Sister Juanita Villarreal y su experiencia en México
Una oración no podía faltar durante esta gran experiencia de cultura y fe en México.
Rocío Rios
Para Sister Juanita Villarreal, vivir en México ha sido una de las experiencias de su vida. Ella tuvo la oportunidad de viajar a este país que es el que envía la mayoría de inmigrantes que asisten a la iglesia católica que ella ha servido por varios años en Oregón. Por eso, su viaje a México entre el 14 de septiembre de 2010 y el 14 de julio de este año, ha sido una experiencia única.
En entrevista con El Centinela Sister Juanita compartió su experiencia. “En primer lugar viví en la capital del estado de Zacatecas que lleva el mismo nombre, Zacatecas. Estuve allí desde el 14 de septiembre hasta el 27 de diciembre en el convento, la Casa Central, con las Hijas del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús y Santa María de Guadalupe. Yo me involucré como maestra de Inglés en el Instituto Sebastián Cabot donde asisten más de 1.000 alumnos entre primaria y secundaria”, explicó.
El segundo lugar también fue interesante. “Fue en Irapuato, Guanajuato y viví con las Madres Mínimas de María Inmaculada en un asilo para ancianitos. Como nosotras, mis Hermanas de Santa María de Oregón, tenemos un asilo y yo quería saber cómo era la experiencia. Me quedé con ellas por un mes. Luego me invitó el doctor, Padre Félix Castro Morales y su equipo pastoral para vivir y trabajar en la parroquia, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad. Ellos me enseñaron un sistema llamado S.I.N.E. (Sistema Integrado de la Nueva Evangelización)”.
El tercer y último lugar fue en Huanusco, Zacatecas, al sur del estado. “Fui invitada por el Monseñor Antonio Soto, Vicario de la Vida Consagrada, y el Obispo Carlos Cabrero Romero de Zacatecas para ayudarle al Padre Jesús Guerrero, en Huanusco con la evangelización de los migrantes. La mayoría de la gente de Huanusco conoce los Estados Unidos o tienen parientes viviendo en este país o ha sido abandonada por su pareja que se fue a los Estados Unidos y jamás regresó. Huanusco nunca ha tenido religiosas en su parroquia. Una señora feligrés me ayudó a buscar un apartamento en el pueblito y yo viví sola—rodeada por gente muy linda y generosa”.
Al recordar la experiencia de vivir en México, ella dice que es “un mundo diferente. Hay mucha gente que tiene todo lo que yo tengo en este país, pero aún así es diferente. En la vida cotidiana, por ejemplo, muchas veces uno no tiene máquina para lavar ni secar la ropa, o para lavar los trastes. Uno va al mercado todos los días para comprar los ingredientes para la comida. En unos lugares no hay señal para el teléfono celular ni el Internet”.
“El sistema de transporte puede ser un poco peligroso, llenan los “combis” con más gente que la capacidad permite. Muchas veces no hay lo que uno busca y quizás no lo habrá por muchos días”, reiteró.
Hablando de su experiencia con la comunidad católica, ella dijo que allí la gente es “mucho más devota, sencilla, ‘ardiente’ en su corazón (los templos no proveen misales ni libros de música) y la gente reza las oraciones y canta las canciones sin libros. Celebran las fiestas sagradas con gran sacrificio…muchas flores, banderas, velas y listones, etc. sin fijarse en los gastos”.
Al ver la experiencia en general y recordar su trabajo con los católicos hispanos en sitios como la iglesia San José en Salem y otros lugares, ella compartió que “una de las cosas que oigo aquí es que cuando es Adviento o Cuaresma, por ejemplo, en el pueblo no se nota diferencia ninguna. Como todos no somos católicos, no vemos procesiones o tiendas cerradas o nada diferente. El mundo sigue igual que cualquier otro día de la semana. Por ejemplo, en anticipación a la fiesta de Navidad el pueblo aquí empieza a vender comercialmente cosas navideñas en octubre o noviembre, pero no para otras fiestas católicas”.
Cuando ella recuerda qué fue lo que más le impactó dijo sin duda que la gran devoción de las personas. “Celebran las fiestas o cumplen con los preceptos de la Iglesia. También vi la manera con que se resignan a vivir sin el marido que los abandonó o a vivir con enfermedades, si no tienen dinero para el médico. La gente de los ‘ranchos’ demuestra gran fe porque se ponen a preparar la tierra para la siembra sabiendo que no ha llovido desde hace siete meses, pero que Dios nunca los ha abandonado. Unas familias no tienen estufa ni agua purificada pero aun así viven tratando de ser felices con lo que tienen”.
El Centinela.¿Cómo describe el rol de la iglesia en México?
Sister Juanita. Yo no sé si el rol de la Iglesia es tan diferente al que yo conozco. La notaria de la parroquia muchas veces trabaja sin computadoras o en lugares muy pobres pero tienen que mantener los records y todo lo demás igual que aquí. En mi opinión y lo que ví, creo que los sacramentos se pueden celebrar con más frecuencia que aquí y con menos “peros”.
E.C. ¿Es igual a la iglesia aquí con los inmigrantes hispanos?
S. J. V. Creo que la resignación es más grande con los que trabajan en la Iglesia, cuando de repente los feligreses no están o no cumplen con su obligación porque se van a trabajar a los Estados Unidos. Aquí yo recuerdo que yo me turbaba toda cuando alguien no estaba porque se habían ido a México de emergencia, etc. En México pueden “dar la vuelta” y seguir adelante fácil.
E.C. ¿Cuál fue su mayor aprendizaje?
S.J.V. Fue la gran necesidad del “protocolo”. Uno puede ser pobre pero debe tener gran respeto y seguir las reglas del protocolo.
E.C. ¿Cuál fue el objetivo principal de su viaje?
S.J.V. Mi comunidad, las Hermanas de Santa María de Oregón, me dieron permiso de ir a México para investigar y explorar maneras para una mejor relación, para intercambiar ideas, para aprender a evangelizar los migrantes de México aquí y tener un mejor enlace entre la Iglesia en México y las Hermanas.
E.C. ¿Cómo le fue con su español y la comunidad allá?
S.J.V. Mi español es horrible pero la gente perdonaba muy fácil mis errores. Ellos me enseñaban o me corregían con amor. Les daba mucha alegría explicarme sobre cosas que para mí eran extrañas: como frutas u otras comidas. Me ofrecían las cosas con gran gusto para que yo aprendiera.
E.C. ¿Cuénteme una experiencia inolvidable del viaje?
S.J.V. Una vez fui a casa de una señora que tenía a su marido muy enfermo. Él no había comido por un mes. Ella pidió al sacerdote pero él no estaba. Una señora me llevó a la casa del enfermo y las dos rezamos con la mujer. A mí me gusta cantar así que cantamos y rezamos el Santo Rosario. No llevamos al Santísimo porque el párroco no estaba y no teníamos la llave para el tabernáculo. El siguiente día la esposa nos informó que su marido había tomado un poco de Ensure y que se sentía mejor. Nos informó que había sido un “milagro”.
Otros milagros fueron cuando ofrecí un día de retiro antes de Pentecostés y tres días de conferencias sobre la Santa Eucaristía (para el “Jueves de Corpus”) y asistió mucha gente y muchos jóvenes.
E.C. ¿Usted quiere regresar en septiembre?
S.J.V. ¡Claro que sí! Porque Dios nos llama a compartir la Buena Nueva con todos. Hoy con la lectura sobre Rut y su suegra, Naomí…aprendemos que Rut tomó dos decisiones: de cuidar a su anciana suegra y de tomar a su Dios como el de ella.
Dios necesita evangelizadores que lleven la Buena Nueva a todos, en especial a los que sufren el dolor de ser humillados cuando son regresados por no tener los documentos, o el dolor de ser abandonados por su pareja por otra esposa y otros niños o el dolor de parientes que no pueden regresar a verlos ni a enterrarlos cuando mueren.
E.C. ¿A dónde?
S.J.V. A México y en especial a Huanusco, Zacatecas.
E.C. ¿Se va a lograr el plan? Pido que el Espíritu Santo nos ilumine para conocer el siguiente paso. No sabemos si se va a lograr, pero estamos listas para sacrificar lo necesario y para cumplir con la voluntad de Dios.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Comments from a Sister student in my English Class
Estimada, Sister Juanita:
No sabe el gusto que me da recibir su e-mail, pero a la vez me preocupo saber que no está muy bien de salud. Voy a estar pidiendo por su pronta recuperación. Sé que mi Señor esta con usted y que le está dando su fortaleza para salir adelante y cumplir con aquello que El le ha encomendado, pero siga cuidándose por favor.
¿Sabe? ¡De verdad que la extraño! Pues usted supo ganarse un lugar en mi corazón y aunque no le escriba seguido, siempre le pido a mi Jesús por usted.
Hace poco estuve leyendo lo que escribió para el periódico y me gusto mucho. Sobre todo creció mas en mi admiración por usted!
Por favor cuídese mucho y siga adelante, descubriendo el Plan Salvífico de mi Dios para quienes El ha puesto a su cuidado. Por acá empieza a hacer frio y también amenazan las lluvias, lo que no me gusta es que también puede empezar a haber niebla y debo manejar como 12 o 13 millas para llegar a la Misión donde trabajo.
La mayoría de la gente de allí es de mi país, así es que no puedo practicar mucho el ingles, y como no se mucho, pues casi ni lo intento.
Perdón, pero no fui muy buena discípula de usted...
Dios me la proteja siempre.
Afectuosamente: Hna. María Teresa de Jesús González Vera.
Saludos, abrazos y bendiciones para usted, ah y mi agradecimiento infinito.
No sabe el gusto que me da recibir su e-mail, pero a la vez me preocupo saber que no está muy bien de salud. Voy a estar pidiendo por su pronta recuperación. Sé que mi Señor esta con usted y que le está dando su fortaleza para salir adelante y cumplir con aquello que El le ha encomendado, pero siga cuidándose por favor.
¿Sabe? ¡De verdad que la extraño! Pues usted supo ganarse un lugar en mi corazón y aunque no le escriba seguido, siempre le pido a mi Jesús por usted.
Hace poco estuve leyendo lo que escribió para el periódico y me gusto mucho. Sobre todo creció mas en mi admiración por usted!
Por favor cuídese mucho y siga adelante, descubriendo el Plan Salvífico de mi Dios para quienes El ha puesto a su cuidado. Por acá empieza a hacer frio y también amenazan las lluvias, lo que no me gusta es que también puede empezar a haber niebla y debo manejar como 12 o 13 millas para llegar a la Misión donde trabajo.
La mayoría de la gente de allí es de mi país, así es que no puedo practicar mucho el ingles, y como no se mucho, pues casi ni lo intento.
Perdón, pero no fui muy buena discípula de usted...
Dios me la proteja siempre.
Afectuosamente: Hna. María Teresa de Jesús González Vera.
Saludos, abrazos y bendiciones para usted, ah y mi agradecimiento infinito.
Comments from my brother, Luis in Nebraska
Good Morning. I hope you are feeling better and better every day. I feel you should be admonished, not by us, but by your superiors for not taking more time to recuperate. Proper recuperation is the key to total recovery. BUT; I understand it is hard to stop "a train".
On another note, with much effort on my part, I read the article written by the Centinela. I say, with much effort on my part, because, "man, am I rusty with my Spanish, or what?" Not that I ever knew it well. It's just that it is not something I do every day. It's not that well honed. Like my golf game, for example. :>) And, to think that the Air Force Office of Special Investigations paid me "extra" because I would occasionally conduct an interview or make inquiries in Spanish.
Now, regarding your interview by the Centinela, I thought it was very informative. I mean, it is certainly a lot clearer, to me, what you did while in Mexico. It was very courageous of you to visit the gentleman who was ill at home with no visitation from anyone. However, I have to ask, "Why hadn't any of the religious sisters from the local parish visited with him? Even for "some" encouragement. It seems like the man needed some encouragement and so did the spouse. Nonetheless, it is miraculous what prayer can do, isn't it? Thank you. You may have "lifted" that man right out of his depressed state of mind and into "recovery". Again, thank you.
After I read the article for the second time, I was wondering, "could I use this?" Could I use it as an information tool? I mean, I don't believe that many people "here" realize the struggle and effort "poor/indigent" people go through to scrape a living out of wherever they can--even if it means leaving their homes. Nor, do they realize that people are basically "a happy people" but are determined to do whatever they can in order to better their lives. I see people that don't necessarily want to leave their homes/families except that they hear from others that one can earn more and do more with whatever they can earn.
Of course, some will turn to crime because they are too darn lazy or because of bad decisions on their part. But, for the most part, people want to "better" themselves. Unfortunately, the more obvious and the "less willing to assimilate" are the ones at the forefront and noticed by the media.
Well, I won't tire you any longer. I was up this morning and though I would "visit" with you. Hope you are feeling better. Take care of yourself.
Your older brother,
Luis
On another note, with much effort on my part, I read the article written by the Centinela. I say, with much effort on my part, because, "man, am I rusty with my Spanish, or what?" Not that I ever knew it well. It's just that it is not something I do every day. It's not that well honed. Like my golf game, for example. :>) And, to think that the Air Force Office of Special Investigations paid me "extra" because I would occasionally conduct an interview or make inquiries in Spanish.
Now, regarding your interview by the Centinela, I thought it was very informative. I mean, it is certainly a lot clearer, to me, what you did while in Mexico. It was very courageous of you to visit the gentleman who was ill at home with no visitation from anyone. However, I have to ask, "Why hadn't any of the religious sisters from the local parish visited with him? Even for "some" encouragement. It seems like the man needed some encouragement and so did the spouse. Nonetheless, it is miraculous what prayer can do, isn't it? Thank you. You may have "lifted" that man right out of his depressed state of mind and into "recovery". Again, thank you.
After I read the article for the second time, I was wondering, "could I use this?" Could I use it as an information tool? I mean, I don't believe that many people "here" realize the struggle and effort "poor/indigent" people go through to scrape a living out of wherever they can--even if it means leaving their homes. Nor, do they realize that people are basically "a happy people" but are determined to do whatever they can in order to better their lives. I see people that don't necessarily want to leave their homes/families except that they hear from others that one can earn more and do more with whatever they can earn.
Of course, some will turn to crime because they are too darn lazy or because of bad decisions on their part. But, for the most part, people want to "better" themselves. Unfortunately, the more obvious and the "less willing to assimilate" are the ones at the forefront and noticed by the media.
Well, I won't tire you any longer. I was up this morning and though I would "visit" with you. Hope you are feeling better. Take care of yourself.
Your older brother,
Luis
Comentario del Monseñor en Zacatecas
Muchas gracias, Hermana Juanita por su artículo. Se palpa su amor a misión apostólica y su amor a México en su experiencia. Huanusco, Zacatecas ha quedado en su corazón y en su vida y por supuesto parte de la experiencia de la congregación religiosa. Dios lleva sus planes y sabemos que todo aprovecha para los que Dios ama, por eso lo dejamos en sus manos nuestro futuro. En Huanusco la extrañan mucho, pero se tienen que contentar con lo que tienen.
Gracias de nuevo. Dios la ayude en su trabajo. Ya informé al Señor obispo y la saluda.
Mons. Antonio Soto
Gracias de nuevo. Dios la ayude en su trabajo. Ya informé al Señor obispo y la saluda.
Mons. Antonio Soto
From Guanajuato
HELLO, SISTER!!!!
Leí su artículo y me pareció muy buena, qué lindo hacerle una entrevista acerca de su visión hacia nuestro México, y sobre todo que se haya quedado con una impresión bonita de la gente que estuvo cerca de usted, yo pienso que nos queda claro a todos que es una persona “ súper” trabajadora, emprendedora y sobre todo con metas bien puestas en su cabeza y corazón.
Yo también le pido a Diosito que la cuide y la ilumine, para así se cumplan sus deseos y proyectos; muchas felicidades por todo su empeño y esfuerzo y ánimo !Alguna vez alguien me dijo: si tu corazón esta triste por no conseguir lo que buscas , alégrate !! porque el dolor engrandece el alma y cuando menos lo esperas todo llega en su momento y en los días adecuados , claro todo esto con la voluntad de nuestro Señor.
Estoy feliz por seguir recibiendo noticias suyas y le reitero que está en mis oraciones. No contesté rápido este correo ya que yo no cuento con computadora propia, y hoy tuve la oportunidad de tomar esta en mi trabajo, así que aquí estoy, tarde pero siempre al pendiente.
¡Me despido, Sister, deseándole lo mejor de lo mejor y cuídese mucho!
¡Bye!!!
Le mando un cordial abrazo de osa, o, sea bien fuerte!
Comentarios de parte de Margarita la de mi clase de ingles en Irapuato, GTO.
Leí su artículo y me pareció muy buena, qué lindo hacerle una entrevista acerca de su visión hacia nuestro México, y sobre todo que se haya quedado con una impresión bonita de la gente que estuvo cerca de usted, yo pienso que nos queda claro a todos que es una persona “ súper” trabajadora, emprendedora y sobre todo con metas bien puestas en su cabeza y corazón.
Yo también le pido a Diosito que la cuide y la ilumine, para así se cumplan sus deseos y proyectos; muchas felicidades por todo su empeño y esfuerzo y ánimo !Alguna vez alguien me dijo: si tu corazón esta triste por no conseguir lo que buscas , alégrate !! porque el dolor engrandece el alma y cuando menos lo esperas todo llega en su momento y en los días adecuados , claro todo esto con la voluntad de nuestro Señor.
Estoy feliz por seguir recibiendo noticias suyas y le reitero que está en mis oraciones. No contesté rápido este correo ya que yo no cuento con computadora propia, y hoy tuve la oportunidad de tomar esta en mi trabajo, así que aquí estoy, tarde pero siempre al pendiente.
¡Me despido, Sister, deseándole lo mejor de lo mejor y cuídese mucho!
¡Bye!!!
Le mando un cordial abrazo de osa, o, sea bien fuerte!
Comentarios de parte de Margarita la de mi clase de ingles en Irapuato, GTO.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
My Last Three Weeks in Mexico
In three weeks I will be returning to my Motherhouse in Beaverton, OR. I will be taken to the airport by Professor Esther Rivera Vega and her daughter, Hada. Hada and her husband live in Zacatecas so the teacher and I will drive 2 hrs to Zacatecas and meet them or they will come here. The airport is in Aguascalientes which is about an hour and a half away from either one of us. The teacher does not drive and that is the reason we need her daughter. It will be fun to see Hada, her husband and their daughter again. My flight leaves Aguascalientes on July 14th at 8:25 a.m. for Mexico City. I fly from there to Phoenix and on to Portland—arriving at 10:48 p.m.
Our three days of conferences in preparation for the feast of Corpus Christi have been well attended. I have been very pleased. I love teaching. Tuesday and Wednesday the talks were at 6:00 p.m. I asked different people to share their thoughts with the crowd. Oh, they were very nervous. I prepared the talk and had them practice the talk in front of me. One parishioner was assigned to share her thoughts on “The Mass as a Meal”. Another explained all the ministers who serve in the church to have the Mass be a proper celebration. Yet another parishioner explained the utensils, vestments and postures used at Mass. This lady was supposed to have her husband help her but at the last minute he left for some work in Guadalajara and left her alone. She was real nervous, but yet did the best job of all. She handed each person in the audience little pieces of paper with the name of an object. Our seminarian (he is still in high school) lifted an object…chalice, purificator, etc. and the person in the audience identified the object and read the explanation on the back of the piece of paper. It was great!
I reflected on the multiplication of the loaves and fishes as written in the Gospel of Matthew 14:13-21. I played the guitar and taught them Communion songs. I explained the liturgical year and the need to change the songs as appropriate for each season. One lady who makes and sells bread read a poem about the wheat which is used for bread making. She brought a huge loaf of bread to serve a piece to each person.
Before the closing Mass everyone processed around the block carrying the Monstrance ("Custodio") and stopping at 7 different altars located around the church block. Each altar was decorated by the different volunteers with a different color: red for the Sacred Heart (Society of the Sacred Heart), green for learning and growing (catechists), yellow for keeping the vigil light (Adorers), blue (Society of Mary), rose color(care for young and unborn), purple (care for the sick & suffering), and white (the main altar in church). There have been over 50 people in attendance each day. I have learned from them. Their generosity is without end.
Different people have gone to ask for donations of flowers from the different wholesale places and have been amazed that they have been given flowers for free. I tell them that they are not asking for themselves but for the church. We even asked the municipal president’s office to make copies of songs, etc. for us and they have given generously. Otherwise I must pay one peso (10 US cents) per copy.
Recently I was called to go visit an elderly woman…over 100 years old! An Extraordinary Eucharistic minister of Communion accompanied me to take her Communion. The woman was curled up in bed. Her little bones were held together with her frail skin. The ministered sang a song…something about ‘here comes Jesus to visit you’. It was a sweet and tender song. The woman’s daughters were standing around the bed crying softly. I stroked the lady’s hair and sat on her bed. I remembered when Fr. Thomas Farley came to visit my Mom at Maryville. He sang “Bendito, Bendito” and so I sang that song, too. It made me cry a little … as I miss my Mom still. The minister gave her Communion and her daughters gave her a little water with a straw. It was a most holy moment of grace. I will remember that moment for a long time.
Our pastor, Fr. Jesus Guerrero, offered Mass for me, for my intentions and needs. I was very pleased. I appreciated everyone’s prayers. Daily three of us pray Lauds. Daily we have Mass either at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m. depending on Father’s schedule. He is sure a very busy man. God bless him. He is 74 but has the energy (sometimes nervous energy) of a twenty year old. He works tirelessly. He has been a priest for many years! He tries his very best. I need to explain to them that I celebrate my birthday over the entire month...from June 23 until July 23!
Would you believe I have used up two hand-held fans. I am always fanning myself. It has been hot since forever here…up to 107 degrees or more. One day I was teaching at a ranch and I realized that I was dripping profusely. A stream of perspiration was cascading from my head unto my shoulders. It is hot but like one lady reminded me…”Sister, not as hot as it will be in hell if we won’t keep trying to learn who Jesus is so we can follow Him!” OK. I guess that helps! God allows, every once in a great while, a 2 minute sprinkle. It only makes it more humid and hot. But,… ! God is good all the time. All the time God is good. I commented to a rancher that the little sprinkle of rain water will help wash his dusty pick-up. He said, “Oh, no, Sister! The truck will get chilled!” Ha! There is dust and more dust everywhere. I wash my shoes…soles and all at least once a week. There are rocks where there is no dirt. The entire state of Zacatecas must be sitting on a volcano bed as there is so much rock.
Please accept my deepest gratitude for all your thoughts and prayers that you have offered and sent to me. I truly appreciate it all. I appreciate your friendship. I appreciate you.
What now? Who knows! God will have to guide the Leadership Team of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. It would be advantageous to have a house here in Mexico so that we can learn the people’s culture, faith and language so that we are better able to welcome our thousands of brothers and sisters from this country.
Our three days of conferences in preparation for the feast of Corpus Christi have been well attended. I have been very pleased. I love teaching. Tuesday and Wednesday the talks were at 6:00 p.m. I asked different people to share their thoughts with the crowd. Oh, they were very nervous. I prepared the talk and had them practice the talk in front of me. One parishioner was assigned to share her thoughts on “The Mass as a Meal”. Another explained all the ministers who serve in the church to have the Mass be a proper celebration. Yet another parishioner explained the utensils, vestments and postures used at Mass. This lady was supposed to have her husband help her but at the last minute he left for some work in Guadalajara and left her alone. She was real nervous, but yet did the best job of all. She handed each person in the audience little pieces of paper with the name of an object. Our seminarian (he is still in high school) lifted an object…chalice, purificator, etc. and the person in the audience identified the object and read the explanation on the back of the piece of paper. It was great!
I reflected on the multiplication of the loaves and fishes as written in the Gospel of Matthew 14:13-21. I played the guitar and taught them Communion songs. I explained the liturgical year and the need to change the songs as appropriate for each season. One lady who makes and sells bread read a poem about the wheat which is used for bread making. She brought a huge loaf of bread to serve a piece to each person.
Before the closing Mass everyone processed around the block carrying the Monstrance ("Custodio") and stopping at 7 different altars located around the church block. Each altar was decorated by the different volunteers with a different color: red for the Sacred Heart (Society of the Sacred Heart), green for learning and growing (catechists), yellow for keeping the vigil light (Adorers), blue (Society of Mary), rose color(care for young and unborn), purple (care for the sick & suffering), and white (the main altar in church). There have been over 50 people in attendance each day. I have learned from them. Their generosity is without end.
Different people have gone to ask for donations of flowers from the different wholesale places and have been amazed that they have been given flowers for free. I tell them that they are not asking for themselves but for the church. We even asked the municipal president’s office to make copies of songs, etc. for us and they have given generously. Otherwise I must pay one peso (10 US cents) per copy.
Recently I was called to go visit an elderly woman…over 100 years old! An Extraordinary Eucharistic minister of Communion accompanied me to take her Communion. The woman was curled up in bed. Her little bones were held together with her frail skin. The ministered sang a song…something about ‘here comes Jesus to visit you’. It was a sweet and tender song. The woman’s daughters were standing around the bed crying softly. I stroked the lady’s hair and sat on her bed. I remembered when Fr. Thomas Farley came to visit my Mom at Maryville. He sang “Bendito, Bendito” and so I sang that song, too. It made me cry a little … as I miss my Mom still. The minister gave her Communion and her daughters gave her a little water with a straw. It was a most holy moment of grace. I will remember that moment for a long time.
Our pastor, Fr. Jesus Guerrero, offered Mass for me, for my intentions and needs. I was very pleased. I appreciated everyone’s prayers. Daily three of us pray Lauds. Daily we have Mass either at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m. depending on Father’s schedule. He is sure a very busy man. God bless him. He is 74 but has the energy (sometimes nervous energy) of a twenty year old. He works tirelessly. He has been a priest for many years! He tries his very best. I need to explain to them that I celebrate my birthday over the entire month...from June 23 until July 23!
Would you believe I have used up two hand-held fans. I am always fanning myself. It has been hot since forever here…up to 107 degrees or more. One day I was teaching at a ranch and I realized that I was dripping profusely. A stream of perspiration was cascading from my head unto my shoulders. It is hot but like one lady reminded me…”Sister, not as hot as it will be in hell if we won’t keep trying to learn who Jesus is so we can follow Him!” OK. I guess that helps! God allows, every once in a great while, a 2 minute sprinkle. It only makes it more humid and hot. But,… ! God is good all the time. All the time God is good. I commented to a rancher that the little sprinkle of rain water will help wash his dusty pick-up. He said, “Oh, no, Sister! The truck will get chilled!” Ha! There is dust and more dust everywhere. I wash my shoes…soles and all at least once a week. There are rocks where there is no dirt. The entire state of Zacatecas must be sitting on a volcano bed as there is so much rock.
Please accept my deepest gratitude for all your thoughts and prayers that you have offered and sent to me. I truly appreciate it all. I appreciate your friendship. I appreciate you.
What now? Who knows! God will have to guide the Leadership Team of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. It would be advantageous to have a house here in Mexico so that we can learn the people’s culture, faith and language so that we are better able to welcome our thousands of brothers and sisters from this country.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Stories about Huanusco
Ranches: Parish boundaries include many ranches. Getting to these ranches is very hard on the poor vehicles. Father Jesus Guerrero has 2 old pickups and a Volkswagen. None of the ranches is very far from Huanusco, but the highway ends outside of the small town. The roads into the ranches are not gravel, but beds with huge rocks. One rancher told me that in order to put his plow to the field he first took out and dumped 55 truckloads of rock. “Gosh, you could have sold them”, I told him. He smiled. There are rocks and more rocks everywhere. But God is good and always provides! Right now, when it is most arid, the tall cacti are ripe with fruit called “pitallas” which grow at the tips of the tall arms of these cacti. The cacti look like the ones in Arizona but these have many, many arms and their fruit looks like the cactus fruit but are less prickly. I have eaten half a dozen pitallas. Fr. Resendez once sat near me at a party and he ate like 16 or 18 pitallas. Goodness! The “agave” with which they make tequila is growing nice and tall. But because it is getting close to rainy season and just in case God forgets them, Father offers a Mass on a regular bases asking for rain. Many people attend that Mass.
At each ranch Father usually appoints a family to be in charge of the “flock”. They make all the announcements, take care of the temple, take the role of sacristan, catechist, etc. Father uses no parish bulletin so this family serves as his announcer and organizer, etc. Some leaders are better at their job than others. One or two ranches are extremely active and some are barely surviving. Some live from what they receive from their relatives in the USA and some have no income but what they can get selling milk, eggs, cheese, or handiworks. Every Friday is market day. It is amazing how they are able to just put up a small stand and sell homemade ice cream bars, fruit juices (most often these stands have tons of flies swarming all over the place). The families load Father up with all kinds of Tupperware containers filled with food…mole, chile, cactus leaves, etc. They are very generous. He gets no stipend and the collection from the smaller ranches is 50 pesos or less. He can hardly pay for the gas for his truck. Gas is almost 11 pesos a liter.
Whoever can afford them has farm animals. Some of the animals look great. The horses are used for travel and for carrying loads. People have chickens, a cow, a donkey or horse in their backyards. Many mornings I am awakened early by the crowing of the roosters. Some animals suffer from lack of feed. I wish there was a lack of scorpions and house and horse flies, too.
I have heard so many stories of animals who have suffered from scorpion bites. If a chicken gets bitten, she will try to breath but her throat gets closed up. So, a person can stick a carriage of a ballpoint pen across the neck, or, place a bucket over the frantic hen until it stops fighting for air. It should calm down inside the bucket and slowly recoup. If a cow gets bitten, she will not be able to drink even though she will go to the trough to drink. The water will fall out of her mouth. She can eat dry food for a day but cannot drink water. She will keep going for a drink but can’t drink. The man telling me the story said it was painful to watch. The cow eventually heals. The same goes for all the other animals. Some of the ladies said that if they can catch the animal they will try to give it lots of milk and garlic. That cures them.
One day I saw a horse’s carcass in a field. I had never seen a real carcass. The entire hide was still intact…head, tail, and small hip bones. This dead horse still had a rope tied around his nozzle. Poor animals. I saw a donkey with a rope tied—one front leg to one hind leg. I asked why. I was told that that way he would not run too far nor cross fences, etc. Often they get tied to a tree, no water nearby and in the blazing, hot sun! I am always hearing stories of cows being mean to other cows. One cow hit another cow and broke her jaw. She starved to death. One cow pushed another cow—a heifer over an embankment and killed her. As if the world was not already hard on them!
Dogs, cats and birds here are so different. The birds sing so uniquely beautiful. I love to hear their chirping. The lady next door showed me her 15 or 20 cages with parakeets, cardinals and others…what I thought were one-of-a-kind bird. The birds are so colorful. The cats…there are so many of them. But I’m not a cat lover. I do feel sorry for them because there are so many cats. One woman told me that her cat got a fever and died. She cried. But, dogs often shy away from people probably because people kick them and shoo them away. Some dogs roam the streets in packs at night and I hear the smaller dogs crying out in pain at night. My heart breaks.
Houses: The homes are mostly built of bricks covered with plaster. All the doors and windows have iron bars. Inside and outside the home one can see framed and unframed pictures of saints, Our Lady of Guadalupe or the Sacred Heart of Jesus. They also hang pictures and Rosaries in their autos, on things that move and on things which stay still. However, I don’t see many altars in their homes anymore. In olden days the home altar was a must.
The kitchen/dining room are often combined and most of the time homes don’t have a living room. Their kitchens and bathrooms have either very poor plumbing or no indoor plumbing at all. Dishes are washed outside in some concrete tubs. Their cupboards are very poor and pieced together. They have potable bottled water and it is dispensed from a wire stand. Some stands for this water are fancy with little faucets and others…like mine…are common wire contraptions which help with tilting the huge bottle so one can get water out. The bedrooms might have hard mattresses and no box springs but the bedcovers are often handcrafted pieces of art work. As are the dining room tables clothes. These pieces of art are: “des-hilados”, embroidered, cross stitched and crochet pieces. One older woman sent her table clothes and bedspreads to the USA so that her sister could sell them for her. She worked for months to complete a beautiful tablecloth made with “des-hilado” designs and she got $200 USD for it from a Japanese lady in California! So very sad!
Every home has an enclosed atrium or garden. There is often a lime tree in the garden. They use tons of limes in their cooking and serving meals. All water used is always recycled. Water is a rare commodity here. Most floors are tiled and need to be mopped daily but the water used is from after washing clothes, etc. One uses a broom to sweep the sidewalks and streets and not water. Every household owner must keep their portion of the street cleaned. The garbage trucks…small ¾ ton trucks…pick up on Mondays and Fridays. There are guys in back of truck sorting out the recyclables…cartons, cans, plastics, etc. I feel so sorry for them. They wear no gloves and are waist deep in the garbage sorting these things into gunny sacks. There might be needles, glass, etc. And, of course, no one drops toilet paper into the commode so it is thrown in the garbage, too.
The houses also have a place on the roof top where one can hang the wash. It takes me an hour or more to wash sheets, towels, and all the rest of my laundry. There is a concrete slab with “wrinkles” which serves as a washboard. I soak my clothes in a plastic can and take one piece out at a time. I scrub each piece with a huge bar of laundry soap. I throw each article into a basin which contains laundry detergent. I wash it there and then I put it in another container with rinse water and then it gets a second and sometimes a third rinse with Downy. I hang them up on clothes lines and all of the laundry is dry in an hour. In the Casa Central in Zacatecas we had available a couple of washers (with 25 Sisters there!). There is never a dryer available. In the nursing home in Irapuato we also had a 1950 washer but it eventually broke down. In the parish in Irapuato we had a washer but it was not connected to a water source or a drain so it took some ingenuity to fill and empty the washer.
Churches: Every sector, neighborhood, colony, ranch, and town has its own church. The people seem very proud of their small temples. They understand very well the difference between temple and church. I can’t describe the interior of these temples. Some have small altars to particular saints. Sometimes behind the main altar the people hang curtains as if to make a “retablo” and give it more importance, but the curtains can be faded, wrinkled, hanging poorly, etc. Though the church floor tile is clean, the pews are sometimes dilapidated and the fake flowers are old, too.
I have started going to the “colonias” with Father. He offers Mass out near someone’s home. Last night we got to the colony or barrio or neighborhood and there were some 25 or 30 people waiting for Mass. These folks can’t always get to the main church due to distance and lack of transportation, etc. They get a small table for an altar and Father brings his suitcase with all that he needs for Mass. The people sing and pray in such intimate and devoted ways. Father says that he has seen many return to the church because for the first time they got to see close up and personal what goes on when Mass is being offered. They get hooked or something. Whatever works! Father sure has a way with them. He talks to them in a way that they understand. Father is tireless. He does look old and tired but walks with determination and a positive spirit.
Most everyone knows and can sing by heart all kinds of religious songs. There are no missals or song books anywhere in the churches. The children know lots of prayers by heart. They were teaching me how to bless my pillow at night before lying down to sleep—“San Jorge, amara con un cordoncito bendito a todos los animalitos para que no me den un piquetito ni a mí ni a mis hermanitos. Amen.” (St. George, with your blessed little string tie all the little animals so that they don’t sting me nor my little brothers and sisters. Amen.) They know many prayers for rain to come, for the crops to grow, for the evil one to depart—“Cruz, cruz, que se vaya el diablo y que venga Jesús! (Cross, cross, may the devil flee and may Jesus come!), and for God to heal broken bodies and hearts.
The priests have a custom of having their mother, sister or lady to be their housekeeper. This priest in Huanusco is no exception. His 80 year old sister lives with him but he also has a live-in woman who is also the parish secretary. The people claim she makes all the decisions.
This is the month of May and it is a custom of this parish, as in most parishes, to offer flowers to Our Lady every day during the entire month. Different families offer to pay for the fresh flowers. I decided that in honor of my sister, Elida, I would offer to buy flowers on her birthday. The other day I also took my turn and led the Rosary in church. When I ended the Rosary I realized that I didn’t have a booklet to help me pray the litany. A 10 year old boy, who serves as an altar boy, offered to pray the Litany of Loreto all by heart! I was embarrassed for myself. I couldn’t believe it. The parish office sells monthly missals for 12 pesos, but many can’t afford to buy them each month. I am impressed that there are many altar servers who offer to serve daily Mass. They seem very spiritual and have great devotion to things of God. My delight is to tell them stories of saints. They seem to love them.
Families: Most families have two to three children. They say that even though they came from large families they can’t afford big families now. I see families with handicapped children: Downs’s syndrome, mental illness, or other physical handicap. These children are very loved and cared for. Most of the children dress nicely—hair neatly combed and braided (no boy has long hair), faces scrubbed and most of them well behaved. They wear uniforms to public schools. The children are always courteous and greet people on the streets: “Buenos días!” “Adios!” and so forth. They say that these towns have only women, children and grandparents because anyone who is able to work has gone to the USA to work. There are many hundreds of empty houses in these towns and ranches. There are some pretty nice homes built with money from the US. Some people say that they would rather build and leave their homes empty than have the USA tax their money since they know they will never get Social Security retirement funds there. Often they pay someone a token amount of money to oversee these homes and keep their yards. When they come on vacation they stay in their own homes.
Food: Tortillas and beans…pinto, “flor de Julio”, “Peruanos”, Lima and a huge variety of beans and rice are the basic foods. Chiles…all kinds and of different strengths, tomatoes, onions, garlic and cheese fall in the second most necessary food. Vegetables and fruits (mangos, papayas, pineapples, oranges, bananas and all kinds of limes) come in third place. Meats, fish and eggs are eaten often but in moderation. Milk is also used often. The necessary ingredients are the spices or “sazón” with which the food is prepared. I am learning to prepare food like they do. I don’t eat hot peppers much, but am trying. Quesadillas are regularly on the menu. Drinks are made by blending fruit with water. I have had cucumber drink…so very good and refreshing! I have had oatmeal water…blended with cinnamon, sugar and a little milk. Now, that is delicious! They use mangos, limes, carrots and anything else to make good and healthy drinks. My favorite fruit drinks are made with mango or pineapple. My least favorite drinks: guayaba, papaya, jamaica (a seed pod) or rice. My most favorite thing to eat—avocados! I like to eat fish as an alternative to meat. Meat is my least favorite food. When I’m in a hurry…I fix cheese (also a huge variety of cheeses) with tomato, avocado, cucumber and jícama slices and a little cilantro on a toasted tortilla. But I must admit that those who know how to prepare the special sauces for meats and other foods have my respect. Hats off to them!
Entertainment: How many channels do you think they offer on the basic $20 USD cable package? They gave me over 70 channels. Oh, my goodness! A good thing—these channels do not contain much low class stuff. On the contrary, there are many Catholic channels. Music is part of each day. One day I heard music and I looked out my window to see a whole bunch of “charros” on horseback going somewhere and musicians on horseback also playing their instruments and following the charros. The radios start off early in the morning and last all day. The children love acting, too. For any reason, any occasion there are dances performed in the plaza. Babies, as soon as they can stand up, know how to move their little bodies. I don’t like “ranchera” music. I guess I am old fashion and I like substance to the message. My hair salon lady in Irapuato gave me lots of good romantic music.
Speech: The people from Zacatecas speak differently from the people of Guanajuato. These people sing their words in a softer manner. But most young people use a lot of bad words. I was sitting next to a man while waiting for our tacos one day. The guy asked for a whole chile. He asked for a specific one but with a bad word in front of the name of the pepper. I was so sad I refused to look in his direction. Every other word is buey or “whey”…the name of a donkey! I want to start a club and then invite the young people to join. The club could be called, “El Santo Nombre de Jesus”. Goodness!
Stores: There are so many stores the same or similar to the stores in the USA. There are Wal-Marts, Costco, Sams, plus many auto stores with all the same goods. I don’t go to the club stores with membership but there are smaller stores which are just as good. I like going to markets to get fresh fruits and vegetables. Since I don’t buy meats I just avoid those stands…yuck! What I so admire are the works of art still made by hand. The needle works are fabulous.
The big fashion stores exist in big cities only. The merchants go buy clothes in big towns and come to the smaller towns and re-sell the articles. Shoes are not to be compared. In my opinion, they do not have good shoes. But some ladies here even wear “Pradas” …they might be fake! They wear such high, high heels! The heels are high and the clothes for ladies are super tight! Oh, my! Some items are more expensive; others are less. I miss USA ice cream. One kind of ice cream “La Michoacana” sells ice cream but no matter how good, it doesn’t compare to real USA ice cream.
At each ranch Father usually appoints a family to be in charge of the “flock”. They make all the announcements, take care of the temple, take the role of sacristan, catechist, etc. Father uses no parish bulletin so this family serves as his announcer and organizer, etc. Some leaders are better at their job than others. One or two ranches are extremely active and some are barely surviving. Some live from what they receive from their relatives in the USA and some have no income but what they can get selling milk, eggs, cheese, or handiworks. Every Friday is market day. It is amazing how they are able to just put up a small stand and sell homemade ice cream bars, fruit juices (most often these stands have tons of flies swarming all over the place). The families load Father up with all kinds of Tupperware containers filled with food…mole, chile, cactus leaves, etc. They are very generous. He gets no stipend and the collection from the smaller ranches is 50 pesos or less. He can hardly pay for the gas for his truck. Gas is almost 11 pesos a liter.
Whoever can afford them has farm animals. Some of the animals look great. The horses are used for travel and for carrying loads. People have chickens, a cow, a donkey or horse in their backyards. Many mornings I am awakened early by the crowing of the roosters. Some animals suffer from lack of feed. I wish there was a lack of scorpions and house and horse flies, too.
I have heard so many stories of animals who have suffered from scorpion bites. If a chicken gets bitten, she will try to breath but her throat gets closed up. So, a person can stick a carriage of a ballpoint pen across the neck, or, place a bucket over the frantic hen until it stops fighting for air. It should calm down inside the bucket and slowly recoup. If a cow gets bitten, she will not be able to drink even though she will go to the trough to drink. The water will fall out of her mouth. She can eat dry food for a day but cannot drink water. She will keep going for a drink but can’t drink. The man telling me the story said it was painful to watch. The cow eventually heals. The same goes for all the other animals. Some of the ladies said that if they can catch the animal they will try to give it lots of milk and garlic. That cures them.
One day I saw a horse’s carcass in a field. I had never seen a real carcass. The entire hide was still intact…head, tail, and small hip bones. This dead horse still had a rope tied around his nozzle. Poor animals. I saw a donkey with a rope tied—one front leg to one hind leg. I asked why. I was told that that way he would not run too far nor cross fences, etc. Often they get tied to a tree, no water nearby and in the blazing, hot sun! I am always hearing stories of cows being mean to other cows. One cow hit another cow and broke her jaw. She starved to death. One cow pushed another cow—a heifer over an embankment and killed her. As if the world was not already hard on them!
Dogs, cats and birds here are so different. The birds sing so uniquely beautiful. I love to hear their chirping. The lady next door showed me her 15 or 20 cages with parakeets, cardinals and others…what I thought were one-of-a-kind bird. The birds are so colorful. The cats…there are so many of them. But I’m not a cat lover. I do feel sorry for them because there are so many cats. One woman told me that her cat got a fever and died. She cried. But, dogs often shy away from people probably because people kick them and shoo them away. Some dogs roam the streets in packs at night and I hear the smaller dogs crying out in pain at night. My heart breaks.
Houses: The homes are mostly built of bricks covered with plaster. All the doors and windows have iron bars. Inside and outside the home one can see framed and unframed pictures of saints, Our Lady of Guadalupe or the Sacred Heart of Jesus. They also hang pictures and Rosaries in their autos, on things that move and on things which stay still. However, I don’t see many altars in their homes anymore. In olden days the home altar was a must.
The kitchen/dining room are often combined and most of the time homes don’t have a living room. Their kitchens and bathrooms have either very poor plumbing or no indoor plumbing at all. Dishes are washed outside in some concrete tubs. Their cupboards are very poor and pieced together. They have potable bottled water and it is dispensed from a wire stand. Some stands for this water are fancy with little faucets and others…like mine…are common wire contraptions which help with tilting the huge bottle so one can get water out. The bedrooms might have hard mattresses and no box springs but the bedcovers are often handcrafted pieces of art work. As are the dining room tables clothes. These pieces of art are: “des-hilados”, embroidered, cross stitched and crochet pieces. One older woman sent her table clothes and bedspreads to the USA so that her sister could sell them for her. She worked for months to complete a beautiful tablecloth made with “des-hilado” designs and she got $200 USD for it from a Japanese lady in California! So very sad!
Every home has an enclosed atrium or garden. There is often a lime tree in the garden. They use tons of limes in their cooking and serving meals. All water used is always recycled. Water is a rare commodity here. Most floors are tiled and need to be mopped daily but the water used is from after washing clothes, etc. One uses a broom to sweep the sidewalks and streets and not water. Every household owner must keep their portion of the street cleaned. The garbage trucks…small ¾ ton trucks…pick up on Mondays and Fridays. There are guys in back of truck sorting out the recyclables…cartons, cans, plastics, etc. I feel so sorry for them. They wear no gloves and are waist deep in the garbage sorting these things into gunny sacks. There might be needles, glass, etc. And, of course, no one drops toilet paper into the commode so it is thrown in the garbage, too.
The houses also have a place on the roof top where one can hang the wash. It takes me an hour or more to wash sheets, towels, and all the rest of my laundry. There is a concrete slab with “wrinkles” which serves as a washboard. I soak my clothes in a plastic can and take one piece out at a time. I scrub each piece with a huge bar of laundry soap. I throw each article into a basin which contains laundry detergent. I wash it there and then I put it in another container with rinse water and then it gets a second and sometimes a third rinse with Downy. I hang them up on clothes lines and all of the laundry is dry in an hour. In the Casa Central in Zacatecas we had available a couple of washers (with 25 Sisters there!). There is never a dryer available. In the nursing home in Irapuato we also had a 1950 washer but it eventually broke down. In the parish in Irapuato we had a washer but it was not connected to a water source or a drain so it took some ingenuity to fill and empty the washer.
Churches: Every sector, neighborhood, colony, ranch, and town has its own church. The people seem very proud of their small temples. They understand very well the difference between temple and church. I can’t describe the interior of these temples. Some have small altars to particular saints. Sometimes behind the main altar the people hang curtains as if to make a “retablo” and give it more importance, but the curtains can be faded, wrinkled, hanging poorly, etc. Though the church floor tile is clean, the pews are sometimes dilapidated and the fake flowers are old, too.
I have started going to the “colonias” with Father. He offers Mass out near someone’s home. Last night we got to the colony or barrio or neighborhood and there were some 25 or 30 people waiting for Mass. These folks can’t always get to the main church due to distance and lack of transportation, etc. They get a small table for an altar and Father brings his suitcase with all that he needs for Mass. The people sing and pray in such intimate and devoted ways. Father says that he has seen many return to the church because for the first time they got to see close up and personal what goes on when Mass is being offered. They get hooked or something. Whatever works! Father sure has a way with them. He talks to them in a way that they understand. Father is tireless. He does look old and tired but walks with determination and a positive spirit.
Most everyone knows and can sing by heart all kinds of religious songs. There are no missals or song books anywhere in the churches. The children know lots of prayers by heart. They were teaching me how to bless my pillow at night before lying down to sleep—“San Jorge, amara con un cordoncito bendito a todos los animalitos para que no me den un piquetito ni a mí ni a mis hermanitos. Amen.” (St. George, with your blessed little string tie all the little animals so that they don’t sting me nor my little brothers and sisters. Amen.) They know many prayers for rain to come, for the crops to grow, for the evil one to depart—“Cruz, cruz, que se vaya el diablo y que venga Jesús! (Cross, cross, may the devil flee and may Jesus come!), and for God to heal broken bodies and hearts.
The priests have a custom of having their mother, sister or lady to be their housekeeper. This priest in Huanusco is no exception. His 80 year old sister lives with him but he also has a live-in woman who is also the parish secretary. The people claim she makes all the decisions.
This is the month of May and it is a custom of this parish, as in most parishes, to offer flowers to Our Lady every day during the entire month. Different families offer to pay for the fresh flowers. I decided that in honor of my sister, Elida, I would offer to buy flowers on her birthday. The other day I also took my turn and led the Rosary in church. When I ended the Rosary I realized that I didn’t have a booklet to help me pray the litany. A 10 year old boy, who serves as an altar boy, offered to pray the Litany of Loreto all by heart! I was embarrassed for myself. I couldn’t believe it. The parish office sells monthly missals for 12 pesos, but many can’t afford to buy them each month. I am impressed that there are many altar servers who offer to serve daily Mass. They seem very spiritual and have great devotion to things of God. My delight is to tell them stories of saints. They seem to love them.
Families: Most families have two to three children. They say that even though they came from large families they can’t afford big families now. I see families with handicapped children: Downs’s syndrome, mental illness, or other physical handicap. These children are very loved and cared for. Most of the children dress nicely—hair neatly combed and braided (no boy has long hair), faces scrubbed and most of them well behaved. They wear uniforms to public schools. The children are always courteous and greet people on the streets: “Buenos días!” “Adios!” and so forth. They say that these towns have only women, children and grandparents because anyone who is able to work has gone to the USA to work. There are many hundreds of empty houses in these towns and ranches. There are some pretty nice homes built with money from the US. Some people say that they would rather build and leave their homes empty than have the USA tax their money since they know they will never get Social Security retirement funds there. Often they pay someone a token amount of money to oversee these homes and keep their yards. When they come on vacation they stay in their own homes.
Food: Tortillas and beans…pinto, “flor de Julio”, “Peruanos”, Lima and a huge variety of beans and rice are the basic foods. Chiles…all kinds and of different strengths, tomatoes, onions, garlic and cheese fall in the second most necessary food. Vegetables and fruits (mangos, papayas, pineapples, oranges, bananas and all kinds of limes) come in third place. Meats, fish and eggs are eaten often but in moderation. Milk is also used often. The necessary ingredients are the spices or “sazón” with which the food is prepared. I am learning to prepare food like they do. I don’t eat hot peppers much, but am trying. Quesadillas are regularly on the menu. Drinks are made by blending fruit with water. I have had cucumber drink…so very good and refreshing! I have had oatmeal water…blended with cinnamon, sugar and a little milk. Now, that is delicious! They use mangos, limes, carrots and anything else to make good and healthy drinks. My favorite fruit drinks are made with mango or pineapple. My least favorite drinks: guayaba, papaya, jamaica (a seed pod) or rice. My most favorite thing to eat—avocados! I like to eat fish as an alternative to meat. Meat is my least favorite food. When I’m in a hurry…I fix cheese (also a huge variety of cheeses) with tomato, avocado, cucumber and jícama slices and a little cilantro on a toasted tortilla. But I must admit that those who know how to prepare the special sauces for meats and other foods have my respect. Hats off to them!
Entertainment: How many channels do you think they offer on the basic $20 USD cable package? They gave me over 70 channels. Oh, my goodness! A good thing—these channels do not contain much low class stuff. On the contrary, there are many Catholic channels. Music is part of each day. One day I heard music and I looked out my window to see a whole bunch of “charros” on horseback going somewhere and musicians on horseback also playing their instruments and following the charros. The radios start off early in the morning and last all day. The children love acting, too. For any reason, any occasion there are dances performed in the plaza. Babies, as soon as they can stand up, know how to move their little bodies. I don’t like “ranchera” music. I guess I am old fashion and I like substance to the message. My hair salon lady in Irapuato gave me lots of good romantic music.
Speech: The people from Zacatecas speak differently from the people of Guanajuato. These people sing their words in a softer manner. But most young people use a lot of bad words. I was sitting next to a man while waiting for our tacos one day. The guy asked for a whole chile. He asked for a specific one but with a bad word in front of the name of the pepper. I was so sad I refused to look in his direction. Every other word is buey or “whey”…the name of a donkey! I want to start a club and then invite the young people to join. The club could be called, “El Santo Nombre de Jesus”. Goodness!
Stores: There are so many stores the same or similar to the stores in the USA. There are Wal-Marts, Costco, Sams, plus many auto stores with all the same goods. I don’t go to the club stores with membership but there are smaller stores which are just as good. I like going to markets to get fresh fruits and vegetables. Since I don’t buy meats I just avoid those stands…yuck! What I so admire are the works of art still made by hand. The needle works are fabulous.
The big fashion stores exist in big cities only. The merchants go buy clothes in big towns and come to the smaller towns and re-sell the articles. Shoes are not to be compared. In my opinion, they do not have good shoes. But some ladies here even wear “Pradas” …they might be fake! They wear such high, high heels! The heels are high and the clothes for ladies are super tight! Oh, my! Some items are more expensive; others are less. I miss USA ice cream. One kind of ice cream “La Michoacana” sells ice cream but no matter how good, it doesn’t compare to real USA ice cream.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Liking Huanusco, Zacatecas very much!
I can’t believe I have been here for 15 days. It seems like I just got here yesterday! The people are eager to get going with catechism classes. All of my printed material has to go to the Internet Café and print all my documents, etc. Not an easy task!
After Holy Week and all the Easter services, we started the Novena to the Divine Mercy—a bit late but we pray the chaplet at 3:00 p.m. daily.
We have daily Mass at 8:00 p.m. which makes my seven-block walk home in very dark streets. I always ask someone to accompany me. Imelda, who lives one block from me, always volunteers to walk me home.
I go to Lauds at 8:00 a.m. …. we have about 4 people who gather for that. At 3:00 p.m. is the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy to prepare for the feast this Sunday … today there were around 12 adults and children. At 5:00 p.m. there is a prayer group. At 8:00 p.m. we have Holy Mass with around 40 people and about 6 altar servers. That is an incredible amount of people for such a small town, I think.
Father and his secretary bought me fruit – a huge papaya, about 4 pounds of oranges for fresh squeezed orange juice, about 6 large mangos, a bundle of bananas and a jug of water. Margarita gave me three kinds of homemade cheese: queso fresco, ricotta and something like a brie cheese. My refrigerator is packed full. Earlier I had totally emptied the fridge and washed all the racks, etc. Now that she is on vacation so I can clean one area of the house at a time. I have seen no scorpions but that does not mean they are not around. I have not seen any cockroaches either. Thank God.
Hortencia is staying with me every night so that I do not sleep alone while the teacher is out of town this week. Hortencia took me to her twin sister’s home for lunch at 3:45 p.m. Her sister is one who goes back and forth to the USA with her husband. Hortencia never married and her sister never had any children. Her sister lives in a nice home. For lunch we had watermelon to start with. We had both homemade buttermilk or some sort of very sour yoghurt and tortillas next. She fixed roast chicken with zucchini, green beans, carrots and freshly boiled beans. She served pink guayaba drinks. For dessert we had toast with peanut butter and jam. How is that for a twist?!
Margarita, her husband and Eva, their college daughter, invited me for breakfast this morning. They are looking for a place for me to stay close to the church. They have a home behind the church and there is an empty home next to theirs. (In the end the owners called and said they would not be willing to rent.) Eva has visited two convents this past year. She is discerning her vocation. She says she wants to work with the elderly folks in a nursing home. She visited the Oblates of St. Joseph. She liked it so much she wanted to stay but her parents insisted she finish college first.
She is the second young lady who has approached me about their religious inquietudes. Marcela Ponce Ruiz also wants to discern her vocation. She is finishing high school in July. She is very mature for her age.
Monsignor Antonio Soto gave me a surprise visit. I was sitting in church fanning myself with my Spanish fan when I felt someone was kneeling down next to me and asking me if I was hot. Oh, my! I turned around and there he was. I was shocked to see him. It has been like two months since I last saw him. We went off to a little corner of the church and chatted. He was very pleased with my report. He wanted to know how Sister Adele Marie’s report was received. He wanted to know if I was well-taken care of and all. It was so good to see him!
Father Jesus Guerrero, the pastor here, is nervous about the consecration ceremony which will take place on May 10th in the little town of Arellano. We have worked out a program with the outline sent by the bishop’s office. I will need to teach lots of new songs to the congregation. I hope they can learn them. Father asked me to sing the Litany of the Saints for the Easter Vigil … like without any warning. Thank God our Sisters sing it and Patty Cleary, too. So, I “winged” it and it came out OK.
I walk the streets early in the morning when it is yet cool and I hear the sounds of so many birds. Do you know that the birds in Mexico sound different? Last night there was a strong wind which knocked down huge bird nests and lots of leaves. So at almost every house there was someone sweeping the sidewalks and street section. There are no street sweepers here. I hear the mingled sounds of the town and smell the food cooking. It makes me go back to my childhood and think I am a small child again. One lady brings me half a kilo of freshly cooked tortillas every other day. Goodness! I can’t eat that many tortillas. Got to make some enchiladas, chilaquiles, or something!
The government officials put on a big party to celebrate the “Day of the Child”. The town plaza had inflated toys for them to climb and play; they provided gifts and treats. We had our regular 8:00 p.m. Mass and many parents attended but some parents stayed with their children at the party. Oh! Oh!
For Mother’s Day there will be another big party! Too much partying for me! The young people from the high school are practicing dances, etc. The children are memorizing poems which they will recite at the plaza. I am sure they will have loud music, too.
In the town of Jalpa they have market day on Fridays. I went with Hortencia and I saw a whole raw chicken fall off the table; the young man picked it up and placed it back on the pile. One must always wash the meats very, very well. I know that they claim we eat chickens which have been infused with tons of chemicals, frozen and then we eat months or even years later. Well, these chickens supposedly arrived fresh in the a.m. for the market but the heat was incredible and they were piled high and not refrigerated!
I have purchased “fruit waters” at the market and eaten sugar “gorditas” – they remind me of my Mom’s sugar tortillas except these are very thin wafers. Yummy! I am so grateful that I have not gotten gravely ill over food or water.
I see an unbearable mistreatment of animals: dogs, cats, roosters, horses, etc. Street dogs dodge people as a possible reaction to being kicked or beaten with a broom or stick. House dogs sit tied to short chains with flies all over their little eyes and dirty dog dishes with dried tortillas as their meals. This is the season for innumerable flies. Roosters are caged in tiny crates while waiting to fight their opponents. So sad. Such cruelty! Horses are often tied to short ropes and they show their ribs while standing under a small tree. I cannot stand the sadness in their eyes.
But I also can’t stand cruelty to children. Many children at the market were selling stuff. They seem way too young to be working to support their families. Last evening a lady told me that a brother raped his sister and the family and the town’s people reject the mother and the baby. I can almost hear their silent screams.
Below is my schedule for my work until July here in Huanusco. Some ladies were commenting how strange it is for me to be willing to live here all these weeks. They said, “We have never had a Sister stay longer than a few days.”
Lauds will be prayed every morning at 8:00 a.m. in the church for anyone who might be interested in participating in the Liturgy of the Hours. Lots of people have their short versions of the Office.
Monday – “Rancho Dos Rodriguez” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. and help the Catechists (with Lourdes as Director) with their own faith formation and also help them with classroom tips. They will participate as Lectors, musicians, acolytes, and offertory collection and procession during the 8:00 p.m. Mass.
Tuesday – “Rancho Nuevo” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. help the Families—the adults (with Lourdes as Director) with their faith formation through Bible Studies and also give them tips for discipline with children. Different adults will offer to be Lectors, musicians, acolytes, and offertory collection and procession during the 8:00 p.m. Mass.
Wednesday – “Rancho San Pedro” ” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. help the Young People— (with Lourdes as Director) with their faith formation through Bible Stories and leadership styles by offering to do all the ministries at Mass at 8:00 p.m.—Lectors, musicians, acolytes, and offertory collection and procession.
Thursday – The town of Yerbaniz ” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. we have Holy Hour followed by Mass and perhaps propose different kinds of prayers for Holy Hour. Mass will follow at 8:00 p.m.
Friday – “Rancho Remudadero de Abajo” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. I will participate in Religious Education of the children with Lourdes as Director. I will visit different classrooms and some of the older children will offer to participate as Lectors, musicians, acolytes, and offertory collection and procession during the 8:00 p.m. Mass.
Saturday – Classes will be offered for young ladies, their damas, chambelanes, padrinos and parents who will be having a Quinceañera in the upcoming months.
After Holy Week and all the Easter services, we started the Novena to the Divine Mercy—a bit late but we pray the chaplet at 3:00 p.m. daily.
We have daily Mass at 8:00 p.m. which makes my seven-block walk home in very dark streets. I always ask someone to accompany me. Imelda, who lives one block from me, always volunteers to walk me home.
I go to Lauds at 8:00 a.m. …. we have about 4 people who gather for that. At 3:00 p.m. is the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy to prepare for the feast this Sunday … today there were around 12 adults and children. At 5:00 p.m. there is a prayer group. At 8:00 p.m. we have Holy Mass with around 40 people and about 6 altar servers. That is an incredible amount of people for such a small town, I think.
Father and his secretary bought me fruit – a huge papaya, about 4 pounds of oranges for fresh squeezed orange juice, about 6 large mangos, a bundle of bananas and a jug of water. Margarita gave me three kinds of homemade cheese: queso fresco, ricotta and something like a brie cheese. My refrigerator is packed full. Earlier I had totally emptied the fridge and washed all the racks, etc. Now that she is on vacation so I can clean one area of the house at a time. I have seen no scorpions but that does not mean they are not around. I have not seen any cockroaches either. Thank God.
Hortencia is staying with me every night so that I do not sleep alone while the teacher is out of town this week. Hortencia took me to her twin sister’s home for lunch at 3:45 p.m. Her sister is one who goes back and forth to the USA with her husband. Hortencia never married and her sister never had any children. Her sister lives in a nice home. For lunch we had watermelon to start with. We had both homemade buttermilk or some sort of very sour yoghurt and tortillas next. She fixed roast chicken with zucchini, green beans, carrots and freshly boiled beans. She served pink guayaba drinks. For dessert we had toast with peanut butter and jam. How is that for a twist?!
Margarita, her husband and Eva, their college daughter, invited me for breakfast this morning. They are looking for a place for me to stay close to the church. They have a home behind the church and there is an empty home next to theirs. (In the end the owners called and said they would not be willing to rent.) Eva has visited two convents this past year. She is discerning her vocation. She says she wants to work with the elderly folks in a nursing home. She visited the Oblates of St. Joseph. She liked it so much she wanted to stay but her parents insisted she finish college first.
She is the second young lady who has approached me about their religious inquietudes. Marcela Ponce Ruiz also wants to discern her vocation. She is finishing high school in July. She is very mature for her age.
Monsignor Antonio Soto gave me a surprise visit. I was sitting in church fanning myself with my Spanish fan when I felt someone was kneeling down next to me and asking me if I was hot. Oh, my! I turned around and there he was. I was shocked to see him. It has been like two months since I last saw him. We went off to a little corner of the church and chatted. He was very pleased with my report. He wanted to know how Sister Adele Marie’s report was received. He wanted to know if I was well-taken care of and all. It was so good to see him!
Father Jesus Guerrero, the pastor here, is nervous about the consecration ceremony which will take place on May 10th in the little town of Arellano. We have worked out a program with the outline sent by the bishop’s office. I will need to teach lots of new songs to the congregation. I hope they can learn them. Father asked me to sing the Litany of the Saints for the Easter Vigil … like without any warning. Thank God our Sisters sing it and Patty Cleary, too. So, I “winged” it and it came out OK.
I walk the streets early in the morning when it is yet cool and I hear the sounds of so many birds. Do you know that the birds in Mexico sound different? Last night there was a strong wind which knocked down huge bird nests and lots of leaves. So at almost every house there was someone sweeping the sidewalks and street section. There are no street sweepers here. I hear the mingled sounds of the town and smell the food cooking. It makes me go back to my childhood and think I am a small child again. One lady brings me half a kilo of freshly cooked tortillas every other day. Goodness! I can’t eat that many tortillas. Got to make some enchiladas, chilaquiles, or something!
The government officials put on a big party to celebrate the “Day of the Child”. The town plaza had inflated toys for them to climb and play; they provided gifts and treats. We had our regular 8:00 p.m. Mass and many parents attended but some parents stayed with their children at the party. Oh! Oh!
For Mother’s Day there will be another big party! Too much partying for me! The young people from the high school are practicing dances, etc. The children are memorizing poems which they will recite at the plaza. I am sure they will have loud music, too.
In the town of Jalpa they have market day on Fridays. I went with Hortencia and I saw a whole raw chicken fall off the table; the young man picked it up and placed it back on the pile. One must always wash the meats very, very well. I know that they claim we eat chickens which have been infused with tons of chemicals, frozen and then we eat months or even years later. Well, these chickens supposedly arrived fresh in the a.m. for the market but the heat was incredible and they were piled high and not refrigerated!
I have purchased “fruit waters” at the market and eaten sugar “gorditas” – they remind me of my Mom’s sugar tortillas except these are very thin wafers. Yummy! I am so grateful that I have not gotten gravely ill over food or water.
I see an unbearable mistreatment of animals: dogs, cats, roosters, horses, etc. Street dogs dodge people as a possible reaction to being kicked or beaten with a broom or stick. House dogs sit tied to short chains with flies all over their little eyes and dirty dog dishes with dried tortillas as their meals. This is the season for innumerable flies. Roosters are caged in tiny crates while waiting to fight their opponents. So sad. Such cruelty! Horses are often tied to short ropes and they show their ribs while standing under a small tree. I cannot stand the sadness in their eyes.
But I also can’t stand cruelty to children. Many children at the market were selling stuff. They seem way too young to be working to support their families. Last evening a lady told me that a brother raped his sister and the family and the town’s people reject the mother and the baby. I can almost hear their silent screams.
Below is my schedule for my work until July here in Huanusco. Some ladies were commenting how strange it is for me to be willing to live here all these weeks. They said, “We have never had a Sister stay longer than a few days.”
Lauds will be prayed every morning at 8:00 a.m. in the church for anyone who might be interested in participating in the Liturgy of the Hours. Lots of people have their short versions of the Office.
Monday – “Rancho Dos Rodriguez” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. and help the Catechists (with Lourdes as Director) with their own faith formation and also help them with classroom tips. They will participate as Lectors, musicians, acolytes, and offertory collection and procession during the 8:00 p.m. Mass.
Tuesday – “Rancho Nuevo” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. help the Families—the adults (with Lourdes as Director) with their faith formation through Bible Studies and also give them tips for discipline with children. Different adults will offer to be Lectors, musicians, acolytes, and offertory collection and procession during the 8:00 p.m. Mass.
Wednesday – “Rancho San Pedro” ” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. help the Young People— (with Lourdes as Director) with their faith formation through Bible Stories and leadership styles by offering to do all the ministries at Mass at 8:00 p.m.—Lectors, musicians, acolytes, and offertory collection and procession.
Thursday – The town of Yerbaniz ” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. we have Holy Hour followed by Mass and perhaps propose different kinds of prayers for Holy Hour. Mass will follow at 8:00 p.m.
Friday – “Rancho Remudadero de Abajo” during the day to guide the people’s faith formation and in the evening at 6:30 p.m. I will participate in Religious Education of the children with Lourdes as Director. I will visit different classrooms and some of the older children will offer to participate as Lectors, musicians, acolytes, and offertory collection and procession during the 8:00 p.m. Mass.
Saturday – Classes will be offered for young ladies, their damas, chambelanes, padrinos and parents who will be having a Quinceañera in the upcoming months.
In Huanusco, Zacatecas—Monday of Holy Week
I left Irapuato after breakfast on Monday of Holy Week. My bus left at 9:55 a.m. The bus offered a snack of pop and crackers and two movies: Alice in Wonderland and Emilia Earhart—both in Spanish. The bus arrived in Aguascalientes at 1:00 p.m. Father Jesus Resendez was there to pick me up a little after one. He was so kind. He put my two suitcases in his car and off we went to drive around town looking for a candle shop. He needed to buy his Paschal Candle. He also bought 500 small Paschal candles to sell to the people. The parishes do not offer palms on Palm Sunday nor small candles for Easter Vigil. People buy their own. Since these towns are so out of the way the priests bring the sellers or supplies the wares to his parishioners right at the church.
Father also took me out to lunch. He wanted a fancy place but I was too tired to keep walking in the heat of the day so we stopped at a semi-fancy restaurant and ate enchiladas. We also stopped at a juice factory and bought some fruit juice…like 350 pesos worth of juice and red wine. He also filled his car with gas…another 380 pesos. I helped him pay for both. It was kind of him to pick me up.
When we arrived at St. Francis Parish we asked some children if they knew where the priest was and they went and got Father Jesus Guerrero. He was wearing a big, white cowboy hat. Funny! He told us that I would be staying with “the teacher”. Everyone knows who the teacher is in town. Her name is Esther but I doubt the people know her name. She is “la maestra”.
Her home is nice –two bedrooms, a bath, a tiny kitchen—camp style; rustic and rusty, too—both the stove and fridge are 50’s style. She has an office, a living/dining room and a huge patio and a huge car port…big enough for a dance hall. She teaches students in a public high school: history, social ethics and morality. She invites her former students to help her present students to learn dances for different school functions. Some students also come to her for help with legal cases. She helps a lot of people, including me!
In this parish of St. Francis of Assisi lives the priest, his blood sister who is very elderly and frail, his secretary who is about 45 or so and Father—who looks about 70 but is probably a bit younger—in a very small house behind the parish church. But I went to see his newly renovated parish house right beside the church. That place will have about 5 bedrooms and patio and all the other rooms. It will be nice.
Father wants me to catechize the lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, parents; young people…in other words, start evangelizing everyone. He said that at first he would ask people to come to the church for catechism but few came. Now, he goes to the ranches and spends all his time on the road. Now the ranchers walk to their temple at the ranch. Each ranch has a tiny chapel with the Blessed Sacrament so that when Father visits he has a place to offer Mass. The catechists assigned to those temples are very possessive and proud of their positions, too. They are totally committed to their call. Rightly so!
For my Easter “meal” I had left over scrambled eggs from two mornings ago and I added some beans and made myself a burrito. I am all by myself. The teacher left for Puerto Vallarta and I can’t even make the TV work. I am missing “home” – wherever home is!
I must get some information from my saved documents to catechize the lectors and Eucharistic ministers.
Father also took me out to lunch. He wanted a fancy place but I was too tired to keep walking in the heat of the day so we stopped at a semi-fancy restaurant and ate enchiladas. We also stopped at a juice factory and bought some fruit juice…like 350 pesos worth of juice and red wine. He also filled his car with gas…another 380 pesos. I helped him pay for both. It was kind of him to pick me up.
When we arrived at St. Francis Parish we asked some children if they knew where the priest was and they went and got Father Jesus Guerrero. He was wearing a big, white cowboy hat. Funny! He told us that I would be staying with “the teacher”. Everyone knows who the teacher is in town. Her name is Esther but I doubt the people know her name. She is “la maestra”.
Her home is nice –two bedrooms, a bath, a tiny kitchen—camp style; rustic and rusty, too—both the stove and fridge are 50’s style. She has an office, a living/dining room and a huge patio and a huge car port…big enough for a dance hall. She teaches students in a public high school: history, social ethics and morality. She invites her former students to help her present students to learn dances for different school functions. Some students also come to her for help with legal cases. She helps a lot of people, including me!
In this parish of St. Francis of Assisi lives the priest, his blood sister who is very elderly and frail, his secretary who is about 45 or so and Father—who looks about 70 but is probably a bit younger—in a very small house behind the parish church. But I went to see his newly renovated parish house right beside the church. That place will have about 5 bedrooms and patio and all the other rooms. It will be nice.
Father wants me to catechize the lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, parents; young people…in other words, start evangelizing everyone. He said that at first he would ask people to come to the church for catechism but few came. Now, he goes to the ranches and spends all his time on the road. Now the ranchers walk to their temple at the ranch. Each ranch has a tiny chapel with the Blessed Sacrament so that when Father visits he has a place to offer Mass. The catechists assigned to those temples are very possessive and proud of their positions, too. They are totally committed to their call. Rightly so!
For my Easter “meal” I had left over scrambled eggs from two mornings ago and I added some beans and made myself a burrito. I am all by myself. The teacher left for Puerto Vallarta and I can’t even make the TV work. I am missing “home” – wherever home is!
I must get some information from my saved documents to catechize the lectors and Eucharistic ministers.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sister Adele Marie visits us in Mexico
On Tuesday, March 22nd I left the city of Irapuato in Guanajuato for Benito Juarez Airport in Mexico City to go meet Sister Adele Marie who was arriving at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday. I left the house at 10:30 p.m. and rode all night on the bus. That is no fun. I arrived around 5:00 a.m. at Terminal 2, went down to arrivals and there was Sister Adele Marie standing on the corner waiting for me. Gosh, it was so good to see her. I had not seen her since September 2010.
It was too early to wake her cousins so we sat and had a cup of coffee and chatted. Of all times to have a “guest” join us! A priest, Fr. Julio from the city of Tula, came up to our table in the open food court and wanted to know who we were, where we were going, etc. He, too, was too early for his flight to Arizona and decided to sit down and share conversation. It turned out OK, but…
We finally got a Yellow Taxi and gave the driver directions to Tom and Cristina Tennant’s house on Zone 7, Puerto Versailles in the Colonia Lomas de Reforma. We got there and Cristina had been worried as it was 8:00 a.m. and we were just getting there. She knew Sister’s flight was really early. She made Sister call her Mom in the USA to let her know she had arrived and was fine.
Tom and Cristina have a beautiful home in a “guarded” and gated community. She immediately had the maid fix breakfast for us and then she took us to Costco to get some things. We went to her daughter, Gina’s home. Gina lives right next door to the most fantastic Anahuac University owned and operated by the Legionaries of Christ—better known as “the millionaires of Christ”. Manuel and Regina have two children: Manuelito, who is four and Isabel, who is two. We made plans that Gina would take us all day to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe the next day. We had a tour of Gina’s gorgeous home and left. The maid fixed us lunch and we had a little time for resting. Cristina had her business people obtain tickets for the Ballet Folkloric at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in downtown Mexico City. We got a taxi at 6:00 p.m. for an 8:30 p.m. show. We made it there by a thread. Terrific was horrific! The taxi driver kept making turns in side streets to get us there on time. Our seats were one row before the last top row of the middle section! The cost for the two tickets: $70 USD. Tom paid for them. The ballet was of regional dances. It was a most exquisite show and evening. We got home late. We were starving. We raided the refrigerator and had cheese and crackers and a “Sol” lime and salt beer. It was not the best dinner but it sufficed.
In the morning of March 24th we had breakfast at VIPS and then went with Gina to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We went to the 12 o’clock Mass and then walked the grounds. We visited her father-in-law’s museum on the grounds. It seems they bought and have developed the park, museum and other features at the basilica grounds. These people are very important people!
We got home and the maid had some tacos ready for us to eat: they were made with black hongos (mushrooms) which grow on corn. They were very good. It seems we are always hungry. Again, we got to bed late. In the evenings when I see the clock reading midnight I feel so dead tired!
March 25th, on the feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord to Our Lady and the feast of our community, we got up early and went to the 8:00 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church within walking distance from our home. After breakfast Cristina took us to the bus depot and we left for Irapuato. It was a 5 hour ride. On the bus we slept a little and watched movies a little. The “Primera Plus” bus line is fabulous. It has one seat on the left side and two on the right side so that the seats are extra large and very comfortable. They have a leg rest like a recliner and the seats can be pushed back. They have TV screens every so often and show movies in English with Spanish subtitles. Mexico has many bus companies but ETN and Primera Plus are the best. They are also more expensive…like $10 more but well-worth the price difference.
We arrived in Irapuato and I used my house keys to get in the house. Fr. Felix was in his office and met Sister Adele Marie. We visited and he asked her some questions. He was eager to hear another person’s view of our Mexico Project. He is a brilliant man, a doctoral degree in theology, author of many books, tapes, editor of the diocesan newspaper, renovator of ancient churches, has traveled extensively and on and on.
Sister Adele Marie and I toured the huge parish house and took pictures. We went shopping at the town’s big market—fresh meats, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, flowers, candy, some clothing—and the stands go on and on in a huge maze. We brought home the supplies and fixed dinner for the four of us. We met and helped the ladies in the parish office as the flow of people comes in and out asking for information, asking for records, etc.
The next morning we went to Mass and then visited the streets where I walk. We also visited the nursing home, “Casa Hogar, La Paz” where I stayed for a month. Only some of the Sisters were home. They, too, are celebrating 125 years of their founding and had gone to Leon to have a three day conference in connection with their feast…March 25th. They have many things in common with our Sisters. We stayed and toured the nursing home and greeted the folks there. Sister was impressed that so many residents recognized me and spoke excitedly to me—happy to see me again.
Around 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning, March 27th we left for a five hour bus ride to Zacatecas. Las “Hijas del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús y Santa María de Guadalupe” were waiting for us. We arrived around 3:00 p.m. and they greeted us warmly. They showed us to our rooms. Sister Adele Marie was totally impressed. They have a mansion. Their home is absolutely gorgeous and very spacious. There are over 25 Sisters in residence: some are teachers at the Institute Sebastian Cabot where over 1,000 students receive a good education, others are in vocational work, others are housekeepers, others work in the diocesan offices and many are “retired” which means they work in light housekeeping or are house porters.
The first day we walked the streets as Sister recalled all the places she had already seen and experienced. This was her third visit to Zacatecas! The second day we visited Monsignor Antonio Soto at the chancery office. We had a nice long visit with him. He reassured us about our Mexico Project. He told us to be ready at 2:00 p.m. as he was going to pick us up and take us to Huanusco, a town about 2 hrs 30 min. from Zacatecas. We were eager to go see the people. He told us that Father Jesus Guerrero was calling the folks to come for our second meeting. Four months ago there were some 30 people who came to the church. This time the church was pretty full. I received the following email message from Monsignor Soto the very next day of our visit:
“Thank you for your visit to us, to the people of Huanusco and for your joyful witness. Father Jesus Guerrero came to visit me at the Chancery Office and told me that the people in his parish were delighted with your visit. The whole community is happy with you! Our bishop, too, told me that he has high hopes for this endeavor. (The bishop is calling this effort: a pilot project to evangelize the immigrants of Zacatecas.) Let’s put all these things in God’s hands. All will happen as God wishes. Infinite thanks for the basket of fruit you left in my office. That was very thoughtful of you and a very nice detail. May God repay you abundantly. Father Resendez (of Jalpa, a priest friend who lives in a town about 10 min. from Huanusco) also told me of the discussion you and he had at the convent in Zacatecas. That is such a great possibility—that your works extend to other parishes, too. Thank you, Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. Greetings to all the Sisters!”
Monsignor Soto drove us to meet a priest, born and raised in Huanusco but worked as a child in Salem, Oregon. Small world! He was very kind. He is a “canonigo” at the cathedral in Zacatecas. He also stopped at Monsignor Conrado’s parish in Villanueva. He is the vicar of the vicariate which includes Huanusco. We visited the towns of Tabasco and Jalpa, too. They neighbor towns of Huanusco. Some of the priests were attending a funeral of one of their brother priests and therefore were not home. Father Soto bought us some “ice cream” from a little old man selling it on the streets. That is a dangerous thing to do! But we did not get sick.
It was evening by the time we finished our visit with the parishioners in Huanusco and headed back to Zacatecas. We prayed the Rosary in English. Fr. Soto called his bishop and asked if it would be possible for us to stop for a quick visit and share our story of Huanusco. He welcomed us. It was a better visit than I expected. He was eager and very impressed with our work. He said, “Sister, when you come to stay I want to go and present you to the people. I want to do that not only because you are a woman, but because you are a consecrated woman. I will be there!” I felt so loved and appreciated. Sister Adele Marie was impressed with the people and with the entire events of the day. So was I.
On Tuesday, March 29th we got up early and intended to go to Mass in the convent but instead we went to the Acropolis Café for coffee and pan dulce. We decided to go to Mass at the cathedral. Unbeknown to us, Fr. Jose de Jesus Resendez had come early for his appointment with us. We returned to the convent to find him there eating breakfast. He had also prayed Lauds with the Sisters. Oh, well! We visited and enjoyed him. He remembered Sister Adele Marie from 10 years ago. We are blessed with his friendship!
After our visit Sister and I left to go to the market and have a store prepare a huge basket of fruit, Mescal, and other goodies to give to Fr. Soto in appreciation for his generous help to us.
That evening at 10:30 we left for a long 8 hour bus trip back to Mexico City. We arrived Wednesday, March 30th at Tom and Cristina’s again. We did laundry, showered, ate more tacos, visited with Tom (Cristina was gone to visit a daughter who is ready to have a baby) and rested. Tom is a brilliant business man. He and Sister enjoyed talking business. He assured us that we and any Sister of St. Mary of Oregon have a place in his home anytime.
On Thursday, March 31st Tom ordered a private taxi to take us to the airport around 10 a.m. Sister Adele’s flight was at 1:30 p.m. I took a bus right from the airport and went back to Irapuato…all by myself! So sad, but what fond and blessed memories! God is good! He is great! Blessed be His Holy Name!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
In Irapuato, Guanajuato: My Second Home—Nuestra Senora de la Soledad Parish
After living for two months (from December 27, 2010 until February 15th) in the Casa Hogar—La Paz with Las Mínimas de María Inmaculada Nursing Sisters, I was invited to move to a parish just about a mile and a half closer to downtown Irapuato.
I made two trips by taxi…bringing my poorly packed suitcases with me. I moved into Nuestra Señora de la Soledad Parish with Father Felix Castro Morales and Patricia Almanza, his secretary. We make a fine three-some. Father is 57 years old, somewhat of a loner, but is very brilliant and has a doctoral degree in theology. Patricia is 47 years old and is very quiet and reserved and has a medical degree for general practice. Father has written 28 books on different topics…all on display in the office. She moved in with Father when her father decided to marry again after his first wife died. Patricia had helped her father and 2 young siblings after her mother died. She was practicing medicine in her home in the same town. She is single, a great lady and very caring. Last week-end we went to Morelia and stayed in her home there where she is use to practice medicine. Now she works in the parish office with 2 other ladies. In the house there is also a handy man, a part-time laundry lady, a part-time cook and as many as 3 young men who work on the renovation of the church. They come to the house very early in the morning and start hammering.
While at the nursing home I was not able to get too involved with the “abuelitos” (grandparents). I could push wheelchairs to the dining room or chapel. I could help feed some of the women. The men and the women are totally separated…separate dining halls, sleeping areas and they even sit in separate sides in chapel. I spent my days doing chores, walking downtown and visiting different convents of religious Sisters. I met some nice Sisters especially at the monthly retreat days for which all religious women are invited to attend. Religious communities share the responsibility of hosting these retreat. I had so much free time while at the nursing home that I even started embroidering!
Now, since I have come to live in the parish, I have not had one ounce of free time! I rise at 6:00 a.m. and walk to a nearby church for Mass because this parish has an 11:00 a.m. Mass and a 7:30 p.m. Mass. Both times are very inconvenient for me. I come home from Mass and I prepare breakfast for Father, Patricia and me. Around noon I run around to the market buying the ingredients for the meals. I prepare the 2:30 p.m. lunch and around 8:00 p.m. I prepare dinner. Here, the three meals are big. Breakfast consists of fruit, oatmeal, some sort of meat, refried beans and coffee. For the noon meal we have a salad, meat, beans, rice, tortillas and chile (chile is made with seared and crushed jalapenos and tomatoes). All meals have hot sauce, tortillas and limeade. We get 2 plastic bags of limes picked from Father’s sister’s tree. Dinner at the nursing home was a piece of bread and a tea…something very light. Here, we eat a regular meal of meat, rice, beans and fruit.
After dishes and tidying up I run to the office downstairs and help the office ladies with the registration of people for the sacraments, or I type certificates or answer questions for “walk-ins”. The questions are all the same: “What do I need to get married?” I always think of what Father Jose Luis would answer when people at St. Joseph in Salem asked the same question: “You need a boyfriend (girlfriend).” People would look and then smile. What they want to know are the requirements of the church. The requirements are written in little policy booklets they have printed out…so I just read them to them.
This parish house is like a palace. It is attached to the church on one side and to the municipal building (soldiers and guards all around it) on the other side. The house has three floors. The second floor has huge arches and a breeze-way overlooking a large plaza with two huge artistic rock sculptures which have water features. They must belong to the government. Father has complained to them that the one nearest our church is leaking water into the house. When Father was assigned here he had to do research and retrieve building space that had been taken by the municipal people. Usually the church does not get back that which was taken by the government, but…Father used his wit, the newspaper, documents and everything he could get his hands on to prove that some space had been taken. They finally gave it back but did naughty things…reap electrical wires, water pipes, etc. in the process. Father quietly re-wired and re-piped stuff back.
It has taken five years to repair and renovate this building which was falling apart and in great disrepair. Father never asks people for money. He has organized the parish in “pequeñas comunidades” (small communities) to teach the people their responsibility of caring for their church. So far so good. The government also gave money to restore the historical facet of the building.
Time is quickly passing. Spring is here! But here in Irapuato it is like summertime. It is hot. The weather reporter said that the equinox happened on March 18th because the “serpent” shadow showed up on the side of the pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Lent is a beautiful time to experience new beginnings and so I will start packing to move to Huanusco, ZAC and be in a new parish…by April 17th. So many wonderful workshops and spiritual thoughts have been given during this Lenten season. There are so many churches and retreat centers here. It is so nice. God grant us much growth in our hearts…so we can be closer to Him.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Two Weeks in Texas and out of Mexico
In order to renew my visa I had to leave Mexico and re-enter. I am very glad I went to visit Josie and Mary. It was a very leisurely visit with no commitments to come or go anywhere. Usually we want to go to the cemetery, to visit the Asherton clan, to visit the Uvalde clan and all the other clans. I ended up in San Antonio because the international planes land there. So, the only place we ended up going was to our Aunt Golla, my Mom’s sister.
We were invited to join Alicia for the “sitting up of the Infant Jesus”. They had had inclement weather and had not been able to “sit Him up” on the proper day. There is a group of ladies who prays the Rosary and do other religious get-togethers on a regular basis and so they were all “madrinas” to each other’s Infant Jesus. This means they get to dress the Infant and sit Him up on a small throne from where He will reign in their homes all year. There were so many beautifully dressed Infant Jesus statues!
One day we rented a car (Josie’s sporty car was not very reliable) and drove to Uvalde to visit Aunt Golla. That was great! I always feel like I am looking and touching a bit of my Mom! So nice. Aunt Golla is getting up in years—88 years young. Her mind seems good. Her step is a bit slow.
At Mary’s we went to a different church every day. It was nice to get to see where they go to church. We heard Celia sing at the Corpus Christi Cathedral. She is not only a great singer; she is a beautiful lady inside and out. She has done a good job of keeping her small family together: two sons and a husband.
One day Celia’s husband, Dr. Greg Fossum, took a look at a tooth that which had lost a crown. It was determined that I would have to have it removed when I return to Oregon. The entire gang, with the exception of Cyndi, went to the Country Club for dinner on Valentine’s Day. It was very nice of Greg to invite us all out and to join them. The two of them still seem so very much in love.
Mark and Cyndi had a special prayer at a very nice church with the S.A.L.T.(?)monks who also administered the Anointing of the Sick for Cyndi as she is scheduled to go to Denver, CO for an urgent look at her AVM. What a brave girl she is!
Mary and I had a day to ourselves. Her husband, Vicente, went to a cousin’s funeral in another city so Mary and I got up late and went to a convent chapel and prayed our Liturgy of the Hours and then went shopping. I bought a great set of pillow cases with a design to embroidery of a Southern bell…with sun bonnet, flower basket and long dress. I’m going to enjoy following the instructions to embroider it. I also bought some small farm animal designs to make some more dish towels. I enjoy doing such things when there is no TV or other distractions in Mexico during my off hours.
I am praying that my return to Irapuato is safe and that I decide what to do about my move.
We were invited to join Alicia for the “sitting up of the Infant Jesus”. They had had inclement weather and had not been able to “sit Him up” on the proper day. There is a group of ladies who prays the Rosary and do other religious get-togethers on a regular basis and so they were all “madrinas” to each other’s Infant Jesus. This means they get to dress the Infant and sit Him up on a small throne from where He will reign in their homes all year. There were so many beautifully dressed Infant Jesus statues!
One day we rented a car (Josie’s sporty car was not very reliable) and drove to Uvalde to visit Aunt Golla. That was great! I always feel like I am looking and touching a bit of my Mom! So nice. Aunt Golla is getting up in years—88 years young. Her mind seems good. Her step is a bit slow.
At Mary’s we went to a different church every day. It was nice to get to see where they go to church. We heard Celia sing at the Corpus Christi Cathedral. She is not only a great singer; she is a beautiful lady inside and out. She has done a good job of keeping her small family together: two sons and a husband.
One day Celia’s husband, Dr. Greg Fossum, took a look at a tooth that which had lost a crown. It was determined that I would have to have it removed when I return to Oregon. The entire gang, with the exception of Cyndi, went to the Country Club for dinner on Valentine’s Day. It was very nice of Greg to invite us all out and to join them. The two of them still seem so very much in love.
Mark and Cyndi had a special prayer at a very nice church with the S.A.L.T.(?)monks who also administered the Anointing of the Sick for Cyndi as she is scheduled to go to Denver, CO for an urgent look at her AVM. What a brave girl she is!
Mary and I had a day to ourselves. Her husband, Vicente, went to a cousin’s funeral in another city so Mary and I got up late and went to a convent chapel and prayed our Liturgy of the Hours and then went shopping. I bought a great set of pillow cases with a design to embroidery of a Southern bell…with sun bonnet, flower basket and long dress. I’m going to enjoy following the instructions to embroider it. I also bought some small farm animal designs to make some more dish towels. I enjoy doing such things when there is no TV or other distractions in Mexico during my off hours.
I am praying that my return to Irapuato is safe and that I decide what to do about my move.
Monday, January 31, 2011
SAINT RAFAEL GUÍZAR Y VALENCIA, POPE JOHN PAUL II, SAINT TORIBIO ROMO, THE BLESSED VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE
(A few days before Father Jesus Resendez answered my email—the TV reported that a convoy of about 20 armed trucks assaulted the policemen on night duty and beat them up—between 1:00 am to 3:00 am they hit all three towns of Tabasco, Jalpa and Huanusco).
Fr. Resendez writes: May the Lord grant us his Holy Spirit so that we can know His will. We are indeed living in very painful times, but we live with the conviction that nothing ESCAPES THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. In His goodness He knows our problems. In fact, this whole situation of violence in our towns will only draw us closer to God and help us to grow in sanctity as He uses this opportunity to “prune us” a bit.
(Fr. Resendez is a good friend and lives near Huanusco. He is the pastor of the church in the town of Jalpa. I emailed him and told him that no one from Huanusco had written to me concerning my stay there in mid-April).
He writes: In reply to your problem about the lack of response from our people in Huanusco and about your community’s Project and Mons. Soto’s ideas—well, that simply confirms the fact that it is not easy to find the answers you are looking for. Continue to ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.
This is an invitation for you to a hope that relies on the certainty that God never will leave us alone: "I will be with you every day..." He is faithful to His promises. This reminds me of the apostles who throughout the night had worked tirelessly and had caught nothing. When dawn arrives Jesus appears to them and points the way saying: "Throw the net to the right." So they did, and found a lot of fish. After this period of darkness, Juanita, the Lord will show you the right way and share His new life with you and your community.
We have some great saints: SAINT RAFAEL GUÍZAR Y VALENCIA, Bishop of Veracruz. He had a wonderful missionary and pastoral spirit. He was born in Michoacan. Mexico and was the first bishop of Mexico to be canonized. I recommend that you read a little about his life and ask him to intercede for you so that you will know God’s will in this search. We also have the great news of the beatification of POPE JOHN PAUL II! And, you have the help of all the Mexican martyrs, in particular, the patron of migrants: SAINT TORIBIO ROMO. But, don’t forget the Mother of the Church, THE BLESSED VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE who will never abandon us. Call upon their help.
Sister Juanita, all I know is that something good will come out of your attempts to serve our Church. Remember the five loaves and two fish that the young boy provided? It took that little bit to satisfy a multitude and the Lord will know how to multiply your efforts.
I will fulfill your request for prayers.
Fr. Resendez writes: May the Lord grant us his Holy Spirit so that we can know His will. We are indeed living in very painful times, but we live with the conviction that nothing ESCAPES THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. In His goodness He knows our problems. In fact, this whole situation of violence in our towns will only draw us closer to God and help us to grow in sanctity as He uses this opportunity to “prune us” a bit.
(Fr. Resendez is a good friend and lives near Huanusco. He is the pastor of the church in the town of Jalpa. I emailed him and told him that no one from Huanusco had written to me concerning my stay there in mid-April).
He writes: In reply to your problem about the lack of response from our people in Huanusco and about your community’s Project and Mons. Soto’s ideas—well, that simply confirms the fact that it is not easy to find the answers you are looking for. Continue to ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.
This is an invitation for you to a hope that relies on the certainty that God never will leave us alone: "I will be with you every day..." He is faithful to His promises. This reminds me of the apostles who throughout the night had worked tirelessly and had caught nothing. When dawn arrives Jesus appears to them and points the way saying: "Throw the net to the right." So they did, and found a lot of fish. After this period of darkness, Juanita, the Lord will show you the right way and share His new life with you and your community.
We have some great saints: SAINT RAFAEL GUÍZAR Y VALENCIA, Bishop of Veracruz. He had a wonderful missionary and pastoral spirit. He was born in Michoacan. Mexico and was the first bishop of Mexico to be canonized. I recommend that you read a little about his life and ask him to intercede for you so that you will know God’s will in this search. We also have the great news of the beatification of POPE JOHN PAUL II! And, you have the help of all the Mexican martyrs, in particular, the patron of migrants: SAINT TORIBIO ROMO. But, don’t forget the Mother of the Church, THE BLESSED VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE who will never abandon us. Call upon their help.
Sister Juanita, all I know is that something good will come out of your attempts to serve our Church. Remember the five loaves and two fish that the young boy provided? It took that little bit to satisfy a multitude and the Lord will know how to multiply your efforts.
I will fulfill your request for prayers.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The first month of the new year--January 2011!
I have had great examples of how this New Year ought to be for me. Jesus gave me His Holy Name as my name—I am Juanita, of Jesus! He has shown me that in my own baptism the gates of heaven have opened for me, the Holy Spirit has been given to me and has called me His beloved daughter.
He has given the example of many Mexican saints and of a brave Chilean girl, Laura Vicuña; of St. Paul-the first hermit, St. Anthony-abbot, Sts. Fabian & Sebastian & St. Inez, martyrs. He also gave me the example of St. Francis de Sales, spiritual director & founder. And, if it that was not enough He gave me the example of the conversion of St. Paul and his follow disciples, Timothy & Titus. He also gave me St. Angela, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Bosco as examples of great educators. Do I need more?
Yet, I continue to be weak, whiny, complaining, lacking in a solid prayer life! Oh, how patient my good Lord has to be with me! My desire, Lord, is to simply allow You to love me and make me your own. I want nothing else.
He has given the example of many Mexican saints and of a brave Chilean girl, Laura Vicuña; of St. Paul-the first hermit, St. Anthony-abbot, Sts. Fabian & Sebastian & St. Inez, martyrs. He also gave me the example of St. Francis de Sales, spiritual director & founder. And, if it that was not enough He gave me the example of the conversion of St. Paul and his follow disciples, Timothy & Titus. He also gave me St. Angela, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Bosco as examples of great educators. Do I need more?
Yet, I continue to be weak, whiny, complaining, lacking in a solid prayer life! Oh, how patient my good Lord has to be with me! My desire, Lord, is to simply allow You to love me and make me your own. I want nothing else.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
I love Sundays!
I don’t get much sleep at night but especially on Saturdays because the girls who work here go out after their duties and they come back late in a not too quiet manner. So, on Sundays I want to sleep in rather than to go to 7:00 a.m. Mass. Also, there is a resident who cries out loud, “Let me out! I want out!” When no one comes to let him out at 2 or 3 in the morning, he proceeds to bang on his bedroom door. I can turn it off and go back to sleep but not really.
This Sunday morning was no different. I was awakened around five and that was it. I got dressed and left for Mass downtown. It takes me about 15 minutes at a fast pace to get downtown. On Sundays businesses are closed and I have the streets to myself. Downtown is a different story. Vendors are getting the street carts all ready and the pot-belly stoves are going.
I end up always going to the cathedral. It is so nice and orderly there. It is not fancy. The benches don’t all have kneelers. The altar decorations are simple. Lectors, offertory people, musicians, MC’s, altar servers, etc. are all organized and well trained. No Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers, however, and no one receives Communion in the hand. The young priest is a super homilist! Today was no exception. He just grabs unto our hearts. I continue to remember his sermon all week…and I even share it with others. He said that none of the gifts we have has been given for our use.
Two days ago I was so discouraged concerning this entire process of spending a year here in Mexico. I had heard on the morning radio news that a 20 truck convoy had landed in Jalpa, Huanusco and Tabasco in Zacatecas and had rounded up the night policemen and had beaten them. They took 5 policemen with them; the others were left for dead. This happened between 1:00 and 3:00 a.m. When, Lord, will this violence end?! I was so saddened by these news. Huanusco is the little village I will be serving as pastoral minister during my last 4 months here. Nowhere is it safe!
On Saturday I went to Mass at Santa Ana, a Redemptorist chapel nearby. I was asked to read the psalm during Mass. “You have the Words of eternal life!” (Remember Peter’s words to Jesus when Jesus asked him if he also wanted out?) The alleluia verse: “The Lord has sent me to bring the Good News to the poor and to announce liberty to the captives.” The gospel was the call of Matthew—“Follow Me.” Gosh, darn! Why does God have to speak so clearly? That was not what I wanted to hear. I wanted Him to say, “I know this is too hard for you and I can’t ask of you such big, difficult things…in a land so threatened by violence!” The priest’s sermon was about giving God whatever percentage…depending on our response to His grace. Some can give 20, 30 or 100%. I am to become a disciple of Jesus and then move on to be His witness and then on to become His missionary! I cannot be a weak missionary. I have been given His strength! He has nourished me with His own Body and Blood. He has shown me that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Today, Sunday, I went to Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady and heard another good sermon. The priest started with a story about a woman who sold apples while sitting on the sidewalk of a very busy street. She sat there day after day…sold maybe a kilo or two of her apples. One day a man who had purchased an apple from her before said to her, “Here, let me help you sell these apples because I know you have a fine product here.” He shouted out, “Come and get your daily apple here! Great, fresh apples for sale! Look at these amazing apples!” etc. Well, before long the lady had sold all the apples. The priest said, “We happen to have awesome Good News to share, but we are not doing a good job of sharing. We are keeping it very quiet!” His sermon was filled with other dynamic antidotes and they all hit the mark, for me.
I am now to be, not only a disciple, a testimony, a missionary, but I must also have Jesus’ bright shining light to attract all the people to Him! Not an easy task, this new evangelization…under the shadow of San Juan Diego, the humble servant of Our Lady! This new evangelization has to be a message of hope and love that goes beyond this space and time…the Message of Jesus Christ! Not an easy task but it can be done a breath at a time…it will take me a lifetime of blood, sweat and tears, but I can do it if I run ahead on the wings of His Love.
(Photo of Mons. Antonio Soto and some scenes from near Huanusco, ZAC.)
Saturday, January 15, 2011
La Casa Hogar--La Paz
Sometimes it is so sweet to help feed an elderly person—one who is totally incapable of feeding herself. I started feeding her usual bowl of steaming hot beans, a couple of tortillas, her coffee with milk and her smashed-to-a fine-powder pills. The girls who work in the dining room brought a bib and put it over her head. The lady sat and waited so I saw her and went to help feed her. She is bent over. I break her tortilla in pieces and drop the pieces into the bowl of beans. We proceed. Eventually two girls did come over and just stared at me feeding the lady. I let it be for a while but then I said…as if the lady herself was talking… “What are you staring at?” Then I said, “What’s up?” I told the lady to wink at them. She did! The girls started laughing so hard. The lady kept winking! She would make a huge effort to lift her head up a bit and wink again. It was so funny!
One day about 4 or 5 guys were sitting right by my bedroom door. There is a breeze way or corridor with some benches. All of these guys were sitting there saying nothing. I walked up to my door and one of them (the lot had fallen to him to ask me) said, “Say, lady, would you be willing to give us some money for a little refreshment?” There is a little candy store at the entrance of the nursing home. They can get pop, candy, cookies (“chitarra” or junk food). We were told not to give them any money otherwise they will not be hungry for their meals. Oh, gosh, darn!! They love their bottle of Coke!
One of the guys (a real con artist) tried to sell me a 2001 magazine. He said, “I’ve saved this magazine for a long time for just a person like you. You speak English and this magazine is in English, so…therefore, you should take it and give me the money you think its worth.” He was so disappointed when I said I did not need a magazine which was advertising homes for sale. He didn’t get any money.
A lady, with all her wit still, told me that she has noticed that I go to each and every table and greet the folks, help feed them and straighten their bodies when they are slipping down their wheelchairs, etc. She said, “I think you should stay here. Do go to any other place. You are needed here.” Ah, so sweet!
I get sad when I think of my own end-of-life days. What’s going to happen? How am I going to be? But, I guess no one promises me a long life. “Maybe I’ll go outside and get run over by a beer truck!” That is an inside joke from Spokane! I love these people here. I love watching them pray in the chapel. There is adoration of the Blessed Sacrament daily from after Mass until 1:30 p.m. and I help wheel some ladies there after breakfast. They are so darling. They are wrapped in their fleece blankets or shawls and they sit there looking at the Blessed Sacrament…who knows what they are saying to our Lord. But they look like little doves…they “drink” from the well-springs of life and then they look down. Soon, they look up again and the process is repeated. How I wish I knew what they were thinking and saying! They are God’s gentle little doves.
Pictures of Lupita (holding up a picture of her Mom)came from Acapulco. Picture of women's dining room. (Pinata from Christmas still hanging from ceiling.)
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord
I wanted to go visit the Iglesias de la Soledad y de San José near the cathedral. I got up around 6:00 a.m. and did a lot of preliminary stuff – my Dad would have been angry with me for doing my nails and polishing my shoes on Sunday! Anyway, I left around 8:30 to walk to San José first.
As I hurried down Calle Sóstenes I heard a screech and a bang. A man and woman riding double on their bike were hit by a car. The white car took off. The woman was still lying on her husband’s leg and they both looked hurt. I raised both my arms to stop traffic. It was in one of those funny intersections that have like six entrances. Everyone stopped and the other bikers and other taxi drivers all came out to help them. I found out later that a shop woman stopped the driver and told him to own up to the hit. They lifted the woman up as she was crying out in pain. A police pickup truck finally came. They spoke to the man in the white car. He claimed he was not driving. He said the driver was tending to the woman. I gave the hurt lady 50 pesos for the taxi to take her to the church. She and her husband were concerned as they were to be Eucharistic ministers at Our Lady of Soledad Church. Oh, boy! They were more concerned with their duty to the church!
I left them and got to Mass at San José. I prayed for the two people. The church was packed. The priest was awesome. His sermon was great. I stayed afterward and told him he deserved a 10!! (That’s an A+ here!) In his sermon he asked if we could remember our own baptism day. He explained that there are three happenings at Jesus’ baptism: the skies opened, the Spirit descended and the voice of the Father was heard. Father asked us to repeat those three things. (I liked his style—that’s the way I teach!) He said that the very same thing happened when we were baptized! The doors of heaven opened for us because it is our true home. The Holy Spirit was given to us and the Father adopted us as His children and we are His delight!
He asked the congregation if they remembered his sermon from last week. A few people nodded “yes” and so he asked, “Can you summarize what I said?” Oh, boy! Everyone sank down in their pews. He laughed. He re-told the story. “A woman dreamt that she had died. The angels accompanied her into heaven. She was glad to enter heaven. The angels offered to escort her to her room or her house. The first house was made of gold. She thought it was wonderful. However, the angels told her that was not hers. That house was for people who had been friends of God…who spent time with God and always put God first. The second was made of beautiful strong marble. She thought she could take that house. But that was not her house either. The angels told her that that house was for people who had done great deeds, lots of acts of charity in God’s Name. The third and final beautiful house was made of glass—a beautiful crystal house. The angels told her that that house was for people whose intentions were very clear—there was no duplicity in their hearts or thoughts or actions. Finally, the woman saw an old shack which had a bad odor and very poor building materials. The angels told her that that was for her. She couldn’t believe her eyes! The angels told her that that was all she sent for the building of her heavenly home. She had been selfish in her deeds, her spoken uncharitable words, had been unjust, had watched bad movies and had never concerned herself with others…not even her own family. The woman woke up from her dream bathed in her own tears. Shortly after that, the neighbors noticed a huge change in the woman. She was busy going about doing good and she always had the Lord with her.
Neat story, huh? Father told it so well. At the sign of peace many little children went up to him to give him the sign of peace. He seemed loved by many people…young and old! Ah, nothing like a good Sunday liturgy!!
Back to the couple on the bike, I decided to stop at Our Lady of Soledad Church. I asked the sacristan if he knew anything about the couple who had obligations to serve as Eucharistic Ministers at the 9:30 Mass. He smiled and said, “The couple is being checked out at the hospital as we speak.” I asked, “Do they know who hit them?” He smiled again and said that one of the priests had hit them. Oh, my goodness! He said that he had stayed with them the entire time and had brought the bike to the church and had taken them to the hospital. As far as he knew, the couple was fine. So was the priest. Well, the couple will be in some pain and a bit hesitant about riding double on a bike again, but all is fine. Thanks be to God. Thank God that no other car was following that close to have gone over the poor couple. God is good all the time.
Tomorrow I go to the capital city of Guanajuato to try to renew my permission to stay for another 6 months in Mexico. They can only give permission for 180 days at a time.
By the way, after church today I stopped at the city plaza to read my little booklet that I purchased at the bookstore. I also wanted to do some people watching. A feeling of pure joy came over me as I was sitting there. I was enjoying the people, the buyers and sellers, the traffic, the color, music, church bells tolling, the sounds of people laughing…. I decided that maybe I was “home”. They say that home is where the heart is so, maybe my heart and I are in the same place. The cockroaches back at the convent…well, that’s part of being in a different temperature zone and accepting life as it is where I am living! Guess what the dictionary says about cockroaches: a nocturnal insect with a flat oval body, long antennae, and chewing mouthparts, some species of which are household pests!!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Adjusting to life in the Nursing Home
Well, today, Sunday, January 02, 2011, felt like a weekday as we got up early and the Sisters started the whole routine of getting the old folks up and dressed for 7:00 a.m. Mass. Poor people, they get up and run, run to get dressed and they are rushed into chapel. After Mass they run, run to eat breakfast and quick get them out to the porches to sit all day! The staff changes all the bedding daily: blankets, sheets, everything! They keep running but the old people sit. They get fed again at 2:00 p.m. and at 5:00 they get a snack and get put to bed by 6:00 p.m. There is no rehabilitation, no TV, no radio, no nothing. The folks who are ambulatory will walk around and around the long corridors.
This morning one lady decided she did not want to live anymore. She started shutting down slowly: no eating, no opening her eyes. Sister Ana Maria recognized the signs. After our lunch Sister left to go get her ready. My heart goes out to them.
The other four Sisters left to go visit someone and the director asked Sister Ana Maria to stay in charge of the home. Wow! Just like that. There was no discussion. The young, junior Sister who knows how to turn the computer on so that I can have wireless access left without turning it on for me. I tell you, there is no religious community on earth that is perfect! Sister won’t tell me where to turn it on because she said it was very dangerous due to the fire in the computer room they had not long ago.
I did laundry (on Sunday!!) and sat and embroidered my dish towels. I prayed this morning for a good while. I have the sample letter ready for the vicar here in Guanajuato. I need to email it to Sister Charlene for her approval…if only I had internet.
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