Fifty-eight year old priest Father John Andersen has been working as a missionary in Peru for 24 years. Working in parishes around Sydney after his ordination, John felt he was needed elsewhere in the world. After receiving permission from the Archbishop of Sydney, John travelled to South America. He studied Spanish for six months in Bolivia before moving on to Peru.
For the last 14 years, John has been the parish priest at St Rose of Lima church in Iquitos, in the north east of Peru, on the banks of the Amazon River. Iquitos has a population of about half a million people, with 80 per cent of them Catholic. It is about one and a half hours (by plane) from the capital Lima, and can only be reached by plane or boat. Most of the people in the town are very poor and live in small villages along the riverbank.
The families in the St Rose of Lima parish are very involved in the life of the parish, helping with the pastoral plan. Father John enjoys working with these families and draws inspiration from their strong faith and dedication to the church. In 2004 the parish celebrated their Golden Jubilee. The parishioners help distribute a ‘Letter to the Christians’ – a bulletin which reaches all the families in the area as well as the soldiers in the farthest outposts.
Since September 2004 Father John has taken on the role of chaplain to the Peruvian army in the eastern region of the country. Every weekend he celebrates Mass in two army barracks with young soldiers and visit different units for catechesis during the week.
“The soldiers greet us with singing and participate with great gusto in the different activities of a program of Christian formation,” said Father John. “We have very good Generals, much concerned for the wellbeing of the troops and that they be men and women of principle who do what is right.”
Father John says he doesn’t find it difficult being so far from home and his family. He has written to his family every week in the 24 years he has been away, so he doesn’t miss them too much. He recently returned to Australia to celebrate his father’s 90th birthday on the NSW Central Coast.
Father John has had one scary moment at his local church in Iquitos. A couple of men came to the church asking about baptisms, and then all of a sudden pulled a gun and pointed it directly in his eye while they attempted to rob the church. Thankfully for Father John, some people outside raised the alarm shouting, “thieves!” and the robbers ran away.
Father John hopes to stay on in Iquitos, as he really enjoys the work he does there with the parish and the army. As long as Cardinal George Pell is happy for him to stay there, he will continue to do so. Father John believes it is the will of God for him to work with the families in Iquitos and the soldiers, and to spread the word of the Gospels.
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Father John Andersen (rear) with Sisters from two Congregations and their Bishop, Julian García, OSA
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Father John baptises a soldier with the General acting as Godfather |
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