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Father
Purdy's Letters
“A great
difficulty that needed surmounting was the financial situation.
Again novenas were offered! A month later our prayers were granted;
a benefactor (originally from Butuan) was found to help pay the
cost of transportation. At the same time the sister of the benefactor
began to receive the priest in her home and is now one of the strong
members of Sta. Lucia. Fr. Daniel Couture was the first to visit
Butuan with these new accommodations. He said Mass in the house
of Ate (older sister) N… with many people attending.
“From that time, the Mass schedule was improved, becoming
five times a year. We adhered to our prayers and Novenas to have
a regular Mass schedule, if possible, every month. We never stopped
begging Fr. Couture that this longing desire will come to reality.
“In
August 2004, Fr Couture was again in Butuan and delivered a conference
about the crisis of the church. That was a significant event for
me, and I can say a milestone. A few months later our long waited
request was fully granted. Fr. Joseph Lester started coming every
month to Butuan. We cannot forget his generosity and understanding,
and how much we learned from him. I firmly believed the intercession
of the great benefactor St. Joseph played a significant role in
this mission. Prayers and Novenas were offered. To really hold his
attention, I wrote a letter and “mailed” it (by taping
it) at the back of His picture…it was dated on August 29,
2003.
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“Dear St. Joseph,
My
Patron, my protector and my advocate!. I humbly ask Thy powerful
intercession to help us finish Sta. Lucia Chapel in my place Butuan.
It is known to Thee, we have no enough budget! For this I entrusted
this project into Thy hands with confidence for Thy generous help
to complete this project. O Glorious St. Joseph, hear and grant
my prayer. Amen.
“My dear St. Joseph, at this very moment, I do not know how
to express my sincerest gratitude for the realization of our utmost
desire that from a nipa hut full of termites here stands a magnificent
chapel. Fr. Lester is the one to begin the improvements in our chapel.
Due to the flooding which occurs in our area, he put in a concrete
floor, quite elevated so it would be only the worst floods that
would stop mass there. From then on other improvements were made.
A new roof was put over our heads. The old timbers full of termites
and the very leaky roof have been replaced. A new sanctuary has
been built with a tile floor and a new altar as well. There are
some paintings of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
and then of course, Santa Lucia in the middle above the altar.
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Our Heartfelt gratitude to the Blessed Mother, Queen of The Holy
Rosary, to whom we tendered our devotions, to you St. Joseph, and
the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Thank you also for the Society of St.
Pius X who has made all this possible and to the priests who work
so hard for us. Thank you also for the N… couple for their
support in the mission.
“In 2005,
I came home to join the mission. We have some projects as a source
of income. There are ups and down, these are normal without which
we will not move. Failures are common but they served as our encouragements
to go on and reach our goals. Sometimes we were exhausted; we will
be just refilled and refreshed unknowingly. Many trials; more are
coming, but I can bet the sufferings are a sweet labor. The fruits
are the real joy.
In September 2006, we were privileged to have Bishop Williamson
to administer the sacrament of Confirmation. This was the first
visit of any bishop to Butuan. The fruits of our Missions apostolate:
32 Baptisms, 27 Confirmations, 22 First Communions, 2 entering the
Religious life, 8 Marriages. The days to come I leave to Divine
Providence. Long Live Christ the King!
In
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
B.V.”
The above is
the history of the Butuan Mission written by one of the faithful.
By the prayers of them all, and your prayers, may the Mission continue!
In the Hearts
of Jesus and Mary,
Novice Master
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