St. Patrick Parish Youth Group touch lives in Peru
Published on September 26th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA The air was full of excitement and anticipation, as a group of teenagers milled around the St. Patrick Parish Center recently.
The group laughed and chatted as teens are fond of doing, but the nearly palpable sense of pride they exuded was what set them apart from their peers on this particular day.
September 16 was a day they had been awaiting for weeks, a day that afforded them the opportunity to show to their families and fellow parishioners their courage, abilities, and faith illustrated by their accomplishments over the summer.
It was the day they presented their experiences of their mission to Peru to the parish which had faithfully supported them along the way.
“This is a day for us to say thank you to you with all our hearts ... for all you've done for us,” said Youth Minister Marco Desiderio.
For 16 days, the St. Patrick Parish Youth Group worked, played, and prayed with the children of San Bartolo, Peru on a mission organized by Desiderio and embraced by a dynamic group of young people.
The mission took the teens out of their comfort zone, away from their homes, friends, and everything familiar, to an impoverished place they could never have fathomed.
Presentations and a slide show illustrated the group's journey, its camaraderie, and the various ways it engaged with the children of San Bartolo.
It also provided a poignant picture of the poverty in which those child live, the stark shanty towns, the shacks they call home, and the dire lack of conveniences and basic necessities.
But perhaps most poignant were the pictures of the children themselves, all smiling, many donning rosary beads brought over from Stoneham, enjoying the attention and company of the St. Patrick Youth Group.
Desiderio had nothing but praise for the youth group, each of whom took the preparation and the journey itself very seriously.
“I understood just how much we underestimate young people...Young people end up believing what they hear and many people underestimate (youth),” he said. “As St. Pat's youth, we need to change how people see us.”
The trip changed all who experienced it, according to Desiderio. Each member of the mission proved to him or herself how one person can change the world, and how powerful it can be to work together. During the presentation, the entire group donned T-shirts emblazoned with the word “transformed.”
“I never knew what is was like to be a father,” said the single 29-year old Youth Minister of his own transformation during the experience with the youth group. “I had this fatherly spirit.”
Without the support of many, including the families of all the travelers, Fr. Bill Schmidt, St. Patrick pastoral staff, and parishioners who supported the missions efforts in various ways including attending several fund raisers held throughout the spring and early summer, the mission would not have been possible, Desiderio pointed out.
“It took the entire parish community to make it happen.”
One parishioner, in particular, made a unique impression on the youth group. Long time parishioner Ollie Dowling, who enjoyed participating in CYO as a youth and delighted in the activism of the youth group at St. Patrick's, made 100 rosary beads to be given to the children of San Bartolo. Ollie passed away before the group left for Peru.
On her death bed, she tried to tell her family where she had put the rosary beads. The rosary beads were eventually found and presented first to the youth group and then to the children of Peru.
“We had her looking down from heaven on us,” Desiderio said. Another group, the Apostolate of Fatima, also made and donated rosary beads to the mission.
Members of the St. Patrick Youth Group who traveled to Peru are Matt Willis, Michael Rora, Mary Rora, Jaimie McCarthy, Caitlyn Bryan, Kevin Price, Nikki Roberto, Sean Perry, Shawn Secondini, Chris Fitzpatrick, David Vargas, Tommy O'Connell, Gerard Harrington, Raisa Stockbridge, Mike Mendonca, and Brianna Dawson.
The gift of adult chaperons helped make the trip possible. Chaperons included Pat Sbrizza, Jolene Sbrizza, Mike Secondini, Bob Secondini, Christine Kenneally, Alexis Antolini, Gabriella Howard, Julie DeAngelis, and Desiderio.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!