A Very Full and Hot Day

Today began, as usual, at 5 am. Meditation begins at 5.30, followed by Mass at 6 so you have to be up at 5 to get all the showering etc out of the way - once Mass is over the day begins in earnest. It's not just in the seminary that the day begins early - Panamanians generally get up very early in the morning (sometimes as early as 2 or 3 am), partly to avoid the heat of the day which is very oppressive, but also to avoid the very heavy traffic that is a constant here in the city. "Tranque" (pronounced: trankay) is one of the most frequently-used words here in Panama City and it means "traffic jam". The city is only about the size of Dublin but it can take anything from 4 to 6 hours to cross it due to the traffic

I had lectures today with those in their 2nd and 3rd year of theology - all went well but, as the morning progresses, it gets harder as the heat increases. Today was particularly hot and humid and we had quite a spectacular thunder storm about midday - rain so heavy that it was difficult to see through it. The heavy rain is so normal here that everywhere there are huge concrete gulleys to take away the rainwater - however, these are often blocked by fly-tippers who snarl them up with household rubbish and this causes continual and heavy flooding all over the city.

I had a meeting today with the Pastoral Vicar of the Diocese here - Fr. Miguel Angel Keller is an Augustinian and has worked in this position for a number of years with the Archbishop (Jose Domingo Ulloa, also an Augustinian) - I was asked to take on some lecturing on behalf of the Diocese so that will involve me probably with the Permanent Deacons and maybe even some of the clergy - nothing has been finalised yet but it is certainly something I am interested in.

Last night the seminarians concluded their "Bible Month" which is a month of activities based on the Bible in which the goal is to increase people's awareness of what is actually in the Bible and how to read it - something like this would be great in Ireland, it seems to me!!! This month of activities takes place in parishes, religious houses, schools and colleges all over the country and creates a real buzz with everyone involved in similar things. I missed it this year but hopefully there will be other opportunities to get involved in it.

It is now almost 8pm and it has cooled down to 28 degrees so I am off to bed - it has been a long day and tomorrow will be similar so I will have to keep up with my beauty sleep.
Hasta Mañana