FATHER BENNY IN MISSISSIPPI---Makes Mission Appeal

     Father Benny Piovan, Pastor of the Mississippi sponsored Catholic Mission in Saltillo,  Mexico, was in Mississippi this week to make an urgent Mission Appeal.

     His appeal is as follows: " Dear People of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, Ms.

     I am writing  you today to make a special appeal to your generosity on behalf of the San Miguel Mission in Saltillo, Mexico, which you sponsor as a Diocese.  First of all here is a brief background on how the mission was started and of your involvement and commitment to support it.

     The Saltillo Mission was established in 1969 when Fr.Patrick Quinn of the Diocese of Natchez--Jackson was sent by then Bishop Brunini under the invitation of then Pope Paul VI.  Fr. Quinn started his mission at Our  Lady of Perpetual Help--Perpetuo Socorro and stayed there as Pastor until  he died on January 9, 1997.  At his death the parish was divided and the task and work of the mission was transferred to San Miguel. Msgr. Michael Thornton from Biloxi served as pastor there for 7 years.  When the one Catholic Diocese of Mississippi was divided into  the two now existing Catholic Dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi, the respective bishops agreed to continue sponsoring and supporting the San Miguel Mission mainly in two ways: shared financial assistance and by supplying a pastor on a rotating term of 6 years.  When Msgr. Michael Thornton's term was up,  the Diocese of Jackson sent Fr. William Cullen who stayed 3  years.  Then because of his health he returned to Jackson, and to complete his remaining three (3) years, Bishop Latino sent Fr. Richard Smith, who served two (2) years.  Then because of lack of priests Bishop Latino called him back to Jackson, and asked me (Fr. Benjamin Piovan) to take his place to complete the one (1) year left for the Jackson Diocese term.

     I arrived at San Miguel Mission on the 18th day of November, 2006.  Fr. Cullen left Saltillo on January 15th, 2007 and Fr. Smith arrived at that time, and left when recalled on January 6, 2009.  My background is: born in Italy (Padova) in 1936, Ordained as a Salesian priest in 1964.  Incarnated into the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1973 and now retired and serving as a missionary at San Miguel in Saltillo since November 18, 2006.  All during the years of the mission of the one diocese then two dioceses of Mississippi continued to sponsor the mission financially and until two years ago with many groups visiting the mission during  the spring break and mostly in the summer weeks.  Then two years ago these visits were suspended as you well know because of the insecurity and violence which we experience in Mexico (and here in the states as well).

     The financial support of the Saltillo Mission depend mostly on the donations of the 2nd collection which each diocese take up in January each year for the mission.

     It takes about $150,000.00 a year to run the Saltillo Mission with each diocese agreeing to contribute half. Last year (2010) the collection came on the heels of the one for the people of Haiti with the total for the Saltillo Mission of about $40,000.  This past January 2011 the collection amounted to about $30000.00.  With things as they are we at the Mission just cannot make it.  In your well known generosity could you please have either this summer or this fall 2011 a FUND GAP Collection to help us out through this year 2011?

     Personally I am retired. I do not receive a penny of stipend from the Mississippi Dioceses. I am not a financial burden on the Biloxi Diocese for my medical or any other expenses. My personal pension benefits I put all into the mission so that we can keep going and doing the Work of Evangelizing for the poor people of this desert, semi-desert area of  Saltillo.  Many of you and your teenagers have visited this area at one time or another, so you know what the conditions are."

     I plead you PLEASE HELP!

     God Bless you,

      Fr. Benny
       Your Missionary in Saltillo

     My phone number in Mexico: #011 52 844 482 5882              
      My email address:  bennyinmex@yahoo.com
Follow us on Facebook at Saltillo Mission San Miguel 
Parroquia San Miguel Arcangel
   Avenido Central 4649 y Calle 44
    Col. Vista Hermosa
     Codigo Postal 25010
      Saltillo, Coah., Mexico

Padre Miguelito---Still serving God in Mississippi

     Father Michael Thornton first went  to Saltillo in 1973 to serve with Father Patrick Quinn, the founding pastor of  the Mississippi Mission in Saltillo, where it began at Iglesia de Perpetuo Socorro on Abasolo Street.   Father Quinn founded the Mission in 1969, which was co-sponsored by the Dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi.  

     Father Thornton, Padre Miguelito, as the Mexicans called him, served in the Biloxi Diocese before he went  to serve the Mission for 4 years in Mexico.   Padre was in charge of establishing the medical programs for the many rancho parishes of the Mission, both in the City of Saltillo and the distant ranchos.  At the time the population of the Mission was about 45,000 people spread out from the City of Saltillo to the most distant rancho which took about 5 hours to reach, depending on the conditions of the mountain roads.



     The pope at the time called Latin America "the world's largest mission field," and Father Quinn had his choice where to begin the Mission and he chose Saltillo due to his proximity to Mississippi, because Father Quinn had Mississippians in mind. 

Father Miguel in Saltillo with Father Quinn

     When Padre Thornton served in the Mission it was still trial and error for the most part.  The time served in  Saltillo was a tremendous experience for Padre Miguelito, which came in handy when he was chosen to take over the Mission upon the death of Father Quinn in 1997.   Other priests volunteered to go to Saltillo, but Father Thornton was the oldest and most experienced of  the group and was the obvious choice.  Father Thornton was a life-savior for the Mission at that time.

Father Mike saying Mass with Fr. Henry in Saltillo

     The Bishops of Mississippi are having a hard time finding a priest to volunteer to go to Mission at this time.  The Mission is in charge of a "retired" priest from Louisiana, with the help of two newly ordained Mexican priests.

     After negotiations between the Bishop of Saltillo and the Bishops of Jackson and Biloxi, it was decided that Mississippi would move the Mission to San Miguel parish on the outskirts of  Saltillo and  the parishes of the mission would  be divided, subtracted and added to upon the death of  Father Quinn.

     Father Thornton continued to say Masses in Spanish after returning to Mississippi in 1978 and was serving at Pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pascagoula, Mississippi, when he was chosen to take over the Saltillo Mission in 1997.  The groups, both youth and adult groups, continued to make their week-long Saltillo Mission Experience trips after Padre Miguelito took over and moved the headquarters to San Miguel, which is located in the middle of the poorest barrios in the City of Saltillo, and the Mission flourished at that time. Father Thornton rarely had a day off and thanks to God,  rarely got  sick while working at the Mission.

     Father Thornton was easy going and very humble and always had a little smile for everyone he met.

Father in Mississippi with friends

     The Mexicans and Americans alike all loved the little Irishman and he still stays in contact with his many amigos in Saltillo. 

     Father returned to Mississippi after serving 6 years at the Mission and moved to Laurel to take over Immaculate Conception Catholic Church there and continues to serve as their pastor.   The parish there is not quite the size of  Mission, but he continues to say Masses there in English and in Spanish.

     Father Thornton was born in County Galway, Ireland on August 28, 1945, the same County as Padre Quinn.

     Father Thornton even made a return trip to visit the Mission in 2010 to visit his many friends and the current pastor, Father Benny Piovan and to see the progress of the Mission, including the grand new church at San Miguel.

Padre Miguelito with Rogelio, Olga, Erminia y Padre Sergio

     Father Michael Thornton served the people in Saltillo a total of 10 years over two tours of duty there.

  WAY TO GO PADRE MIGUELITO, JOB WELL DONE. LONG LIVE PADRE MIGUELITO!!!