As you come to land at Panama City's Tocumen airport there are two very striking things (at least, I always find them striking). Firstly, as you loook from the plane you can see, spread out over the sea a vast number of ships of all sorts and sizes. It reminds me of when I played with Dinky toys as a child. These ships are all waiting for their turn to pass through the famous Panama Canal. In fact, there are now two Panama Canals - parallel to each other, they both cross the isthmus that is Panama and are both very busy. The second canal, only inaugurated in the last few years, was built to accomodate the new breed of "Super Ships" (we have all heard of the Super Tankers, but there are more than tankers) which have become increasinly common in recent years.
Both canals operate 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, and there is still a queue. Their passage will have been arranged for up to seven years before the actual journey is made and the ships that are waiting will often have arrived several weeks before they will pass through the lock gates of the canal - it's just too expensive to miss your slot.
The other striking thing is the quantity of obviously very modern skyscrapers that abound in the city. These are not just the standard office block type of building, some are very elaborate - one is built in the shape of a spiral and is known as "The Screw". These buildings are evidence of a great deal of wealth and of economic success.
However, they mask a rather sadder reality. While there is a middle class in Panama it is small and under huge financial pressure to make ends meet. The cost of living here is high relative to the income. A basic wage in the city is $600 a month; a teacher will get around $1,000. However, when you consider that many of the prices of commodities is similar to their cost in Ireland where people earn more, you can begin to see the problem.
Then there is a huge percentage of the population who, if they don't live in abject poverty (and there are many of them too), live in a situation where things that Irish people take for granted like medicine and clothing are a source of struggle and, especially in the area of medicine where the Seguro Social (see earlier post on health care) doesn't work, means that many people don't get the treatment they both need and deserve.
Even though people are struggling prices appear to continue to climb. I have noticed myself that everyday supermarket items have become very expensive. I haven't been buying groceries but I have bought toiletries - shaving gel $15; sun block (an essential here) $26; shower gel $9. Imported foodstuffs have sky rocketed in price and even locally produced food has gone up. While waiting in the supermarket queue I was struck that most people with about a half a trolley load of groceries were paying between $65 and $90. When you multiply that by 4 (four weeks in a month) and factor in things like rent and transport, you get a picture of how difficult it must be to make ends meet.
Friday, 8 March 2019
Thursday, 7 March 2019
My Friend, the Sloth
You may have noticed that I have mentioned in my posts from time to
time a three-toed sloth. In fact, I was wrong - it is actually a two-toed sloth - I apologise for this momunmental error.
Sloths are the only animal, as far as I am aware, that are named after a deadly sin, the reason being that they do very little. Sloths can sleep for up to 20 hours a day and, when they do wake up, they move very slowly indeed. In fact, they usually only wake up to feed or to move to a different branch or tree.
This inactivity means that sloths need to be very discreet about how they do things. They generally prefer to remain high up in the trees and they remain in the middle of the tree, obscured by the mix of branches and leaves. Their hairy coat makes them very difficult to spot. They are further protected by the fact that they are filthy - their hair provides a home to all sorts of insects and sloths will famously wallow in the filthiest of places (including cess pits) thus making them unattractive as a potential meal for predators.
They are very shy creatures and, though largely passive (they will often not move even when prodded and cajoled), the large claws that they use to hang on to branches can be used to great effect as a weapon when they feel threatened. They are, however, generally very gentle creatures and this reputation means that it is not unusual here for children to have a cuddly sloth instead of a teddy bear.
Another thing about sloths is that they hang upside down from the branches of the trees, meaning that they look at the world upside down - all in all a very unique perspective on things.
Because of all this sloths are notoriously difficult to photograph so I am really chuffed to have been able to take some reasonably clear photos of my companion who spends most of his day hanging from a branch just outside my window at a height of more or less a four-storey building.
I hope you like them.
Sloths are the only animal, as far as I am aware, that are named after a deadly sin, the reason being that they do very little. Sloths can sleep for up to 20 hours a day and, when they do wake up, they move very slowly indeed. In fact, they usually only wake up to feed or to move to a different branch or tree.
This inactivity means that sloths need to be very discreet about how they do things. They generally prefer to remain high up in the trees and they remain in the middle of the tree, obscured by the mix of branches and leaves. Their hairy coat makes them very difficult to spot. They are further protected by the fact that they are filthy - their hair provides a home to all sorts of insects and sloths will famously wallow in the filthiest of places (including cess pits) thus making them unattractive as a potential meal for predators.
They are very shy creatures and, though largely passive (they will often not move even when prodded and cajoled), the large claws that they use to hang on to branches can be used to great effect as a weapon when they feel threatened. They are, however, generally very gentle creatures and this reputation means that it is not unusual here for children to have a cuddly sloth instead of a teddy bear.
Another thing about sloths is that they hang upside down from the branches of the trees, meaning that they look at the world upside down - all in all a very unique perspective on things.
Because of all this sloths are notoriously difficult to photograph so I am really chuffed to have been able to take some reasonably clear photos of my companion who spends most of his day hanging from a branch just outside my window at a height of more or less a four-storey building.
I hope you like them.
 |
| Sharp claws allow the sloth to cling to branches |
 |
| Fast asleep |
 |
| Wakes up briefly |
 |
| Extremely long hair on body |
 |
| Claws |
 |
| Just like a baby they appear to be very comfortable in the strangest of positions |
 |
| Face pic |
 | ||
| Hairy coat provides great camuflage |
Wednesday, 6 March 2019
Ash Wednesday
There was a time when, on Ash Wednesday, every Irish church was filled to capacity and beyond. While this day that marks the beginning of Lent doesn't seem to have the same attraction that it once had, it is, nonetheless, still true to say that receiving the ashes on this day continues to be a very popular practice. This has been the case in every country in which I have lived or have visited on this day - the simple sign of the ashes, that has been used for thousands of years as a sign of penance (there are examples of sackcloth and ashes in the Old Testament and many ancient cultures have similar practices) seems to connect with something in people, in a way that words just can't.
Today I was asked to say Mass in St. Joseph's Home which is a care centre run by the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa's nuns). This is a place that welcomes some of the most severely handicapped children from the very poorest of families; it also welcomes old people who have been abandoned/ neglected by their families.
I have been to this place (known by the locals as Calcutta) many times and it always strikes me that the place (buildings and grounds) is maintained in pristine condition: there is certainly nothing obviously poor about it. In fact, it looks a lot better than some of the more exclusive sports and social clubs that are scattered about the city. The sisters take great care to give the best of what they have to their residents. While they do not receive government help (other than policemen guarding the gate) people are very generous to this institution with gifts of money, clothing, and food. I am told that it is not unusual for the nuns to receive more than they can possibly use so they pass it on to other places that cater for a similar profile of person.
Today I met nuns from India and Honduras. Apparently, there is only one Panamanian sister in the Congregation (I'm not sure where she is stationed). The Indian nun was delighted to have someone to speak English with - I think that everyone, when they are surrounded by a foreign language all the time, no matter how fluent they may be, enjoys the relaxation of conversing in their mother tongue (even though, I'm pretty sure, that for that sister English wouldn't have been her mother tongue - but it is, most likely, the language she would have used while going to school from a young age).
Mass was like all the Masses here - lots of singing. It lasted for almost an hour and a half which (at least for me) is very exhausting in the heat. I am told that Ireland is having some very cold weather at the moment - well, in contrast, Panama is experiencing record high temperatures. Officially, it hits about 33 or 34 every afternoon but I am told that when account is taken of the reflection of the heat off concrete roads and buidings, that you can add another 4 degrees or so to this. Also, and this is the killer, humidity is very high here which means not only that you sweat, but also that you seem to use up your energy more quickly.
Outside of my window in the seminary there is a Three-Toed Sloth who sleeps for up to 20 hours a day: maybe he has the right idea.
Today I was asked to say Mass in St. Joseph's Home which is a care centre run by the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa's nuns). This is a place that welcomes some of the most severely handicapped children from the very poorest of families; it also welcomes old people who have been abandoned/ neglected by their families.
I have been to this place (known by the locals as Calcutta) many times and it always strikes me that the place (buildings and grounds) is maintained in pristine condition: there is certainly nothing obviously poor about it. In fact, it looks a lot better than some of the more exclusive sports and social clubs that are scattered about the city. The sisters take great care to give the best of what they have to their residents. While they do not receive government help (other than policemen guarding the gate) people are very generous to this institution with gifts of money, clothing, and food. I am told that it is not unusual for the nuns to receive more than they can possibly use so they pass it on to other places that cater for a similar profile of person.
Today I met nuns from India and Honduras. Apparently, there is only one Panamanian sister in the Congregation (I'm not sure where she is stationed). The Indian nun was delighted to have someone to speak English with - I think that everyone, when they are surrounded by a foreign language all the time, no matter how fluent they may be, enjoys the relaxation of conversing in their mother tongue (even though, I'm pretty sure, that for that sister English wouldn't have been her mother tongue - but it is, most likely, the language she would have used while going to school from a young age).
Mass was like all the Masses here - lots of singing. It lasted for almost an hour and a half which (at least for me) is very exhausting in the heat. I am told that Ireland is having some very cold weather at the moment - well, in contrast, Panama is experiencing record high temperatures. Officially, it hits about 33 or 34 every afternoon but I am told that when account is taken of the reflection of the heat off concrete roads and buidings, that you can add another 4 degrees or so to this. Also, and this is the killer, humidity is very high here which means not only that you sweat, but also that you seem to use up your energy more quickly.
Outside of my window in the seminary there is a Three-Toed Sloth who sleeps for up to 20 hours a day: maybe he has the right idea.
Tuesday, 5 March 2019
Departures
I have not been blogging for the last few days. Initially, I had been bitten by so many mosquitos that I was feeling a bit off and then the normal activities of the weekend (masses etc) took over... and, I have to confess, yesterday I just forgot to write.
On Saturday I met up with a young man who had been a student for the priesthood with the Augustinians. He has "taken time out" for personal and family reasons which it would not be appropriate to mention here, but it was nice to be able to catch up with him - I haven't seen him since last year.
Since he left he has been lucky to get a job with the Vincentians as a sacristan in one of their parishes here. At the moment he intends to return to the Augustinians once matters have improved at home so I'm hoping that this job will keep him in the mindset by keeping him involved with Church in a structured way. He tells me that he has no interest in joining the Vincentians and, since he is a very fine guy, that is good news for the Panamanian Augustinians.
I have also just heard that a number of students (Panamanians) have left the Order from Spain. I take this opportunity to wish them well for the future - I remember them all as students here before they headed for Spain. In fact, when I was in Madrid recently for a meeting, I called out to visit them in the El Escorial Monastery.
Those of you who read the blog last year (still available by scrolling down the posts) may remember me talking about James. James had been a seminarian here and had left due to health reasons but with the firm intention to return to continue to study for the priesthood. Unfortunately, he has now moved his life in a new direction by getting married during the year. I haven't met the new wife but I have seen some pictures and she seems to be a lovely young woman.
The vocaation/ formation process is never an easy road, and it has many twists an turns, but, one thing is certain, if those involved as formators are swamped with other duties it will always be difficult to find the opportunity to have quality time to dedicate to these young men once they are no longer in the seminary.
Well, for the moment, there is no one in the seminary. The seminarians have all gone home for Carnival and will return on Monday. It seems as if no one is here at all as I haven't seen anyone here (except for the woman in the kitchen) for the last two days - I know that some of the staff are here beause Virginia told me, but I am going to have to take her word for that.
On Saturday I met up with a young man who had been a student for the priesthood with the Augustinians. He has "taken time out" for personal and family reasons which it would not be appropriate to mention here, but it was nice to be able to catch up with him - I haven't seen him since last year.
Since he left he has been lucky to get a job with the Vincentians as a sacristan in one of their parishes here. At the moment he intends to return to the Augustinians once matters have improved at home so I'm hoping that this job will keep him in the mindset by keeping him involved with Church in a structured way. He tells me that he has no interest in joining the Vincentians and, since he is a very fine guy, that is good news for the Panamanian Augustinians.
I have also just heard that a number of students (Panamanians) have left the Order from Spain. I take this opportunity to wish them well for the future - I remember them all as students here before they headed for Spain. In fact, when I was in Madrid recently for a meeting, I called out to visit them in the El Escorial Monastery.
Those of you who read the blog last year (still available by scrolling down the posts) may remember me talking about James. James had been a seminarian here and had left due to health reasons but with the firm intention to return to continue to study for the priesthood. Unfortunately, he has now moved his life in a new direction by getting married during the year. I haven't met the new wife but I have seen some pictures and she seems to be a lovely young woman.
The vocaation/ formation process is never an easy road, and it has many twists an turns, but, one thing is certain, if those involved as formators are swamped with other duties it will always be difficult to find the opportunity to have quality time to dedicate to these young men once they are no longer in the seminary.
Well, for the moment, there is no one in the seminary. The seminarians have all gone home for Carnival and will return on Monday. It seems as if no one is here at all as I haven't seen anyone here (except for the woman in the kitchen) for the last two days - I know that some of the staff are here beause Virginia told me, but I am going to have to take her word for that.
Thursday, 28 February 2019
Carnival - Pancake Tuesday and some History
Carnival, the days before lent, is a big celebration here in Panama as it is in most parts of Latin America. When I was in Ecuador people celebrated by throwing water over everyone, but they also had many house parties and other events. Originally, of course, this was an opportunity to have a sort of "last fling" before the austerity of lent woul begin.
In Ireland, I'm not sure that Carnival was ever a very big celebration. Certainly, in my lifetime, the emphasis was on lent and the only nod that was given to Carnival was what has come to be called Pancake Tuesday, more traditionally known as Shrove Tuesday.
Shrove is an old Anglo-Saxon word that is the past tense of the verb "to shrive" which means to confess one's sins and do penance. Once this was done, on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, there was a celebration in which all the things that could not be eaten during lent - eggs, butter, sugar, meat etc, were consumed. In part there was a practical explanation for this too - there was no way of preserving foodstuffs such as these so they were consumed rather than be wasted. This is, incidentally, the origin of Easter eggs too: eggs were not eaten all during lent and were considered a real treat when people got to eat them once again on Easter Sunday morning. This, over time, was translated in to the custom of eating eggs made from chocolate: if an egg was a treat, a chocolate egg was a real expression of luxury.
The eating of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday is a throwback to these times when lent really was a time of fast and abstinence, for the whole forty days. It's good to remember that these "little traditions" that we observe have their origin in deeply held practices that expressed the faith of the people who observed them. Even if we don't now keep lent in the same way, at least we can be aware of where all these chocolate eggs come from: although I'm pretty certain that our ancestors wouldn't know what to make of the fact that these chocolate eggs are now available long before lent begins, not to mind waiting for Easter Sunday morning.
In Panama Carnival is a big family occasion and a great many people are heading to "the interior" for the days from Sunday to Tuesday. Many of the clergy will also head to be with there families which means that there is currently a bit of a scramble to find priests to celebrate masses in parishes where the priest will be celebrating with his family. It's nice to be involved; it's nice to be able to help too; but, inevitably, a certain amount of saying "no" is also involved as I am not yet able to be in two places at the same time.
In Ireland, I'm not sure that Carnival was ever a very big celebration. Certainly, in my lifetime, the emphasis was on lent and the only nod that was given to Carnival was what has come to be called Pancake Tuesday, more traditionally known as Shrove Tuesday.
Shrove is an old Anglo-Saxon word that is the past tense of the verb "to shrive" which means to confess one's sins and do penance. Once this was done, on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, there was a celebration in which all the things that could not be eaten during lent - eggs, butter, sugar, meat etc, were consumed. In part there was a practical explanation for this too - there was no way of preserving foodstuffs such as these so they were consumed rather than be wasted. This is, incidentally, the origin of Easter eggs too: eggs were not eaten all during lent and were considered a real treat when people got to eat them once again on Easter Sunday morning. This, over time, was translated in to the custom of eating eggs made from chocolate: if an egg was a treat, a chocolate egg was a real expression of luxury.
The eating of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday is a throwback to these times when lent really was a time of fast and abstinence, for the whole forty days. It's good to remember that these "little traditions" that we observe have their origin in deeply held practices that expressed the faith of the people who observed them. Even if we don't now keep lent in the same way, at least we can be aware of where all these chocolate eggs come from: although I'm pretty certain that our ancestors wouldn't know what to make of the fact that these chocolate eggs are now available long before lent begins, not to mind waiting for Easter Sunday morning.
In Panama Carnival is a big family occasion and a great many people are heading to "the interior" for the days from Sunday to Tuesday. Many of the clergy will also head to be with there families which means that there is currently a bit of a scramble to find priests to celebrate masses in parishes where the priest will be celebrating with his family. It's nice to be involved; it's nice to be able to help too; but, inevitably, a certain amount of saying "no" is also involved as I am not yet able to be in two places at the same time.
Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Health Care
Panamanian public health care is based on what is known as the Seguro Social (Social Insurance), shortened by most people to the Seguro. This is a system where every person who earns a salary pays a certain amount in to the fund of the Seguro and, from these contributions, everyone receives free health care, totally free.
At least, that is the theory.
As we well know in Ireland, many factors impinge on such a system making it unwieldy and unworkable. The demands on the system are never-ending and, with spiralling costs, increasing labour demands, deteriorating infrastructure and high expectations, we have all found that the system is often, at best, creaking at the seams.
However, when you move your gaze towards the Panamanian experience of this model you find something very different. Downright barefaced robbery and corruption have meant that the Seguro has been pillaged by a group of people (small or not so small, depending on whom you talk to) to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. This has happened through a serious of frauds, embezzlements, creative accounting, and straightforward theft which has significantly enriched those involved to a degree that they must surely be counted among the world's richest people who have never done a day's work to earn it.
The really sad thing about all of this is that everyone knew/ knows it was/is going on; the names and addresses of those involved is no secret; and successive government administrations have done nothing about it. People here seem to be resigned to the reality of corruption in public life - it is the way it has always been, and it is the way it will always be. While ordinary people work hard, a small few at the "top" (although I have to say that I consider them to be a good example of bottom-feeders) live in spectacular wealth and with impunity.
Panama has begun to prepare for General and Presidential elections which will take place next May. However, there seems to be very little hope that any of the candidates actually means to implement any of their promises, or that the corruption that is endemic will be tackled in any way. A sad reality for a beautiful people who really deserve to get a break from their leaders.
At least, that is the theory.
As we well know in Ireland, many factors impinge on such a system making it unwieldy and unworkable. The demands on the system are never-ending and, with spiralling costs, increasing labour demands, deteriorating infrastructure and high expectations, we have all found that the system is often, at best, creaking at the seams.
However, when you move your gaze towards the Panamanian experience of this model you find something very different. Downright barefaced robbery and corruption have meant that the Seguro has been pillaged by a group of people (small or not so small, depending on whom you talk to) to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. This has happened through a serious of frauds, embezzlements, creative accounting, and straightforward theft which has significantly enriched those involved to a degree that they must surely be counted among the world's richest people who have never done a day's work to earn it.
The really sad thing about all of this is that everyone knew/ knows it was/is going on; the names and addresses of those involved is no secret; and successive government administrations have done nothing about it. People here seem to be resigned to the reality of corruption in public life - it is the way it has always been, and it is the way it will always be. While ordinary people work hard, a small few at the "top" (although I have to say that I consider them to be a good example of bottom-feeders) live in spectacular wealth and with impunity.
Panama has begun to prepare for General and Presidential elections which will take place next May. However, there seems to be very little hope that any of the candidates actually means to implement any of their promises, or that the corruption that is endemic will be tackled in any way. A sad reality for a beautiful people who really deserve to get a break from their leaders.
Monday, 25 February 2019
Locked Out...
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!!!
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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