Compañeros en Cristo Update

The Rev. Canon John Schramm emailed the following Compañeros en Cristo update on April 29, 2024.

It is with great delight that I send you this message. I heard from Madre Rosa Angélica today. You know that we have sent some money to her on behalf of her parish, San José de la Montaña. St Thomas sent $500 from money they had earmarked for Honduras, and the diocese also sent $500 through Compañeros en Cristo. 

I heard today what Madre Rosa actually did with the money. She hired a bus and took the whole parish to the diocesan retreat center, Muchilena, Omoa. Yesterday the bus took the whole parish and they had mass and teachings in the chapel whose foundations and first structure the Diocese of Northern Indiana began. Then they played games with the children and adults, and went swimming in the ocean nearby. Even the hard-working women who always do the cooking and such were able to spend time in the water. I have pictures appended to this email.

I hardly need to tell you what a blessing to the people of San José this was. These are poor folks, as you know, and a trip by bus to Muchilena and much less the beach on the ocean, these are things they cannot afford. I daresay that this will be a blessing that they will remember for a long time to come. And we can be pleased to think that somewhere along the line they will remember us in Indiana who enabled their priest to give them this blessing. Madre Rosa spent most of the money on the parish and so still lacks $170 for her alb. But I think I have a source from which I can secure this amount. Enjoy the pictures and keep Madre Rosa Angélica and the Church of San José de la Montaña in your prayers.

Hurricane Relief Aid Needed for Diocese of Honduras

Update: Since this request was received, another hurricane maybe even stronger than Eta, hit Honduras this week, threatening another catastrophe on top of the original—third catastrophe if we include COVID.

Nov. 12, 2020

Dear Northern Indiana Diocesan Family:

You have probably heard news reports by now on the devastation caused by Hurricane and then tropical storm Eta.  Even now its remnants are soaking parts of Florida, but a week ago it was causing catastrophic damage to parts of Honduras.  San Pedro Sula, where the Episcopal Cathedral, El Buen Pastor, is located, was especially inundated, since all of the rains in the mountains flow down and collect there.  The airport our teams flew into was flooded, inside and out—by several feet according to the pictures.  A town named La Lima, close by, was particularly hard hit—waters up to the eaves of houses and everything inside lost.  There are roads and bridges destroyed and travel is impossible between certain locations.

The Bishop of Honduras has made the Cathedral a center for storing supplies and distributing them to those in need.  I am waiting to hear more particularly, but I know now that the need for money to buy supplies will be great. 

Therefore I ask you to send a contribution, if you are able, to the Diocese of Northern Indiana, marked Compañeros en Cristo, the name of our companion relationship committee.  It is sometimes forgotten that the Diocese of Honduras has been in companionship with us since 1997.  All funds sent to the Diocese marked with this committee name will be sent on to the Bishop in Honduras.

Please give as you are able.  I will update you as I hear more.  It seems urgent to get money to Honduras as soon as possible.

Blessings!

Fr John Schramm, on behalf of Compañeros en Cristo