This week the Augustinians of Panama are all on retreat so they have asked me to fill in in one of their parishes here in the city. It is called the Parish of Santa Maria La Antigua (literally, St Mary, the Old One). This parish is named for the patron of the country of Panama and the title refers to an image of Our Lady thtat was rescued from a sunken ship which was a copy of an image that was venerated in Seville, Spain, It depicts Our Lady holding the child Jesus in one hand and a white rose in the other.
Panamanians have a great attachment to this image and it is to be found in many churches, schools and the Catholic University of Panama (known as the USMA - Universidad Santa Maria la Antigua) is named after it.
I will be saying an early morning mass and and evening mass each day this week (and any funerals that may arise). This evening was my first evening and when I returned I was locked out of the seminary. The road leading up to the seminary is a very dark road and there are often "unsavoury" characters hanging around so I wasn't too pleased to find myself stuck outside the gate for almost a half an hour before someone answered the bell - I'm told things will be better tomorrow. I hope so!!!
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