WASHINGTON — Ignatius Harding, OFM, is helping the five newest lay missioners from the Franciscan Mission Service find service assignments in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Ignatius in Cochabamba is the primary contact for missioners Clare Lassiter, Nora Pfeiffer, Joel Vaughn, Lynn Myrick and Catherine Giller, who arrived in early January. They are studying Spanish at Maryknoll Language Institute and “exploring placements for when they begin their service in June,” according to FMS executive director Kim Smolik.
The missioners have received “invaluable” assistance from members of Franciscan religious orders in Cochabama, particularly from Ignatius, said Smolik.
Ignacio, as he is called in South America, is helping them discern their placements, which include Centro Social Franciscano — a facility owned by the Poor Clares that provides medical care and social services to the poor.
Another potential placement site is a mission outreach in San Carlos Borromeo Parish, led by Fr. Edwin Quispe, OFM.
“While touring the Centro, I saw that good will toward poor people in Cochabamba is hardly fallow,” said Vaughn.
All of the missioners maintain blogs, which can be found through the FMS blog or the FMS Web site.