The parish was spread out over 4 square miles, made up of 39 housing associations and had 12 vibrant Christian chapel communities, each one as important as the other. A population of 40,000, 80% catholic, most of the men worked long hours informally, in the building trade in factories, small metal and mechanic workshops or in the transport business as drivers or collectors. Many of the women also worked informally, in shops, markets, factories or doing cleaning jobs, though about 40% worked from home in occasional employment. Only 15% of both men and women had permanent contracts with employment rights and small pensions, in roles such as teachers, local or central government employees.
Most adults in the parish had migrated to Lima from the mountains or amazon jungle as well as from coastal towns to the north and south of Lima. 60% of the population were children or young people. The catholic faith means a great deal to the people. They have an unshakable faith in God, and enormous devotion to their saints, mostly the patronal saints of their hometowns or villages. A high percentage of children were baptized, 300 a year and most of these, about 250 a year, made their First Communion between the ages of 8 and 10. Of these, half again, roughly 125 a year, would go on to be confirmed between the ages of 15 and 19.
Palm Sunday always produced the biggest turnout of the year. In the early years, the chapel with the largest open space, “Our Lord of Mercy”, was host to the other 11 chapel communities. They came waving their palms, singing hymns and playing their guitars and drums. The Eucharist was celebrated with the massed choirs of the chapels, a part in readings, bidding prayers and offertory gifts for as many chapel communities as possible, with the host community giving the welcome, and another community giving the thanksgiving prayer. The blessing of the palms was held at the end of the Mass, when all were present which could be as many as 800 people! They held up their palms and the priests, using two litre cola bottles full of holy water, blessed the people and their palms with generous amounts of water. It being holy water, the people loved the experience!
From 2008 onwards, and in order to reach as many people as possible, each chapel community began to hold their own Palm Sunday service, with processions from different parts of their community to the chapel where either Mass or a Lay Lead liturgy would be held. With celebration times at 8am, 12pm and 7pm, and with having only three priests, we were able to celebrate 9 Masses in total. This meant that there were three lay lead liturgies amongst the 12 communities, with trained ministers of communion well able to give a short reflection and lead the ceremony.
Holy Thursday was celebrated in each chapel community, with the washing of the feet the central theme of service. This time, with three priests, we had three Masses and nine lay lead services. Emphasis was placed on the readings, especially of the Last Supper, as Jesus gave of Himself both in the breaking of the bread, to be with us always, but also foreshadowing the breaking of His body, that He lived out the next day on the cross. As is common during most Holy Thursday services, the communities would re-enact the washing of the feet. In each chapel community the priests and ministers of communion would wash the feet of 12 parishioners, of all ages from little children to the elderly. Some years the communities would decide to make the washing of the feet a communal event, where everybody’s feet were washed, each by the neighbour or family member sitting next to them.
Good Friday was a solemn remembrance of the passion and death of Jesus Christ. This began each year at 9am in the morning with a youth walk starting at “Our Lady of the Rosary” chapel and ending at “Christ the Saviour” chapel, and lasting roughly four hours. The youth wanted to give witness to their faith in Jesus Christ to the wider population. The youth, accompanied by the priests, took a route which passed by all 12 chapel communities. A short liturgy was held in each community, followed by refreshments and encouragement from the adults.
Then at 3pm in the afternoon, each of the 12 chapel communities would hold a Way of the Cross. The route was well planned and passed the houses of sick people or those families who had recently suffered a bereavement. At each station, families put out their holy pictures and statues on a table. Scripture would be read and a reflection linking the theme of the station to an every day event would be given. Prayers were offered for the sick, the deceased and local neighbourhoods. In some of the communities, it was custom for the youth to dress up in costumes and enact the passion. On arriving at their chapels, the universal bidding prayers were read and the people venerated the cross with a kiss.
Vigil Mass of Easter Sunday: The whole parish community, consisting of all 12 chapel communities came together for the Vigil Mass. The main celebrant, usually the parish priest, would light the paschal candle from the outdoor fire. The light would be spread out by candle flame to those present, as everyone sang “The Light of Christ”, three times. After the readings, the priest would declare: ‘Christ has risen!’ The Eucharist was celebrated and there was communion with God and each other. The people brought empty plastic bottles which were filled with holy water from large cylinders. This water had been blessed during the ceremony, so that the people could take home Easter water. Some people brought loaves of bread that were blessed, so that they could take them home to break and share with family and neighbours to celebrate Easter and their union with the Risen Lord present in their lives.