Monthly Readings

PITH Press

July 2009 Readings

Greetings from Tijuana!

I can see the whole thing laid out in front of me. Not just because an army of architects and engineers, civil planers and political officials have been all over the Hacienda since it was announced that we were going to purchase the site for the use of the Church, the Archdiocese and the Community, but because I can really see it.

I am a little conservative about a great many things. Dogma and doctrine must never be watered down. The Church's moral teachings are not up for grabs. There is black and white about a whole range of issues. So when I told the Archbishop that "God told me to acquire the Hacienda for the Church," I think it more than surprised him.

"In what way? Figuratively, right?" "No," I said, "Literally!" and he asked for my explanation.

Since coming to this Archdiocese in 1993 (coming from St. RAFAEL's Catholic Church), I have always been frustrated at a lack of an adequate center for diocesan events and for retreats and for Congresses and Encounters. We have none of these basic things. An Archdiocesan retreat center where we could have 300 couples make a spiritual retreat was a dream. More so a place where one could go to escape and be in solitude for reflection and meditation was illusive. Our Seminary is in the City Center, and there is nowhere to hold an annual contemplative retreat.

I told the Archbishop that when I was in Brazil three years ago this November and saw the stadium for 70,000 and smaller pavilions for 4,000 and amphitheaters for 1,400 all around the ministries of a Covenant Community in Cachoaida Paulista, God told me to take this to Tijuana. The multi-media, internet, evangelization in the macro and the centers for retreats and reconciliation in the micro, retreat centers for the young and camping areas they have are fantastic. I said to God, "If you want it, make me make it happen." This fell out of the sky with His handwriting all over it!

~Fr. Jeffrey David

July

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19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

NOTES...

You can get mad at me, but really, God presented this to me. He wants this for the Church. I know it.

I really need your help. I have sought your assistance in the June 2009 edition and the new Newsletter will be coming out soon. It will detail many aspects of the new retreat center.

The Archbishop is supporting us 100% morally but 0% economically because the Archdiocese entered into contractual agreements to buy large tracts of land for future parishes (a tactic your faithful servant convinced them to do... so they aren't stuck trying to buy little lots afterward in key areas -- a much more expensive proposition). The problem is the Archdiocese is saddled with a whole bunch of payments and cannot help right now.

I need at least $ 300,000 for the down payment a HUGE track of land and a poorly maintained retreat center! A drug addiction rehab had been operating up until recently. With the US economy as it is and their lack of donations, they want out... and I want in. It is a great blessing that they want to leave, that they are willing to sell to me and they are willing to sell for cheap. They want $ 4.4 million for 143 acres with all rights included. A modest 1.7 acres is developed with the retreat center (for 70 people) and the main house in mission style.

The land is fairly accessible to the city center (about 35 minutes) and is very rural being in an odd valley that has eluded development between the sea and the city.

They are asking for a $300,000 down payment and the remainder of the payments over ten years. Working the Retreat Center hard and renting out with use fees for youth groups for camping should generate a sufficient income to pay the payments and then some (useful for new construction and remodeling older sections).

I signed the contract. Help! More later! Help (send money!) and trust me... Come and see! Stay at the center, you will fall in love with it. You'll want to come back! I guarantee your safety. Be generous.

~Fr. Jeffrey Davids