At the end of October, the Missionaries’ Center of Reconciliation in Bogotá had much to celebrate. In April, when the Center was inaugurated, the Colombian mission invited lay people to participate in a certificate program on reconciliation. The course was divided into three sections, which included the spiritual, psychological and social aspects of reconciliation. The purpose of the program was to train lay people as agents of reconciliation.

After many months of hard work, on October 29, 18 lay people, many of them lay associates, graduated from the program in a ceremony which was held at the University Javeriana. The graduation ceremony began with the celebration of the Eucharist and was followed by Fr. Joe Deardorff, C.PP.S., giving out diplomas to those who had completed the program. Glasses were raised and the festivities continued.

All of the graduates are excited and committed to the Center and to help develop its activities. At the Center’s last board meeting, its members projected many new programs for the coming year. All are confident that with the help of those who graduated from the certificate program, the Center will grow and the new programs will flourish.

Article by Jean Giesige

Picture provided by Rev. Joseph Deardorff, C.PP.S.