Approximately 350 Guides from 13 countries gathered this past October 28, in Santiago, Chile in the Parque del Recuerdo Cementary to conmemorate Father Ignacio’s Third Passover Anniversary. The Thanksgiving Eucharist for his life and his mission was celebrated in the chapel of the place, and was presided by the Capuchin priest, Miguel Angel Ariz; a friend and companion oh his Fr. Ignacio fraternal congregation.
In the Homily, Father Miguel Angel emphasized the missionary task that Father Ignacio fulfilled throughout his priestly life:
God cultivated in Father Ignacio’s heart a desire to work for the Kingdom of God. He called him to be his disciple and missionary. In him the words of the Gospel were fulfilled: A healing power flowed from Him.
He brought to mind the words of the Archbishop of Santiago on the day of the funeral:
He is a gift of God to the Church, he has been a gift of God to our Capuchin family and a gift for you, the members of Prayer and Life Workshops. He showed Christ to us and has passionately encouraged us to be a people of prayer. He is with the Father, lives in our hearts and motivates us so that this celebration will be an encounter with the living God, with Jesus Christ and a moment of grace for all of us.
At the end of the Eucharist, the International Coordinator, Maria Eugenia Toro, spoke to the particiapants reminding them that in the last 20 months of his life, Father Ignacio gave himself in the Culmination Weeks, until he laid down his life in Guadalajara on the 59th week out of the 62 that had been scheduled. She emphasized the urgent need of Personal Prayer, as Father Ignacio reaffirmed it during each one of these Weeks: – I want the Guides to be a converted people, a family of worshippers in Spirit and truth. I will fight to the end to achieve a family of Guides who are fervent, sanctified, idealist and truly in love with Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
The best hommage that we as Guides can offer in memory of our Founder is to be faithful in prayer, renewing our love and commitment to the Lord each day, in the evangelizing task that has been entrusted to us.
After the Eucharist, numerous participants, mostly Guides, who were present and had specially traveled to share as family this very significative date for the Prayer and Life Workshop, went on pilgrimage to leave a memento of roses formed into the logo of TOV (PLW) and to have one last community prayer before his tomb.
