Update from Chile

Chris Radziminski, former Service and Justice co-ordinator for the Archdiocese of Vancouver, reports from Chile, where 33 miners have been trapped underground for three weeks:

Hola from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. The mine is within the Diocese of Copiapó. The Bishop offered a Mass of thanksgiving for the safety of the miners, a story about which is posted on the diocesan website: www.diocesisdecopiapo.cl.

I was struck by how gentle and humble His Grace is.  At a random daily Mass I attended before the disaster, in the cathedral of Copiapó, His Grace presided.  His Grace's chair was in front of the altar, close to the first pews.  For the homily, His Grace brough the Lectionary in one arm as he walked down the middle aisle, referring to the readings, and never teaching in the style of "you", "you", "you", but rather very softly saying "you and me", "you and me", "you and me".

Here's another story which you may have already seen, where His Grace exhorts the mine's owners to remember their social responsibility: www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/bishop-says-mass-for-trapped-miners-in-chile.