is an old picture from before Christmas of a Eucharistic Minister Training Course. One of our goals this year is to train new ministers of the Eucharist for the outlying communities, so that more of our churches can have the Reservation of The Blessed Sacrament. And in the absence of a priest, especially on Sundays their "Culto" (Service) Leader can distribute Holy Communion and these gatherings.

As the PP was away I had to give my first lecture / talk at this course. Needless to say with my bad Portuguese I prepared well, preparing a slide show on my laptop, hoping that the images of the slide show would compensate for my bad grammar etc. We got a loan of a disused farmhouse in a beautiful location, beside the river for the days retreat. It was only on arrival did I discover there was no electricity, so I had no slide show. THE POOR PEOPLE!!!! I'M SURE I BORED THEM TO TEARS.

The New Ministers

A Quiet Wedding

Derek officiated at a quiet wedding in the main church (Santo Antonio also called "The Matriz - Mother Church"). The bride and groom, here in the middle, were already grandparents, but they have been together for years, which seems to be very common here. I am not sure why? Money, maybe or lack of a priest to do the job at the time they became a couple. What amused me about the wedding is that the parish secretary and her husband, a local shopkeeper and local barber were rolled out to be the witnesses.

A Piper from Ireland pays a visit

We are not exactly in the centre of the tourist trade here, as we are very much off the beaten track (14 hours to nearest airport), so when we have a visitor it really makes the news.

Recently we had two visitors.

Paudie Moloughney from Tipperary, is in the parish priest in the next parish north of us, Juruena (about 4 hours away - if the roads are good). Paudie's brother John and a friend Michael, called in to stay a night on the Journey up to Juruena. They had driven up from São Paulo. I am not sure how long it took them, but it took me 5 days in 2006 to drive up.

On the night they arrived our neighbours had invited us to their daughters 5th birthday party. Birthdays are a "big thing" here. So we brought our visitors along with us and John, being a piper, brought his bagpipes with him, and the little girl was speechless with "happy birthday" on the bag pipes. With the noise of them, I'm sure the neighbours were in speechless too.

L-R: John, Paudie and the birthday girl "Tamilly".

Happy Birthday on the bagpipes, she just stared at John, with her mouth open. I think bagpipes are only seen on TV here. That is Michael of the extreme left of the picture.

First Mass in the new Church Santa Rita, Linha 09

The other day myself and our clerical student Vitalis paid a visit to one of two communities named after Santa Rita. This one is called Santa Rita, Linha 09, (meaning line or road number 9). We brought with us a new tabernacle as we were about to say the first Mass in their new church.

This community has a trained Eucharistic Minister and therefore they may have the Blessed Sacrament reserved in their church. Of our 30 communities or churches only 3 churches and the main church in the town have the reservation of The Blessed Sacrament.

The building of this new church was made possible by the generous donations Derek and I have received from people at home and friends of The Kiltegan Fathers. The building work was done the local members themselves. The church coordinator is a young man maybe 20 years of age, so he was generally responsible for keeping this project up and running. It was great to be able to help a young man in that important post. In the absence of the priest (we visit only once a month) the coordinator has an important job.

The old Wooden church on Santa Rita before demolition.

Handing over the tabernacle to the resident Eucharistic Minister.

Another view of the new church. They also received electricity for the first time, so we had lights for Mass. The walls are to be plastered still.
Preparing for Mass. Vitalis on the guitar leads the singing. He is an excellent singer.

The obligatory lazy dogs outside.


Yours truly at the altar. Note the tiled floor and the covered ceiling, and it is also a brick church.

The congregation at the first Mass in the new Church. Now if we could do something about the seating!

Dízimo Castanheira Style

Dízimo (a tenth or tithe) is the name used here to represent peoples contribution to their church. In most of our communities many of the people live a subsistence living, that is living off what the land provides but not necessarily earning too much by the way of money. So the collection basket at Mass is a lot different from home. Here I am returning from a community with the collection in my arms, consisting of: a live hen, a bag of dried beans and three home-made yard brushes!

Derek & Neilo's 60th Birthday

While in São Paulo for the Assembly my parish priest "Derek" and "Neilo" the priest from Scotland both celebrated their 60th birthday so we had an excuse to have a party.

The two birthday boys. (L-R) Derek Byrne {Dublin or N.F.A!!!} & Neilo {Scotland}

Derek and special guest sister Debbie {USA}

This is to prove Derek remembered his wallet and paid the bill!!

Kiltagan Assembly in São Paulo

Each year there is an annual gathering of all the Kiltegan priests and volunteers in the Central House in the city of São Paulo. Most of the men are working in São Paulo city a few (like myself) are working in Mato Grosso state and one is in Recife city working with street kids. Most of the priests are Irish, one is from Scotland and the two students come from Kenya and Nigeria.