Guatemala - ‘Called to be with you’: an event to revitalise the faith of the ministries of seven parish areas
San Pedro Carchá, Guatemala - December 2024 - On 6 December, the Church of the Good Shepherd at the Don Bosco Centre in San Pedro Carchá was the scene of a great celebration: the 1st Parish Meeting of Ministries on the theme ‘Called to be with you’. The event, organised by the local Salesian community, brought together more than 4,100 altar servers from seven parish areas. The day was attended by altar servers, their families, church leaders and members of the Salesian community from the missionary parish in the host city. The highlight was the celebration of the Eucharist, celebrated in Q'eqchi' and Spanish. In his homily, Fr Carlos Hernández, SDB, emphasised that ‘the essence of the minister lies in service: towards the Church, the community and above all towards one's own families’. The meeting highlighted the commitment and love of the altar servers who came from remote communities to participate, and left a profound lesson: Jesus calls children to be servants, and altar servers represent the beginning of a life dedicated to faith.