My Experience of Faith

By Fr. Apolinar Samboni

First, I thank “The Van Horn Advocate Newspaper” for giving me the opportunity to write of The Catholic Church’s view. I will tell you about my experience among these communities. On March 12, 2017 Bishop Mark Seitz assigned me Parish Administrator at Our Lady of Fatima in Van Horn and Our Lady of Miracles in Sierra Blanca. He also assigned me as Sacramental Administrator at Santa Teresa in Fort Hancock. This is my first assignment as Parish Administrator. Obviously, I came with many expectations of working with these communities, walk with them, and together achieve a personal encounter with Jesus through the small things that the Lord expects from us every day.

Throughout these seven months, I have discovered people with gifts, talents, and generosity for doing things better at Our Lady of Fatima in Van Horn. We have formed several groups to include: Knights of Columbus, the group that prays the holy rosary, the Liturgy of the Hours, and the celebration of the Eucharist in the afternoons from Tuesday to Friday.  We also have a group of women who work together in the kitchen on Sundays to raise funds for the parish, the choirs that sing Sunday masses and the group of catechists who generously collaborate in catechetical formation.

This year, participants (students) in the catechesis for the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation will have the opportunity to participate as altar servers and lectors at the Sunday Eucharist Celebration. This may sound a little strange for many participants and their parents or caregivers, but this is the wonderful opportunity to put their talents in helping at the Eucharistic celebrations. This will lead them to be aware that sacramental formation should be focused on Sunday Eucharist, the most important celebration of every Catholic person.

Obviously, we have some projects to do such as form a ministry for young people between the ages of 14 to 18 years, bring together all the people (men and women) who have lived their ACTS retreat to work together, and to encourage those involved in a ministry such as that of Evangelization to continue their work in our parish.

It is also an opportunity to invite people to return to the parish whom by some circumstance have strayed from their faith. Maybe one of the reasons people get discouraged is because you do not agree with the person who is leading a ministry.   People do not participate in ministries to please others, we are called to serve and through this service God manifests Himself in your presence. You serve because that is the mission that God has given you and through those small things that you do for your neighbor you can serve God. “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40b). God expects you generously give Him your time, talents, and treasures.  I tell the individuals that God is waiting for them as the Father did with his prodigal son. “While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20b). This is the time, come home, God is with open arms to receive you again. He loves you no matter what.  I invite the community to work together without being discouraged by looking at all those who unite us and strengthen us.

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