Post on Peru trip...

I haven't written anything about Peru yet, so here goes.

I went on the trip as part of my job at the Department of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas (same dept. where I am getting my master's degree). I assisted Fr. Keating this past year on administrative duties pertaining to the department's men's and women's houses as well as the Leadership Interns. Each year the interns go on a Spring Institute trip: 2007 France, 2008 Washington D.C., 2009 Peru. This year's theme was investigating Latino culture and history in the context of our Catholic faith; the idea is that these outstanding students will have leadership roles in the future in various fields and will need to encounter and have a working knowledge of the ever increasing Latino population in this country. I personally learned a lot on this trip about the history of the Americas (not just the USA), and the vast differences between the colonization of the North as opposed to the central and south. Despite popular history, the colonization of the central and south Americas (as well as Mexico, of course) was much better than the north. In fact, the cultures were able to co-mingle under the auspices of the Catholic faith. In the north, the native Americans were simply pushed aside with the only inculturation between the French (still somewhat Catholic despite the bloody secularist revolution). Mexico and Peru are unique to the story because they bear the only two very ancient cultures of the "new world": the Aztecs and Mayans in Mexico, and the Incas and their ancestors in Peru. So, what happened and happens in these two countries often greatly affected the rest of the continent. There is much more to say, and I would have to tell you in person...

We were hosted by a community called the Christian Life Movement. This is a Catholic group founded by the Sodalitium, a group of consecrated laymen. They have been around for about 25 or so years and they are doing amazing work. They have nuns, priests, consecrated men and women, and married families. Their work touches just about every part of society: hospitals, schools, news agencies, centers for disabled children, a rec center, and a host of other works. Their "charism" is authentically living out the teaching of the Second Vatican Council - in other words, fidelity to the faith and everyone, lay or religious, living out their faith actively as an apostle: one who is sent to work. This occurs in many ways, but they avoid the sectarian mentality where community life is about "us" and towing the thought of the group. There is a lot of freedom in this group as one looks at their work yet they are completely united under the Church. They do not see themselves as a group that serves to simply foster community life; the purpose is to join, be formed well in the faith, and discern what the Lord is doing in one's life to go out and serve: in one's parish, at work, in the family, in the neighborhood, etc. - it's not about getting comfortable in the group and being exclusive: it's all about going out and being a witness as a Catholic. Very impressive.

We, unfortunately, did not go to Machu Picchu or Caracas which are the most famous sites in Peru. We only stayed in Lima and Arequipa. Some highlights: seeing Pachacamac (an ancient Incan ruin - huge!); St. Rose of Lima's shrine and relics; seeing the shanty towns of Lima and Arequipa; visiting the Siervas del Plan de Dios nuns; visiting a CLM hospital/school for disabled children; seeing the CLM's University of San Pablo; going to the Incan market; eating great Peruvian food; buying hand painted religious artwork (gorgeous stuff); playing soccer; visiting the U.S. Embassy and Lima's immigration office because a student lost his passport; talking with native Peruvians about their history and culture; learning a lot about the history of the Americas; learning a lot about colonization and the uniting of cultures possible only with the Catholic faith.

A fascinating and fun trip, despite having to take care of the "behind the scenes" work.

Below are some paintings I purchased at the Inca Market.