Dear Friends in Christ,
Since 1956, the Latin America Apostolate of the Archdiocese of St. Louis has enabled us as an archdiocese to fulfill the missionary mandate of Our Lord: "Go into the whole world, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28: 19). The shortage of native Bolivian priests and the request by the papal nuncio to Bolivia made to Archbishop Ritter was the reason our St. Louis missionary priests were sent to serve there. In 2010, two native Bolivian priests were ordained for service of the Archdiocese of La Paz. Both had spent part of their seminary formation in apostolic work in Maria Reina Parish in La Paz, where most of our St. Louis priest missionaries serve in Bolivia.
Besides the shortage of native clergy, other challenges in Bolivia include: great poverty, unemployment, diseases and malnutrition. These difficulties persist for the people of Bolivia even today. Our missionaries preach the Gospel, form catechists, celebrate the sacraments and help form the people as missionary disciples of the Lord. A health clinic in Maria Reina Parish in La Paz helps meet the needs of the poor who seek medical care and food. This year our missionary priests at Maria Reina are trying to finish the construction of a chapel called Santa Barbara. While the parishioners are trying to raise the funds, the chapel cannot be completed without our financial support.
Our missionary priests also serve in a rural parish among the Aymara people in Calamarca, 45 miles outside La Paz, where there are 30 villages, in addition to the main church in Calamarca. Were it not for our priest missionaries, Masses would not be available in these 30 villages, nor in the main church.
Bishop Morgan Casey also receives our support from the Latin America Apostolate for his ministry as the vicar apostolic for the Vicariate of the Pando in Northern Bolivia. There are 160,000 Catholics in his pastoral care.
As the Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once wrote: "Some people give to the missions by going; others go to the missions by giving. Without both, there is no mission." Please be generous in the collection for the Latin America Apostolate on Aug. 1 and pray for our missionaries. Missionaries can only do what we make possible through our prayers and donations.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson
Archbishop of St. Louis
