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The Bishop Visits

Augustinian of the Midwest Daniel T. Turley M., O.S.A., has been ministering in Peru since his ordination as a Catholic Priest in 1969. He became Bishop of Chulucanas, Peru in 2000. He visits each parish in the Diocese at least once each year. He describes below a typical pastoral visit.

A special visit of the Bishop takes place every year in each of the 17 parishes of the Catholic Diocese of Chulucanas.

The people - especially the students and children - come to the town entrance to receive the Bishop.

There are songs, poems recited by the children and short speeches of welcome for the Bishop.

The students come with banners and signs which they have made. The signs typically have messages like

• Thanks, Bishop Daniel, for helping us to grow in our faith

• Welcome, Bishop Daniel Turley

• Thank you for visiting us

During the Bishop's visit, the people ask for God's blessing. As Pope John Paul II said when he visited Peru several years ago, "Peru is a people of blessings."

They want to be touched by God and by his Priests and religious men and women. They ask for health, peace, happiness and, of course, an abundant harvest.

Because our people are poor, many times they fear that God is punishing them for something that they have done. We have to assure them that God has a preferential love for the poor, and that God loves them in a special way.

The most important and central moment of the Bishop's pastoral visit is the celebration of the Eucharist. It is always a call to community - oneness and community with God, who is family: Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and community with all the children of God.

During the celebration of the Eucharist the people bring their gifts to the altar. The gifts are the fruit of their labor on the farm.

Sometimes the gifts are presented with dances and special songs that help the people express their deepest feelings of joy and gratitude to God.

After the reception of Communion, usually some of the faithful take the opportunity to give a witness for the wonderful things that the Lord is doing for them. They are most grateful for God's wondrous and countless blessings.

The pastoral visit, then, is a wonderful moment of the year when the Bishop can draw near to the people to listen to God speaking through them and to celebrate our faith and unity in our loving Lord Jesus Christ.

Learn More about the Augustinian Missions in Peru

• The Church at Work in Northern Peru

         » Making Much with Little
               Grassroots Pastoral Plan in the Catholic Diocese of Chulucanas, Peru

         » Social and Economic Development
               Helping the poor to help themselves in Northern Peru

         » Pastoral Journeys in Pacaipampa
               Travelling to remote Peruvian mountain villages to bring Christ to the people

         » Augustinians Return to San José Obrero
               Friars resume ministry in Chulucanas parish after five-year absence

• Children of Peru

         » Children of Peru: The Working Child
               Peruvian children must work to help their family make ends meet

         » Children of Peru: The Child at School
               The life of a young student in the mountains of Peru

         » Heart to Heart Project
               Helping poor Peruvian children to remain in school