MARIA INES---ES CORAZON DE SAN MIGUEL

INES WITH NUEVO PADRES

INES WITH HER ARTWORK

     Maria Ines Laureno G. can be truly considered

the Heart of the Saltillo Mission at San Miguel.  Ines has worked at the Mission, sponsored by the Dioceses of  Jackson and Biloxi, Mississippi, for 9 years as the full time secretary for the Mission. 

      She has volunteered at the Mission since the 1980's when she went to the ranchos with Padre Patrick Quinn and Padre Patricio Mockler when they were at the Mission and when it was headquartered at Iglesia de Perpetuo Socorro.

    

     Prior to the job as full time secretary to the Mission which consists of 7 churches in the City of Saltillo, Coah., Mexico, and 24 outlying churches in the ranchos outside of the city of Saltillo, she worked at the Seminary in Saltillo.   She has an enormous amount of paperwork involved in keeping up with such a vast amount  of  area and people involved.

     Her "regular" work schedule is Tuesday through Saturday, but many times works late to get things ready for Padre Benny Piovan, the Pastor of the Mission on  his next day schedule to visit the ranchos or Masses in the City.  Also, when things are going on on Sunday at the Mission,  she always volunteers to help with the cooking or cleaning or whatever needs to be done.

    

     She worked 18 years at the Seminary in Saltillo and took over the job at San Miguel when Father Mike Thornton was Pastor, following  the death of  Father Quinn.  Since Father Thornton left, she has worked with Father Bill Cullen, Father Rich Smith and now Father Benny, the current pastor.  But now there are two new priests also working at the Mission due to the vast amount of work needed to handle such a large parish.

     Ines is bilingual and is also an accomplished Artist.  She acts as interpreter for the Mission and gives as  presents her fine artwork to family and friends.

     On her day off she stays busy helping out her family with school, medical visits, or anything else they might need.  She also continues to help at the Seminary and when someone needs blood or has medical bills, she contacts people soliciting donations.

     In 1991 she was given the annual award by the Sertome Club of Saltillo for her outstanding selfless work among the youth of Saltillo for her strong effort against drug addiction.  Father Quinn was in attendance.

     Despite her tremendous workload, she is always there to help anyone and always has a smile on her face. 

     Yes, Ines learned well from Father Quinn how to give back to the people.  Well done, Ines!!! Dios te Bendiga.

INES WITH FATHER THORNTON

NUEVO SACERDOTES POR MISSION

New priests

     Father Benny Pioven is the Pastor of the Saltillo Mission and for almost 3 years has had the job of  traveling to 24 rancho churches and 7 churches in  the City barrios of Saltillo by himself. Fr. Benny recently celebrated his 75th birthday, have retired from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, La. in 2006.   Now he has been asked to take over another church in the City.   A new hospital has just been finished and you guessed it,  it is in the barrios where the Saltillo Mission lies.   He has been asked to visit the sick in the hospital too.     He is working on a plan to take care of the family when they visit their sick relatives who are in the hospital.  Now they have no place to go if they come in from the distant ranchos to visit the family members in the hospital.

     AS of February 5, 2011,  two new Mexican priests have been living at the Mission and have been helping Padre Benny with the daily work of the Mission.

The Rancho Churches of San Miguel Parish

     Reverend David Martinez Rubio, if from Morelos, Mexico and Revenend Evelio Rodriguez hails from Tequicuilco, Guerrero, Mexico.  They now live in the Mission casa next to the Mission where Father Thornton lived.  Father Benny still lives inside the Mission  complex in one of the rooms where the visitors stayed when visiting.

     The new padres belong to the new Order of Misioneros Siervos de la Divina Miseriocordia.  They hope to stay at the Mission and work since there is lots of work to do in the parish.

     The parish also has started a new youth program and have youth retreats at the Mission on the weekends.

     The area was in a severe drought,but recently have had some rain, but he heat is almost unbearable and this is the hottest time of  the year.

     Father Dean Danos of Thibodaux, La. plans to bring his group to the Mission in July, bringing needed supplies for the Mission and the people of the ranchos and barrios.

     Please continue to pray for the success of the Mission.  Father Benny can be reached on Saltillo Mission San Miguel Facebook or at bennyinmex@yahoo.com.

PADRE PATRICK QUINN- UN GRAN HOMBRE

     El Padre Quinn es el hombre mas grande que he conocido, y llamo a un santo por muchos. Nacio en Balllygar, Condado de Galway, Irlanda el 25 de junio de 1930. Sus padres eran Larry y Molly Quinn. Sus padres tenian una pequena granja, donde trabajo al crecer y cuando este en casa para el verano.
     Ademas de Patrick, los Quinn tenia tres otros hijos, Andres, Miguel y Pedro.  Patrick, Peter y Michael eligio convertirse en sacerdotes. Michael se quedo en Irlanda para servir, mientras que Patricio y Pedro vino a Mississippi a servir.
     Patrick fue ordenado sacerdote en el verano de 1955 y emigro a la diocesis de Natchez-Jackson, donde sirvio en varias parroquias hasta que el Papa Pio XII comenzo a instar a los obispos del mundo a enviar sacerdotes a la ayuda de la Iglesia en America Latina, donde habia una grand escasez de sacerdotes.
     Brunini Obispo pidio a los sacerdotes de Mississippi su opinion sobre la conveniencia de abrir una mision en America Latina. Los sacerdotes de la Diocesis abrumadora voto a favor de abrir una mision.  Padre Quinn se ofrecio para iniciar una mision y, finalmente, decidio abrirlo en Saltillo, Mexico, porque fue solo 1000 miles de Mississippi, y el Padre Quinn queria que la gente de Mississippi para compartir y apoyar y visita de la Mision.  Cuando llego a Saltillo descubrio que su nueva parroquia, con sede en Perpetuo Socorro Iglesia Catholic fue mucho mas grande que cualquier parroquia en Mississippi, y tan grandes como muchas diocesis.  El Pastor irlandes habia una parroquia de casi 50,000 personas.  La parroquia se compone actualmente 24 iglesias ranchos y 7 iglesias en los barrios de la cuidad de Saltillo.  Las iglesias rancho se estienden sobre una vasta area en las montanas y solo fue posible por Padre Quinn para visitar cada uno de ellos solo una vez al mes.
     Ademas de la Iglesia Perpetuo Socorro tambien hubo varias iglesias en la ciudad de Saltillo, y en los pueblos ademas de numerosos ranchos o estacionados en las lejanas montanas de la Sierra Madre con sus pequenas capillas que tenia que visitar a decir misa Algunos de los ranchos se 4 horas de la Ciudad de Saltillo.
     Padre Quinn se beso en grand medida de cientos de voluntarios mexicanos o catequistas para trabajar con el en los barrios y ranchos. La catequesis se desempeno como maestros de educacion religiosa.
     Durante los primeros anos el Padre Quinn habia otros sacerdotes de Mississippi que se quedaria durante  4 years.  El untimo sacerdote para servir con el Padre Quinn fue el Padre Patricio Mockler, que sirvio a la mision de 1986 a 1990. A partir de entonces el Padre Quinn trabajo la parroquia como el unico sacerdote desde Mississippi hasta su muerte en enero de 1997.
     Padre Quinn inicio un verano para jovenes esperience misionera para los jovenes y adultos de Mississippi para venir a visitar y trabajar en  la Mision. Las primeras visitas fueron pro 3 semanas y luego cuando se hizo tan popular cambio a una semana cada uno para poder dar cabida a la enome respuesta de la gente de Mississippi.  Padre ser  una persona carismatica cuando la gente visita que y obtener su semana y pronto no solo los meses  de verano se llena, pero los adultos que visitan en otros momentos del ano, llevando al apoyo necesario. Miles iba a visitar la Mision de cada ano para trabajar, orar y me pregunto por estar en la presencia de este Gran Hombre.
     Padre tenia una memoria excelente y una vez que te conoci no se le olvida el nombre y no era raro que  despues de reunirse con el grupo de 50 o 60 personas para introducirlas en los ranchos al dia siguiente por su nombre.
     Padre dejo una impresion duradera en la Mision y el pueblo.  Construyo iglesias en los ranchos y la ciudad de Saltillo y luego comenzo un programa de construccion y fue capaz de construir miles de viviendas en los barrios para los probres que vivian en chozas de carton, sin electricidad ni agua corriente.
     A su muerte en 1997, la Mision se tranlado a la iglesia  de San Miguel en los barrios en las afueras de la ciudad.  El Padre de Miguel Thornton, que habia servido con el Padre Quinn 9173 a 1997 fue designado para hacerse cargo de la parroquia por un periodo de seis anos.
     No, Padre Quinn no se olvidara pronto por los Mexicanos o los estadounidenses que lo conocieron y trabajaron con el ano tras ano.
     En actual parroco, el Padre Benny Piovan, pastor de San Miguel, ha pedido al obispo de Saltillo para iniciar una proceso de canonizacion por el Padre Quinn, que bien lo merece.  No hay duda por cualquier persona que lo conocia que el es un santo.
     A su funeral asistieron miles de mexicanos y muchos estadounidenes que muy amado en El Santo de Saltillo y se perdio durante algun  tiempo.  Esta enterrado en el interio del Perpetuo Socorro Iglesia en la calle Abasolo.  La calle junto a la iglesia llevia su nombre. En la nueva iglesia  de San Miguel, hay una sala adjunta, con el fin de mantener un lugar de recuerdo del Padre Quinn.
     BRAVO, PADRE QUINN, BIEN HECHO MI HOMBRE................
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PADRE PATRICK QUINN--UN GRAND HOMBRE

  

      Father Patrick  Quinn is the greatest man I ever knew, and called a Saint by many.  He was born in Ballygar, County Galway, Ireland on June 25, 1930.  His parents were Larry and Molly Quinn.  His parents ran a small farm, where he worked when growing up as well when home for summer. They also ran a small store with needed items for the neighbors.
     Besides Patrick, the Quinns had 3 other sons, Andrew, Michael and Peter. Patrick, Peter and Michael chose to become priests.   Michael stayed in Ireland to serve, while Patrick and Peter came to Mississippi to serve.
     Patrick was ordained a priest in the summer of 1955 and emigrated to the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson, where he served in a number of parishes until Pope Pius XII began urging the Bishops of the world to send priests to the aid of the church in Latin America, where there was a terrible  shortage of priests.  Bishop Brunini asked the priests of Mississippi their opinion of whether to open a Mission in Latin America. The priests of the Diocese overwhelming voted to open a Mission..  Father Quinn volunteered to start a Mission and finally decided to open it in Saltillo, Mexico, because it was only 1000 miles from Mississippi, and Father Quinn wanted the people of Mississippi to share and support and visit the Mission.   When he got to Saltillo he discovered that his new parish, with headquarters at Perpetuo Soccoro Catholic Church was vastly larger than any parish in Mississippi, and as large as many Dioceses.  The Irish pastor had a parish of nearly 50,000.  The parish now consists of 24 rancho churches and 7 churches in the barrios of City of Saltillo.  The rancho churches are spread out over a vast area in the mountains and it was only possible for Fr.Quinn  to  visit each one only once a month.
      
     In addition to the Perpetuo Socorro Church there was also several churches in the City of  Saltillo, and in addition numerous villages or ranchos stationed in the distant Sierra Madre Mountains with their little chapels that he had to visit to say Mass.  Some of the ranchos are 4 hours from the City of Saltillo.
     Fr. Quinn relied heavily on hundreds of Mexican volunteers or catechists to work with him in the barrios and ranchos.  The catechises served as religious education teachers.
      During the early years Fr. Quinn had other priests from Mississippi who would stay for 4 years.  The last priest to serve with Fr. Quinn was Fr. Patrick Mockler, who served the mission from 1986 to 1990.   From that time on Fr. Quinn worked the parish as the only priest from Mississippi until his untimely death in January, 1997.
     Fr. Quinn started a summer youth missionary esperience for the youths  and adults  from Mississippi to come and visit and work in the Mission.  The first visits were for 3 weeks and then when it became so popular changed to one week each in order to be able to accommodate the tremendous response from the people of Mississippi.  Fr. Quinn being such a charismatic person when people would visit they would be so moved by the man and his mission, those from other areas of the country would call and get their week and soon not only the summer months were filled up, but adults would visit at other times of the year bringing needed support. Thousands would visit the Mission each year to work, pray and wonder at being in the presence of this Great Hombre.
     Fr. Quinn had an excellent memory and once he met you he would not forget you name and it was not unusual after meeting a group of 50 or 60 people to introduce them at the ranchos the next day by name. 
     Fr. Quinn left a lasting impression on the Mission and the people.  He built churches in the ranchos and the City of Saltillo and then started a building program and was able to build thousands of homes in the barrios for the poor who were living in cardboard shacks, with no electricity or running water.
     Upon his death in 1997, the Mission was moved to San Miguel Church in the barrios on the outskirts of town.  Father Micheal Thornton, who had served with Fr. Quinn from 1973 to 1977 was appointed to take charge of the parish for a 6 year term.
     No, Fr. Quinn will not soon be forgotten by the Mexican people or Americans who knew and worked with him year after year.
     The present pastor, Fr. Benny Piovan, has petitioned the Bishop of Saltillo to begin a process of canonization for Fr. Quinn, who well deserves it.  There is no doubt by anyone  who knew him that he is indeed a Saint.
     His funeral was attended by THOUSANDS of Mexicans and many Americans who dearly loved the El Santo de Saltillo and will be missed for some time. He is buried inside Perpetuo Socorro Church on Abasolo Street.  The street next to the church is named for him     In the new San Miguel Church, there is a room attached for the purpose of  maintaining a place of remembrance of  Father Patrick Quinn.
      Bravo Padre Quinn, well done my man......

PADRE BENNY---MAN ON A MISSION!!!

     When Father Benjamin Piovan retired from the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 2006, instead of looking for a rocking chair and a life less stressful, he decided to take the "Road Less Traveled" and move to Saltillo, Mexico to assist in the running of the Mission there.  The Mississippi Dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi have supported the Mission since 1969, when Father Patrick Quinn opened the Mission there at Perpetuo Socorro Catholic Church, which then moved to San Miguel Church when he passed away in 1997.
     Father Quinn invited groups, both youth and adult,  from Mississippi, as well as Louisiana and around the United States to come visit for a week to share in the Mission Experience.  That is how Father Benny came to visit the mission with a group from LaPlace, La., where he fell in love with the City and the people.
     Father Benny was born in Padova, Italy and entered the Salesian Seminary when he was 11 years old.  He originally came to the United States as a Salesian Brother in 1955 and taught in various schools until he returned to Italy to finish his studies for the priesthood.  He was ordained in 1964 and returned to the United States and worked in several places until he joined the Arch-Diocese of New Orleans in 1971.  After serving as assistant pastor of St. Rita in Harahan and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Kenner, La., he was appointed founding pastor of the Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church in LaPlace, La. and served there for 27 years until his "retirement" in 2006.  That is when he moved to the Mission in Saltillo.   He served as assistant to the pastor until he was asked to take charge of the mission when the pastor returned to the United States to work in the Diocese of Jackson. 
     Father Benny took over a parish with a population about 10 times the size of the one in LaPlace and is large enough to be handled by 10 priests.
     Father Benny  said, "I loved working in LaPlace, but  I truly love it here in Saltillo.  The need here is great.  The people are leaving the ranchos and moving to the barrios of the City of Saltillo  seeking work and better living conditions. The mission church of San Miguel is right in the middle of the poorest section of Saltillo. People live in cardboard shacks, with no electricity  and no running water."
     Father Benny added, "This is where I need to be and I thank God every day for giving me the opportunity to serve Him through the poor of Saltillo."
     Father Benny can be contacted at the mission by email at bennyinmex@yahoo.com

Sick Girl in Saltillo

SALTILLO GIRL SICK
 (FORMER MISSION WORKER)

Tomasa "Tomy" Garcia Rodriguez was born on December 29, 1969 in a small rancho outside the City of Saltillo, Coah., Mexico, one of 20 children.  One of her sisters, Tere, is blind.
     As a teenager Tomy and Tere were hired on at the Mississippi Catholic Mission by former pastor, Father  Patrick Quinn, who stared the mission in 1969, in the city of Saltillo, at Perpetuo Socorro Church.
     Father Patrick Mockler, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Biloxi, served at the Mission  wilth Fr. Quinn from 1986 to 1990, during the same time Tomy and Tere worked at the Mission.
     In January of this year, Tomy was diagnosed with an Advanced Stage of Uterine Cancer.  Since that time the doctors in Saltillo have begun agressive treatments procedures in an effort to save her life.  She has needed numerous blood transfusions.

     No longer able  to care for herself, she now resides wilth her sister, Tere, who takes care of her.
     The Mission workers, as well as her friends in Saltillo and some Mississippians as well have banded together to help with her medical expenses.  Her Mexican medical insurance has long since run out and there is no more help coming from the government.
     Father  Sergio Balderos, associate pastor of  Fatima Church in Biloxi, and who grew up in Saltillo, along with Fr. Mockler have had fund-raisers for her medical expenses.   Also, L.J. Livacarri, the "FAMOUS" bread-maker from Biloxi, has had 2 bread sales toward the effort

L.J. baking bread for Tomasa

     The family and friends send their gratitude for the support and ask for you prayers in her time of need so that she may recover from this deadly disease. Padre Quinn, pray for her!!!!