Fr Michael Hoban came to Chile on St Patrick’s Day, 17th March 1972. Most of his missionary life has been spent in Chile, aside from some time spent pursuing studies and serving on the General Council.
He speaks from a new squatter settlement in the Diocese of Iquique in the north of the country. The vast majority of those who have settled there are Venezuelans who fled their homes to start a new life in Chile. Most of them are undocumented and so they encounter a lot of hardship trying to start a new life.
The Columbans have been in the diocese for 43 years. There are about 140,000 people living here and they are served by three parishes and nine chapels. The Columbans were responsible for developing those three parishes.
He recounts how the Parish of St Martin de Porres came to be renamed St Patrick’s Parish.
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