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!
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