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Santa Gertrudis in the city of Juticalpa Honduras became our sister parish in 2001 as a result of the efforts of a small group of our parishioners assisted by the Bishop of Olancho Maurus Muldoon. The parishioners had been on several medical missions to Honduras and while in country following a relief effort in the aftermath of hurricane Mitch simply by coincidence met up with Bishop Muldoon at the airport in the capitol city of Tegucigalpa and as a result of their efforts and some would say the inter- vention of the Holy Spirit the twining process began.
Following a couple of dinners with local parishioners, Bishop Muldoon and the blessing of Fr. Harry Schneider and the first pastor of Santa Gertrudis to visit Holy Spirit Fr. Alberto Gauci , OFM the twinning was begun in the fall of 2001. Since then Holy Spirit parishioners have made three mission trips to Honduras, the most recent of which was in February of 2009 to view some of the progress that has been accomplished as a result of the contributions made on the behalf of our parish.
In the meantime we have provided the funds to build an orphanage, assisted in the funding of a House of the Elders (home for the aged) and an AIDS hospice. Our ongoing parish financial support and the funds generated each year during mission appeals continues to assist in the costs needed to sustain both Santa Gertrudis and the orphanage.
In addition to the work accomplished through the twinning of a sister parish one of our small communities of faith (bible study) groups began a safe drinking water program with Bishop Muldoon called Project Hope in 2005. This effort was to provide 20 families with 60 children who lived on the edge of a city dump in Campamento with 10 gallons of safe filtered drinking per family per week.
In the last three years other groups within our parish including the Knights of Columbus, Men of Spirit, Women of spirit, the Ensemble and the small community of faith have continued to provide the safe water and have expanded the project to improve the living conditions of the 20 families. By providing the funds needed all 20 families have been able to move off of the dump, out of the tar paper huts and into small adobe homes with concrete floors and metal roofs thus eliminating some 80% of the kids childhood diseases.
“Having a sister parish is a way to have a direct experience of mission” said Fr Harry. “We meet human beings who are our brothers and sisters in Christ and they are praying for us at every Mass” . We plan to continue our efforts with both Santa Gertrudis and Project Hope and anyone who wants more information on either may contact Gary McCoy or leave their name and number with the parish office. A slide presentation is also available of pictures from the most recent mission trip.
For more information, contact Gary McCory at 913.338.4015.