Last night, Friday, a group of the seminarians brought me with them to the Cinta Costera (Coastal Strip) which is an area of reclaimed land in the centre of Panama City which is right along by the shore. They have done a beautiful job in laying it out. The whole place has lots of very pretty fountains and sculptures with a wide path and, beside it, a surface for cyclists and skaters. There are floodlit 5-a-side football pitches and tennis courts (all fenced-in so the ball doesn't go miles away); there is even outdoor table tennis with tables and nets made of metal - they are really cool (wouldn't work in Ireland because we have too much wind - the ball would end up miles away). There are also areas for skateboarders and paved areas where people can pursue other activities. All of these facilities are completely free and it was lovely to see so many families and young people using them.
The whole thing is set among beautifully landscaped grass and trees and is very well lit. It is patrolled by the Presedential Police who ensure that it is perfectly safe - it really is most impressive and, even though it is already three or four years old, it looks like it was just opened yesterday. At one end of it there is a huge area of bars and restaurants - especially if you want to eat Ceviche (a dish prepared by marinading seafood, especially prawns, clams, or octopus in citrus juice with some onion and coriander). Ceviche is delicious and there were hundreds and hundreds of people sitting around eating, drinking, and, because this is a Latin country and music is never too far away, they were dancing.
That was all very enjoyable but, but, but, the journey there and back was a bit of a strain. We went in the seminary's bus. I don't know much about vehicles but this is definitely not a new bus. Still, it was amazing the speeds we could achieve - especially when you consider how poor the brakes were!!! Traffic in Panama City is very heavy and people move from lane to lane by forcing their way in - quite an achievement in a bus that is about three quarters the size of a coach that we would normally use in Ireland. It turned out to be lucky for me that I wasn't sitting in the front row. However, it has to be said that Juan (the driver) did a very good job and we got back here just after 11.30. It was really hard to get up at 5.30 this morning after the "late night".
Saturday is the say when the seminarians go to different places and do what is called Pastoral Work. This is something that every student for the priesthood will always have done - in my time I was involved with Summer Projects; Youth Club; Catechesis; Soup Kitchen among other things. In Panama the preparation for sacraments does not take place in school so it must be done in the context of the parish and this forms a big part of what the seminarians are involved in as pastoral work.
This is a big job (especially in a country that has such a huge young population) and all help is welcome at parish level. The lads left here by 7.30 this morning and only began to return here at 6.30 this evening - it really is a full day. A lot of them also do home visitation - a way of the parish keeping in touch with the people who live there.
This meant that it was a quiet day around the place until the different groups that use the buildings at the weekend arrived (about 8am). There was one group from the New Catechumenate having a day's reflection; another group was made up of some ladies who are members of a prayer group; there was also preparation for Confirmation - not just for those to be confirmed but also for their parents and godparents. This meant that there have been crowds here all day and every available space was in use.
While it is great to see the place being used I have to confess that I did get a bit fed up with it when it dawned on me that that the only place that I could really use for myself was my own room. That might have been alright only for the fact that they have some famous Mexican singer giving a concert here tonight and there were sound checks all day long. As I write the concert is taking place - about 25m from my window so I am getting the full blast (benefit???). I have to be honest and say that I am hoping she doesn't have too many songs to sing!!!
Tomorrow I have mass at 7am in one of the barrios (neighbourhoods). That probably seems very early for anybody in Ireland, but it does mean that mass is held in the relative cool of the morning.
As they say here - Hasta Mañana (Until tomorrow)
N
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