Over the Christmas holiday several Lafayette Seminarians took part in Mission Immersion Experiences.               

After final exams, seminarians Travis Abadie, Matthew Barzare, Jesse Davis, and Deacon William Schambough participated in Notre Dame Seminary’s annual mission trip to Granada, Nicaragua.  The mission experience is named Acompaño meaning “to walk with.” During the nine-day stay these seminarians, accompanied by several of their classmates from other dioceses, experienced first hand missionary activity in the life of the Church.   Guided with the encyclical Redemptoris Missio by Blessed Pope John Paul II, the seminarians laid the foundation for a parish rectory, visited children in orphanages, administered communion to the sick, blessed homes with the assistance of transitional deacons, and attended conferences with the bishop and priests of the Diocese of Granada.  The seminarians were fully immersed in the life of the Church in a country where families experience much financial hardship and suffering.  Deacon William Schambough, after completing his fourth visit to Nicaragua commented: “The mission experience allows the Notre Dame Seminarian to fully examine his own poverty that keeps him from fully providing the gospel to God’s people and to the world.  Our poverty as ministers, although not always rooted in financial hardship, may extend to the lack of knowing a foreign language or even an unfamiliarity of authentic Catholic social doctrine.  However, God provides answers through His Church.”  The faithful Catholics of Nicaragua have taught all of these seminarians well.

                 Seminarians Alex Albert and Michael Richard took part in St. Joseph Seminary College’s senior mission trip to Esquipulas, Guatemala.  They spent a week in the city learning about the education system, the poverty, and the health situation of the people of Guatemala.  The seminarians lived in a house among the people of Esquipulas and had many opportunities to talk to the people and see their daily struggles.  Esquipulas is a city of pilgrimage for the people of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to give thanks to the Lord for all that they have.  The town is centered by the Basilica of El Christo Negro (The Black Christ).  In the Basilica there stands a life sized statue of the entire crucifixion scene with Christ on the cross and Mary, John and Mary Magdalene standing around him.  The statue was made over 400 years ago and has been venerated ever since.  Michael Richard states, “Our pilgrimage gave us an amazing opportunity to be with the people of Esquipulas.  We saw their struggles and their joys.  We also saw extreme poverty.  One afternoon we visited the families who live in the mountains outside of town.  I was struck by a family of six that we met.  The father invited us into their home, which was nothing more than a 10×10 shack, and could not stop talking about all the amazing things that God has done in his life.”  The seminarians came away with a renewed sense of the universal church and the call of Christ to care for the poor and the needy wherever they may be.