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Dear Friends of the Missions,
The time is passing by very quickly. The most important Christian holidays are coming - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, I would like to share some of my thoughts connected with various aspects of our apostolic vicariate. I would like to mention a pastoral Synod which took place on 27th - 29th February in the current year. Assembled in the community, we experienced the unity in realization of the vocation to work in the God's vineyard - our local Church. I am sure that the bonds among priests, consecrated people and lay people involved in the pastoral work were tightened. Ninety participants took part in the Synod. During the meetings we assessed the Pastoral Plan, the motto of which is: "Through experiencing Christ deeply, try to develop our local Church as a community of unity, solidarity, responsible and missionary, which accomplishes the processes of evangelization, promotion of human beings and pastoral work." I associate the Synod with the evangelic scene from the Gospel of St. Luke in which seventy-two disciples of Christ return from the "mission" and share their experience with their Master (Luke 10, 17).
During the Synod we were looking at our work and at our service in the light of the document from last year's V Latin American and Caribbean General Episcopal Conference which took place in Aparecida, a town in Brazil. Its motto was: "Be faithful disciples and followers of Christ - the Way, the Truth and the Life - so that the Latin American community has abundant life."
Other news, this time sad ones, are connected with numerous floods in Bolivia. The El Carmen parish suffered the most in our Vicariate. Five towns were completely flooded and people had to be evacuated. Almost two thousand people dwell in tents in Los Troncos. Our diocesan Caritas, the Theresian Sisters, the parson Fr. Stanislaw Skrzydło and Br. Felix Skrzypacz, the director of the hospital in El Fortin, help them. Thanks to these people and institutions we can feel the presence of merciful Christ who comforts His fold, raises our hope and shows us new horizons. One of the nuns sent me a very moving letter and I would like to present a part of it here. "[...] a doctor called me and asked me for lending him a car. He wanted to help a woman from a flood zone. She was pregnant and she had a bleeding. Moreover, there were some symptoms of childbirth despite the fact that it was too early. Together with other people I went to find the woman. We travelled across one of the branches of the river without greatest problems but we did not find the woman in her house. As we later found out, she walked 22 kilometres to the neighbouring village, heedless of the birth pangs. Our car got stuck in the mud and we could not continue the journey. We were surrounded by the water. A found something to support myself and I was wading through the mud to find the ill woman. It was quite an effort for me, I was shaky on my feet and I was falling down. I felt like the pregnant Mary on her way to Bethlehem where she delivered the baby. I was reflecting on the worth of human life which could be endangered in case of that woman. After passing most of the distance I noticed her and my heart trembled. After a while she told me that she had been walking for five hours. We took her to the car. During the ride nobody spoke. We rescued her.
When we arrived she thanked us cordially."
Dear Brothers and Sister
Similar situations often take place in our reality. On the one hand there is danger and suffering and on the other hand love and friendliness. We see clearly that God is together with His people.
Dear Benefactors and Friends, I would like to finish this letter with the words I directed to my diocesans on the occasion of Christ's Resurrection. In Bolivia, as well as in other parts of the world, people fight for power and wealth. Fundamental rights of human beings are often forgotten then. In such situations there is the need for experiencing good which should be sowed by the followers of Jesus Christ - by those who are humble, loyal, ready to lay down their lives for God and for their neighbours, who do not let evil and lies deceive them. On the contrary, they try to change the world through justice and truth. Today the world needs Christ's disciples who are aware of the fact that the Church flourishes and grows not through proselytism or literal law keeping but through love and merciful service.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, God tells us: "Don't be afraid" (Matthew 28, 5). Likewise in the morning of Christ's resurrection, he directs the following words to all of us: "Why are you looking in the place of the death for someone who is alive?" (Luke 24, 5). Let the signs of the resurrected Christ's victory strengthen us and let us be brave Gospel preachers. At this place I would like to quote words from the earlier mentioned Bishops' meeting in Aparecida: "What identifies us are not dramatic circumstances, social problems or tasks that we should fulfil. What identifies and defines us is an active love we received from the Father thanks to Jesus through anointing of the Holy Spirit" (DA 14).
In the end of the letter I would like to thank you for your loyal attitude, for numerous signs of your belief in Christ who unifies us. Thank you for your prayers and mercy you show also in the economic dimension. We receive lots of your offerings thanks to which we can continue helping the people in need. I would like to allot some of your offerings for improving evangelizing and pastoral activities.
Dear Friend and Partners, I would like to wish you a deep and fruitful experience of Christ's Resurrection.
I bless you from the bottom of my heart
Bp Anthony Bonifacy Reimann
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