Friends and Family,
Saturday, June 11th, thousands of adults and children, from the mountain villages and the town of Santo Tomas, descended on our mission property to celebrate with Fr Hazy his 50th anniversary of Priesthood! It was Pentecost and it was a speaking in TONGUES!, as many different languages were spoken in words of celebration and voices of song. The majority of the people speak Quiche, one of 22 Indian dialects spoken in Guatemala; the other dominant language of course is spanish. Several american friends came and added english to the mix. Fr Hazy has spent the last 47 years celebrating the sacraments in two parishes in Guatemala, Santa Maria Visitation and in Santo Tomas La Union. His contribution in education include the founding of two successful junior, senior highschools which has provided education to thousands of young mayans who otherwise would not have had this opportunity. Now over 300 are attending university level in one of these schools, as an extension of the Pan American University in Guatemala City. This remarkable contribution in education was acknowledged by the Governor of Solola with a beautiful plaque; she is one of the students who benefitted from his gift of education to others.
I am in the city to leave Fr Hazy at the airport tomorrow as he returns to Montana for a well deserved rest. Thank You Fr Hazy and we hope to see you again here in July. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Included are a picture of the multitude, estimated over 5,000 and
a photo of Fr Hazy and the Governor of Solola, Julia Elena Yojcom of Santa Maria Visitacion,
presenting a Plaque of Thanks to Fr Hazy for his contribution in EDUCATION.
