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Show back - 3 - be ordained in about eighteen months . We could easily use a -half do zen pr :i ests i n this area -- new chall en~es seem to a ~, p ear day by day , an t he populat ion increases , by about 10% a year . Friends of ten ask about our t e chniques. , Es pecially i nt eresting i s the matter of dea l ing with adult s and with children. 'I'here is an old saying , attributed to various f amous people, about Hgive me a child up to seven years and &c." Thi s is don tles s wise in some cultures ; it is fatal 1-Tith Nava j os, for the Navajo culture sees wisdom only L~ age . It i s useloss to train a child in r elj..gion , sanitation, t he umanities , t he amenit i Es of c~viised living , and expect t hem to go kame and be little r ays of sunshine in their parents' homes , educating them t o the Gospel, t o individual towels,cups and eat ing ut ensils ane th like . They wil l either conform to the old l"ays or be very unhappy . So , t he only technique is to work with the 01 people in their homes while XH the children are being t aught in the schools. It isn't easy , but i t, i s essen-tial. The children of IS Thomas Heduck were in our cla s ses in various schools. They were baptia cd , s ome ""lere confirmed , a l l were admi t t ed to enance an t he Holy Communion . But meanwhile I visit ed t he home as often as pOSSible, each time making at least one s olid, tangible contribution which was accepted. When t he children came home las t Spring, t he harvest "Tas ripe. All the adults as well as the preschool children were baptised, Mass was celebrated and the Bread of Life communicated t o them. Literally yearo of labor preceded t his moving experience, but it bears witness , as do many sj~ilar , ones, to the soundness of t the tw'o-fold approach. **** As I w'ri te, your Christmas boxes are arriving, and the work of sorting i n preparation for the feast is in full swing . We have every hope that our usual proGr ar for the Great Day wi ll be possi bl e -- High Mass, archer y , dinner and the distri-b tion of gi fts . As you mak your devotions to the newborn , Saviour, offer a prayer for us and our People . |
