Happy New Year from Peru!

January brings a time for new plans as one reflects on the last 12 months considering
what could’ve been done differently and looking to the next 12 months to envision
what can be done with the gifts God has given.

This year I find myself pondering the good works of Father Walijewski that live on at
Casa Hogar today. Considering what our Casa family has done to honor that legacy and
how we can continue. One thing I know is I cannot do it by myself, the staff cannot do it
by themselves, no one can do any of this work without first God and second the people
that make Casa Hogar possible, our village.

The wisdom of Father Walijewski is evident in our daily life at Casa Hogar, in particular
the way he recognized that he alone could not accomplish what needed to be done;
he was only one man. During an interview in 1972, when asked what he can do for the
200,000 parishioners in Villa El Salvador as only one man, Padre Jose said, “I am a human
being, I only have two hands and two feet. What can I really do to help these people?
Well, there is an old saying “do your best and God will do the rest”.

Casa is set up like a small campus, with a house of 8 apartments, 64 Casa kids, 32 parent
teachers and assistants, 24 staff members and two priests. Together we work as a family
and live as a little village but we do not accomplish the good works of Casa Hogar on
our own, rather we do our best and God does the rest.

It takes the assistance of many other people such as Bishop William Callahan, priests,
benefactors, sponsors, and those that keep us in their prayers. It takes donations both
monetary and material. It takes support from foundations, schools and mission teams.
It takes a village.

Thank you for being part of that village, for being the neighbor with the perpetual cup
of sugar. We couldn’t do it without you. You are our supporters, our counselors, our
advisors, you are family.

I pray that you and your family have a prosperous new year filled with hope and joy.
In Christ,

Msgr. Joseph Hirsch
Director, Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II