A Letter of Fr. Larry Duffy, S.M from ROME...First Spiritual CHSG Director

Dear Bong,

You will pardon me if I only really reply to your various email now after a bit of a delay. You sent me a number of different ones and I really like to see the photo of the family.



The reason for the long delay in writing to you is I was in Mexico to visit our 3 novices from Peru-Venezuela district near Mexico city , and our three theologians who are in Guadalajara to see how they are getting on, and also to have a meeting with the Provincial of Mexico and the District Superior of Brazil about formation and matters that we have in common. Lots of listening, meetings, travel by road, but Mexico is a lovely place to visit. I lit a candle for you at the Great Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is an extraordinary place to visit. Thousands of people pass the miraculous picture of the Virgin every day. If you don't know the story it is worth looking up. The image itself has no natural explanation.



I am now back to the reality of Callao which is usually dull and cloudy at this time of year. , but we have having an extended summer and the sun is still shining and it is warm. Soon the sun will hide itself and just give a hint of its presence perhaps until near the end of the year. But with a lot of climate change who knows, good things can happen as well.



Bong you are doing great good with all this work of the CHSG and who knew that it would be thriving so many years after your early youthful enthusiastic efforts. Your determination and the grace of God are doing great things. I hope you always are a very prayerful, humble and loving man. Great trials sometimes come to the best friends of God in his Church as he purifies them and makes them really holy. But if you do get trials they also bring deeper joy. When I get some time I will have a look at the blog and do as you ask with the talks.



My sister, Patricia, is now a widow of just over two months, and she has not had one day without visitors, often three or four, so she hardly has a minute. In reality I think she is acting a non-paid counsellor to lots of folks. She is fully trustworthy and never talks about what people say and so people seem to trust her. She needs time to grieve, but she had no time really. Andrea, her youngest daughter lives at home – she is twenty and a bundle of find most of the time. That also helps.



In a few weeks I’ll be off to the North of Peru to take the place of a Spanish Marist parish priest who will take his holidays for two months. It will be a big task along with the work of district superior. It is a huge parish and it will keep me on my toes, but I will enjoy so much bring Christ to the people in so many ways.



Give my love to your family and the whole CHSG



Blessings,



Fr Larry