The Bolivar Home

Sunday, here in the seminary, is a day when all of the priests help out in various parishes and other places by presiding at Sunday Masses. Parishes here are enormous, often having more than 100,000 parishioners. When you consider that an Irish parish typically comprises between 10,000 and 15,000.

Another big difference here is that parishes have more than one chapel - sometimes as many as six. As Ireland goes through the process of forming Pastoral Areas and amalagamating parishes this sort of model will become more familiar in the Irish church.

Yesterday I was in Hogar Bolivar (The Bolivar Home) which is one of the main old folks homes in Panama City. There are over 300 residents in this centre which is run by the Daughters of Charity. Most of these people are from families who are simply not able to attend to their needs. Sometimes this is due to the costs of medicine, sometimes it is because their family have moved to live in different places.

Hogar Bolivar is a very interesting place. When I went there in the past it was quite a depressing experience - there was a general air of neglect with regard to the maintenance of the buildings. In fairness to the nuns, they were trying to run the place on a shoestring budget. Government support which was supposed to have been given had, sometimes, "been diverted". It was great to go there yesterday and see how the place has improved - buildings cleaned and painted; grounds tidy; and everything looking more attractive and welcoming.

There are 9 sisters working there now (an increase on the previous 5) which also has the effect that those who are there are looking a lot less frazzled.

People here, too, participate as much as possible in the Mass and there is a great sense of joy at being able to celebrate these moments together.

There are, as always, some sad things to note: most of the residents of Hogar Bolivar never receive a visit from a family member; there is still the real possibility of state support not arriving etc., but, for the moment anyway, things are going quite well for all those involved in this most important social service.