Irish-British Province

COSTA RICA
New venture in Central America

Superior General, Fr. Antonio PERNIA visited the new Region in Central America from October 8-20. During his visit, he attended regional assembly held at David, Panama from October 10-14.

At the invitation of the respective bishops, Fr. Pernia visited three parishes in Costa Rica - two in the diocese of Puntarenas and one in the diocese of Tilarán.

Subsequently, the general council authorized CAM to accept the parish of St. John of God, Upala, in the diocese of Tilarán. The official take-over of the parish is scheduled for January 15, but the two designated confreres will reach there earlier to familiarize themselves with the pastoral situation and the people of Upala. Upala is a commercial town near the border with Nicaragua (not very far from our parish at Los Chiles).

The parish has 35 rural communities in its area, most of them accessible by road and many have a chapel in their community.

The SVD is the first religious congregation (of men) to take up pastoral work in the diocese of Tilarán, except for the bishop, Mons. Vittorino Girardi, who is a Combonian missionary. The bishop who was in Rome on business paid a visit to the Generalate on October 21.

Source: Arnoldus Nota