A daycare in the Spirit of the Gospel

Sister María Luisa Velez CCVI found inspiration to create a space of care, growth, and hope, from the sacred pages of the Gospel to the most fragile streets affected by poverty. Here we share a brief chronicle of her journey. It's a story of how the gospel of love guides each step, from the seed of the idea to the flourishing of a shared mission. The story of the Santa Fe Shelter reminds us that even in the most challenging times, the light of the Gospel can guide the way and ignite solidarity.

A Passionate Love
By Miriam Bannon CCVI

Back in 1969, when Sister María Luisa was a junior sister working as a teacher at the Miguel Angel Institute, Sister Lourdes Nava invited her to a course at ITES on liberation theology. This course broadened her horizons. If her heart had burned with the changes of Vatican II before, in the way of living and acting in the Church, now it burned even more with hope for social justice. Later in 1985, the congregation offered María Luisa another opportunity to take a five-month course in missiology in Brazil. There, she had the pleasure of meeting 40 people from different countries who all shared the same longing: to be an open and committed church. Juan Luis Segundo, Pablo Richards, Gustavo Gutiérrez, Salvador Beocio, and others were her teachers, and they spoke to her about the role of laypeople, religious sisters, and brothers inserted in the peripheries.

Encounter with the Word of God in Peripheral Communities
These courses, along with some workshops at MACC in San Antonio, led our Sister María Luisa, after finishing her period in congregational leadership from 1984 to 1990, to take a sabbatical year in South America with the purpose of learning about the experiences of CEBs (Base Ecclesial Communities) in the peripheries. For this, Sister María Luisa contacted congregations in Chile, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. Wherever she went, she tried to stay with communities in peripheral populations. In these communities, she met the CEBs where they talked about life. They talked about a nearby God, living among them, fighting for justice. They shared about the struggles to earn money to live each day. Sister María Luisa became more and more convinced that this was what it meant to be a church. She recalls that in Chile, for example, she met a priest named Mariano Puga. Father Mariano chose to live in poverty and in the periphery. Although he was an architect before becoming a priest, he worked eight hours a day as a wall painter, and in the evening, after finishing his work, he celebrated mass with all the people in the neighborhood. After mass and fellowship, at the end of the day, between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m., he prayed together with his small community. When Sister María Luisa arrived, Father Mariano went to sleep on a bunk bed to give María Luisa his small room, which only had a bed, a chair, and a suitcase.

Completing her sabbatical year, María Luisa returned to Mexico completely convinced that the only way to make a change is through the Word of God in a peripheral neighborhood.

Base Ecclesial Communities in the Parish of La Asunción, Santa Fe

In 1991, María Luisa established a mixed community of sisters and lay missionaries who wanted to serve in the Parish of La Asunción, Santa Fe, CDMX. After a year of arriving, the community looked for a house in the Ampliación el Pirul neighborhood in the Santa Fe ravine. There, María Luisa and I began teaching popular Bible classes in different homes. Sister María Luisa dreamed of transmitting the type of Church she had experienced in Latin America. She based her Bible classes on the writings of Carlos Mesters, Carlos Bravo, Gustavo Gutiérrez, and Leonardo Boff, among others, following Javier Saravia's methodology. She ensured that it was a participatory, open, and ecumenical reflection.

What she had experienced in the Bible study ignited the hearts in the group, and over time led the participants to form two CEB groups. These communities, by praying and seeing reality in the light of the Word of God, came to the conclusion that it was important to do something for the community. At that time, there was a lot of garbage in the streets of Santa Fe. They started a first project around garbage, making the decision to separate the garbage, but after a few months, it overwhelmed them because there was too much garbage, and they stopped separating it.

The second initiative of the base communities was about food. Through Sister María Teresa Valdez, they met the owners of Verde Valle (a company that sells seeds). They spoke with the owners and managed to buy the seeds with a 25% discount. The communities opened a store selling basic products - beans, rice, lentils, etc. Of the 25% discount, the communities only took 5% to pay for transportation and something for the person selling. This allowed people to buy with a 20% discount off the cost. They did very well in sales at first because the products were of quality. But then, after five months, Bodega Aurrera opened its store and started selling cheaper products, but not of the same quality. Sadly, the CEBs realized that it was no longer convenient to sell because people were buying from the other store.

The communities thought again about what they could do. The idea of a daycare center emerged among them because they saw it as a great need. Sister María Luisa recalls stories of moms who, because they had to go to work, turned off the gas and lights and left their children locked up. Other times they left the children with the grandmothers, but when the children grew up and started running around, the grandmothers couldn't keep up. Since the parish was sectored, the CEBs decided to conduct a survey in each of the nine zones to see what people thought about childcare while moms worked. It was unanimous. All the surveyed families agreed that a daycare center was necessary.

After confirming that it was indeed a necessity, Sister María Luisa surveyed the members of the CEBs who wanted to work in a daycare center and encouraged them to prepare. About 15 people said yes and chose to take a six-month course in popular education in childcare and preschool education. After finishing the course, Sister María Luisa insisted a lot, emphasizing that it was very important to continue studying because the daycare center had to be incorporated into the SEP (Secretary of Public Education). In addition, Sister María Luisa committed to accompany them in the search for donations to continue studying.

Their motivation always came from the Word of God, now embodied in their hearts, hands, and feet. While they prepared, they looked for a house for rent to start the daycare center. Thank God, they were lucky to find a spacious house on Paso Ancho Street, #149, in Colonia Ampliación La Mexicana, and there they started the daycare center, under the direction of Mrs. Lourdes Cruz, on October 1, 1995. They named it Estancia Infantil Vasco de Quiroga in honor of the founder of the Santa Fe Hospital Village.

They remained in the house on Paso Ancho for several years during which the communities began to think about establishing themselves as a private assistance institution so that the daycare center would stay in Santa Fe and no one could take it away. After consulting with the communities, Sister María Luisa integrated a board of trustees.

- President, herself, Sister María Luisa
- Secretary, Ms. Patricia Mañon
- Treasurer, Mrs. Aurora Alcántara
- Members, Mrs. Vivian Kolher and Mrs. María Vélez

At the same time, they began to raise funds for the purchase of a larger house for the daycare. Most of the donations were obtained through family and friends. Little by little, the money was gathered for the purchase of a spacious house that they had seen and seemed suitable on Ramón López Velarde street, in Santa Fe. Upon purchasing the house, they had to fix it and adapt it to the needs of a daycare. Despite the repairs, the cost increased. Guadalupe Vélez, the biological sister of Sister María Luisa, was the architect who helped a lot to restore the house. She reviewed the foundation to prevent it from collapsing in case of an earthquake. She had to tear down some parts of the house to ensure that everything was okay. She only charged for the labor costs, but not really for her work. Like her, other people were very generous. Mrs. Aurora Alcántara put the roof in the patio and the Miguel Angel Institute donated tables, chairs, and desks.

Eight years later, in mid-2003, when everything was arranged, the daycare moved to Ramón Lopez Velarde #7, with 15 trained people. Sister María Luisa continued to remind them that their work went beyond taking care of girls and boys, but also to continue their professional development.

LEAPS OF JOY AND CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAYMaría Luisa recounted many challenges and leaps of joy along the way.
Leaps of Joy…
The Word of God in the CEBs that led participants to commit to a strong and long-term service in the community.
People committed to providing quality care to babies, children, and also to fathers and mothers.
The support of the board, especially Mrs. Aurora Alcantara, who personally attended the daycare very frequently. In addition to guiding the teachers to redesign the spaces in the classrooms, she supported in the daily meal times for several years. Mrs. Vivian Kohler, as a board member, was concerned about the daycare's finances by sending her daughter and a trusted gentleman to review that the finances were in good condition. Mrs. María Vélez financially contributed to the needs that arose and continues to contribute to this day. Miss Patricia Mañon contributed with her pedagogical experience, working with the teachers. Many other people and institutions have also contributed time and resources - Monte de Piedad, our congregation: the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, the Hilton Foundation, and others. The present staff who continue to study. They are prepared to meet the demands of the SEP and reality to provide a better service to parents and children. 

The pillar that has been Ms. Francisca García, widely known and respected in the Santa Fe community. Thanks to her tenacity as an administrator and director, the daycare has continued with a maximum level of attention, a respectful environment, a pleasant, clean, and welcoming place. In addition, she has been a key person for the unity and spirit of the staff. 

Challenges…
For many years, the staff did not want to continue preparing themselves: Only one person, Lucy Sánchez, continued studying, graduating as a teacher.
Changes in personnel management: Upon joining the SEP, the required requirements had to be met. When inspectors came, they checked even under the carpet. It was not easy to find qualified people, with the gift of integrating a team and treating teachers horizontally, keeping the study plans up to date and not missing work. Over the course of 25 years, there were eight changes in directors.
Management was difficult: There was a time when funds were not managed with due attention. It seemed that there was always a lack of money.

SECOND PART: "I am a teacher by profession and by heart," says Francisca.
 TEACHER FRANCISCA GARCIA
I came to know Sister María Luisa because the daycare, initially, was on my street (Paso Ancho), practically in front of my house. Upon retiring as a teacher, María Luisa asked me to help her with the procedures to incorporate the daycare into the SEP (Secretariat of Public Education). I gladly responded because I believed in the daycare project and also wanted to lend a hand to Sister María Luisa. From there, in 2002, I started as a teacher. A year later, I was invited to be the director. Upon assuming this responsibility, I dedicated myself first to improving some practical aspects, for example, the quality of food for the children and cleanliness. In fact, every year I set myself a goal and it gives me great satisfaction to achieve it. On one occasion, realizing that motivation had decreased, my goal was to sow a better vision and a commitment from the teachers to continue studying and improving themselves. It was an uphill battle. Many left because they did not want to continue studying. Thank God, currently, all the teachers are certified. Along with the director, Mrs. Rosario Márquez Silva, and the team of teachers, we promote psychomotor development. We emphasize the adequate preparation of children to start primary school and familiarize them with the computer. We work together. There is a sense of teamwork and responsibility. We work with creativity and a good disposition.
I was also pleased to receive from 2008 to 2012, about six lay missionaries of the Incarnate Word who served for one or two years in the daycare. They assisted the teachers in educational activities with the children. They taught English and lived both with the teachers and with the children. I was impressed to see how they were becoming aware of the social and economic situation of the children.
A strong aspect of my work as director was management. Thank God, as the daycare grew, in 2015 it was decided to separate the two functions and I remained as administrator.
The key for me is to encourage co-responsibility, to link parents with the educational process. We invite them to participate in activities at the daycare and they respond. It is a great joy to meet them. In fact, one of the fathers who was at the daycare 20 years ago, now has his son with us, in 3rd grade of preschool. Currently, we have 50 children in grades:
- Nursery 1, from 1 ½ years to 2 years 5 months
- Nursery 2, from 2 ½ years to 2 years 11 months
- Preschool 1, 3 years old
- Preschool 2, 4 years old
- Preschool 3, 5 years old
We communicate with parents through bimonthly evaluations of their children's development. Additionally, we organize talks on development itself, nutrition, and health (particularly regarding vaccines).
Currently, our hours of operation are from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. In the future, we would like to extend the hours because many parents finish work at 7:00 pm. Along with this, we would like to resume the service of caring for infants. It is a very big challenge because it would imply double shifts. Another challenge is administration itself. We have to upload the financial statements and reports to the platforms of both the IAP and the SAT. Our tuition fees are low because our raison d'être is to serve low-income families but our economic resources are few. Here is the translation:
Although we receive help from relatives and friends of Sister María Luisa, it remains a challenge to stay up to date with payments and not have debts. Our current goal is to reach 100 children. This way, we could cover expenses without having to rely on donations for the daily operation of the daycare.

PRINCIPAL ROSARIO MÁRQUEZ SILVA 
I started at the daycare in August 2021. It was a very difficult year. We were emerging from Covid. We had to learn to teach online and from our homes. Sadly, at that time, my husband died of Covid, and I was hospitalized and intubated for fourteen days. Now, post-Covid, there is a new outlook. The number of boys and girls coming to the daycare is increasing; people speak very well of our services. We are already eight teachers. Teaching through projects is working well for us. We have taken training courses in active schools rather than methodical ones. Our boys and girls learn to explore and investigate. It is self-learning. In addition to education, we strive to care for nutritional value, and we have managed to resume the dining hall. We hope that more people will continue to find in our institution a safe space for growth.
I conclude with gratitude for the sacred stories that have been shared with me. Certainly, this is a story of faith, hope, and action, where the Gospel lights the way to a future brimming with possibilities.

Weaving Change

The Birth of a Small Handcrafted Industry...
Sister María Luisa Gamboa arrived in Tampamolón, in the southeastern region of the State of Huasteca (Mexico), in 2003, as a pastoral response to indigenous communities. Hospital Muguerza invited and supported our sisters in this ministry. With the aim of promoting human dignity, María Luisa began by visiting communities in eight municipalities, close to each other, to meet the people and assess their needs. During her visits, she was struck by the poverty and vulnerability of women. Women used to embroider napkins, but despite their beauty, they sold poorly. So Sister María Luisa suggested they consider making clothing in addition to napkins. Since the women wanted an additional income in the household, they found the idea appealing. To launch this project, Sister María Luisa asked for help from her mother, who was skilled in sewing. Maria Louisa mother gladly made patterns of different sizes using newspaper. Then María Luisa bought fabric and thread, and with these, the women began to learn to cut fabric for blouses. Everything had to be done by hand as they didn't have sewing machines.

When Sister María Cardoza arrived a year later, in 2004, to work with Sister María Luisa, she was inspired by the enthusiasm and dedication of the women. She recalled her years of study when she was younger. In her youth, Sister Mary (as most of us call her) had taken sewing classes but hadn't shown much interest. However, faced with the need she saw, she returned to her hometown and sought out her sewing teacher to learn how to make shirts and children's clothing.

How to Sell the Merchandise?
One thing is the production of clothing, another is the sale. To sell the products, women send representatives from their communities periodically to take their products to selling places in the city. Everyone cooperates in advance with transportation, food, and lodging expenses. Each garment carries the name of the person who made the product and the price of the garment. Upon return, they distribute the profits from the sales.

Achievements
At one point, the women were invited to participate in a Successful Projects competition at the national level organized by FONART (National Fund for the Promotion of Crafts). After going through the different stages: regional, district, and state, they reached the final stage, the National one, in the city of León, Guanajuato. They didn't win first place, but they were considered to attend every year, for a month, with all expenses paid (lodging, transportation, food), and most importantly, to have a space to sell their products at the National Potosina Fair (FENAPO) - one of the most important fairs in the country. They continue to participate to this day. This speaks to the quality their products have achieved.

From Huasteca to Mezquital Valley
About fifteen years later, around 2016, having established this cottage industry in Tampamolón, María Luisa and Mary chose to move to Chilcuautla, Hidalgo, to the Mezquital Valley to work with women from the Hñahñu or Otomí communities. The Mezquital Valley was once considered the poorest area in the country. In fact, Mexico City's sewage is discharged there. However, thanks to state government, investment from Mexicans returning from the United States, and support from Germany, an irrigation system was installed using canals that irrigate farmlands. Mexican families who returned to the country invested in nurseries and greenhouses, and with drip irrigation, they began to grow lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, squash, cauliflower, and tomatoes. This has greatly improved the region's economy.

The small industry was gradually growing...
Sisters María Luisa and Mary, having visited the Hñahñu communities and realizing that women's need was to have their own income, encouraged them to diversify their products. The sisters shared their learning on making blouses, children's dresses, skirts, shirts, bags, purses, etc., with the women. Additionally, with the financial support of the Hilton Foundation and Christus Health, the sisters managed to buy sewing machines, chairs, and tables that are of great use to the entire community.

Looking to the Future
To this day, the project remains strong in both locations, Tampamolón and Chilcuautla. Once a year, the sisters return to the Huasteca, and there they meet with the coordinators, and everyone is trained in new models. This way, the sisters continue to support and accompany the 6 groups of women in that community.

In addition to accompanying the artisan women, Sisters María Luisa and Mary also participate with the entire local faith community in four areas of social pastoral care: labor, penitentiary, social commitment, and ecological. In 2022, they obtained funds from the Hilton Foundation to support 36 families in the conservation of maguey, a very important plant for their daily work. To protect the maguey plants from animals, the foundation supported with 74 rolls of cyclonic mesh, each roll being 50 meters long. With this help, families can continue working with maguey fiber and preserve the use of the Waist Loom, an ancestral technique with which they make the ayate and other artisanal garments.

Contemplating the passion and commitment of our sisters in their accompaniment of women, I experience a deep sense of pride in what our Congregation is achieving through Mary and María Luisa. Their unwavering faith, generosity, and dedication embody the spirit of the Gospel. Our beloved María Luisa and Mary are not only alleviating social challenges in two indigenous communities but are also cultivating transformative change that enriches society as a whole. Their ministry is an inspiration; a testimony to the power of love, creativity, and solidarity.

Written by Sister Miriam Banon CCVI

The Interconnectedness of Creation and our Purpose

In the most recent parish event before our young ones got dismissed from religious education for vacation, we had a great time being with the children of St. Peter Prince of the Apostles.  We had an opportunity to teach them about Laudato Si.  The religious education director Deacon Rich gave us about 40 students.  Our main topic was about the encyclical in short version.  We had the interconnectedness of the creation as our ice-breaker. We only had less than an hour.  With the number of students that we had we decided that we will enjoy the ice-breaker and keep them engaged with this activity that they were enjoying.   We started with a tree.  A child picked up a tree, another child picked up a bee, another picked up a human being, another picked up a flower, another picked up a bird, another picked up a soil, and so on.  The children were so engaging in thinking how the creatures and biome are connected to each other.   If one does not exist, the food chain, habitat, or the source of energy is cut off.   One feeds on another and one needs another to exist.  Everything has a mission and purpose.   One cannot do the job for what it is designed for and such creature has a special purpose or mission.  A lion nor an elephant can replace the worker bees.  Worker bees cannot exist without the mother bee, and mother bee produces the worker bees and male bees.   Knowing that we have an environmental crisis where everyone can contribute, we ask the children how can they take care of the earth.  

Most of the children who participated received a seed. For the question and answers reusable utensils, which hopefully they will carry with them and use to avoid plastic spoon, fork and knife. Some of the children receive a reusable produce net bag.  Everybody was able to stop and ponder, who is this creature and how is this creature connected to another? 

Spiritual Care Department supported the Earth day by being able to raised the importance of advocacy that plastic pollution has become an epidemic in the world.  It is all around our home, communities, parishes, schools, restaurants, streets, rivers, beaches, etc.  How do we stop and be more aware that we are all contributors to this epidemic?  How do we stop our arrogance against nature that we cannot do whatever we want in terms of our shopping, eating, and living practices having the plastics parts of the daily consumption and trash?  By the questions that we gave to the employees in one of our hospitals, it helped to stop people that there is an issue and they too can raise awareness that there is an issue to be tackled.  We sponsored a raffle in one of our hospitals during the Earth Month to raise awareness and ask the people about the three questions:

1. What is the theme of this year’s (2024) Earth Day? Stop Plastic

2.   Plastics are a danger to humanity and all living creatures, disrupting the delicate balance of life on earth. True

3.  United States Health costs this much increase due to chemicals used in plastics: $200 Billion

It was reported that there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish by 2050.  This is how bad the situation is unless something radical is put in place to stop the epidemic on plastic.  Daphne Bramham: There could be more plastic than fish in oceans by 2050 | Vancouver Sun

Pope Francis, through Laudato Si, is teaching us that we are all connected and where everything impacts another creature or entity in the bios.   Pope Francis has been advocating and inviting people of the world towards ecological conversation.  Even further, Yaka in his article “Rethinking Justice: Struggles for Environmental Commons and the Notion of Socio‐Ecological Justice,” argues that with a socio-ecological consciousness we become aware that human and non-human life can co-exist with dignity. 

Everybody has their own way of expressing their care of the earth and perhaps some are not yet aware of how their carbon footprint impacts the bigger picture.  Each of these contributes to the climate change which we all share.   Pope Francis wrote the Laudate Deum as a follow-up on what has transpired since the Laudato Si in 2015. 

Reflection Questions:

·       What have you done differently for Laudato Si or what are you able to do for Laudato Si Care of our Common Home? 

·       How do you see the Laudate Deum of Pope Francis helping in raising the urgency of the Climate Crisis?

·       What are you able to do for your community knowing about this topic?

June 5 is the World Environment Day, let us be mindful that the environment is a common good and deserves our attention to be mindful stewards of it.  Find out more about this event in https://www.unep.org/events/un-day/world-environment-day-2024

Written by Sr. Marylou Rodriguez CCVI.

Justicia que construye la paz

"Con la Encarnación, Dios habita este mundo; ciertamente sigue habiendo injusticia, dolor, guerra, crimen organizado, inseguridad, pero este mundo está habitado por Dios; Dios sigue suscitando deseos de amar, hay madres que siguen amamantando a sus hijos, personas que se aman, manos solidarias, gente que busca la justicia y que construye la paz, cuidadoras y cuidadores de la creación, madres y familiares que buscan a sus familiares desaparecidos, personas que siguen interesados en el avance de la humanidad, de todos. Decimos «¡Feliz Navidad!» porque podemos vivir en la confianza de que Dios sigue creyendo en la humanidad, que no la deja huérfana -su Hijo es uno de nosotros-, que Él habita este mundo y que tiene la capacidad de iluminarlo." Pepe Magaña, SJ.

Espero que este saludo te encuentre con buena salud y de buen ánimo. Es difícil de creer. Ya tengo un poco más de un año de regreso a México y colaborando con el P. Salvador López Mora, miembro del equipo de Pastoral Urbana (fundado por el fallecido P. Benjamín Bravo). Salvador y yo hemos trabajado juntos en varias tandas de años desde 1990. Esta vez, estamos con el enfoque de la pastoral urbana y el acompañamiento de las familias de familiares desaparecidos.

Como seguramente sabes por las noticias internacionales, la crisis de desapariciones sigue siendo parte de un patrón más amplio de violencia criminal impulsada por una plaga de crimen organizado, participación/apoyo o aquiescencia de actores estatales en actividades criminales. En promedio, una persona desaparece cada hora. Las desapariciones ocurren frecuentemente con la participación directa e indirecta de agentes gubernamentales. El contexto de impunidad en México ha contribuido en gran medida a la crisis de desapariciones.

Mi actual ministerio pastoral me ha llevado a re-conectarme con papás y mamás de personas desaparecidas que conocía desde hace diez años. Ellos, desilusionados por la falta de acción, sensibilidad y empatía de las autoridades, de las interminables demoras en el sistema de justicia y el cuestionamiento de la credibilidad de sus familiares desaparecidos, se han organizado en colectivos y han salido a las calles para generar conciencia y abogar por un cambio. Colectivos de familiares, como Fuerzas Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos (FUNDEC), Uniendo Esperanzas y Ciudadanos en Apoyo a los Derechos Humanos (CADHAC) buscan sus seres queridos en canales, ríos, campos y zonas montañosas de muchas partes del país. Actualmente se calcula que hay unos 200 colectivos operando y trabajando en red entre sí en diferentes partes del país.

El Eje Iglesias Brigada Nacional de Búsqueda es ecuménico. Somos un equipo que proviene de diversas tradiciones de fe y espiritualidades: católica, anglicana, bautista, cuáquera, menonita, presbiteriana, metodista y del Pacto. Este ministerio tambien es acompañado por miembros de congregaciones religiosas: Carmelitas Misioneras de Santa Teresa, Compañía de Jesús, Hermanas de Jesús María, Verbo Encarnado, Pasionistas, etc. Estamos comprometidas a acompañar a las familias que buscan a sus familiares desaparecidos desde una perspectiva de fe y de construcción de paz. Asimismo, formamos parte de la Red Nacional de Colectivos de familias en búsqueda de familiares desaparecidos.

Actualmente, más de 130.000 personas han sido desaparecidas desde 1962. Además, desde enero de 2007 hasta abril de 2023, las autoridades mexicanas han informado del descubrimiento de 5,698 fosas clandestinas en todo el país. El mapa de las fosas anónimas ilumina una de las tácticas favoritas de los criminales en estos tiempos de guerra contra el narcotráfico y el crimen organizado: “desaparecer” personas, ocultando su muerte y su suerte. Ante esta realidad, junto con líderes de colectivos y personas solidarias en Eje Iglesias Brigada Nacional de Búsqueda, buscamos prevenir la violencia, generar conciencia y maximizar el impacto y la capacidad de búsqueda e impacto de los colectivos.

Sigamos buscando la justicia que construye la paz; sigamos siendo cuidadoras y cuidadores de la casa común; permanezcamos comprometidas en el avance de la humanidad.

Paz y bien, 

Miriam Banon, CCVI 

Coordinadora JPIC-México

Lo que hacemos de un vistazo…

Women for Peace

Sister Martha Ann Kirk, chair for the International Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee, is a woman peace activist. Her way to advocate for peace in the world is so impressed. We are so proud! 
Definitely Martha Ann Kirk, a Sister of Charity of the Incarnate Word, is an agent of change.

Here a short interview about her reasons to advocate for peace.

WOMEN WAR AND PEACE: Sister Martha
The road to peace is built by teachers of peace, and one of those teachers is Sister Martha Ann Kirk, CCVI, a professor at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Kirk teaches peace based on theology, and speaks from her own decades of peace building around the world.

CCVIs Participate in Catholic Day of Action for Migrant Children

On Thursday, July 18th, hundreds of Catholics gathered together in Washington D.C. for a Catholic Day of Action to end child detention and stop the inhumane treatment of immigrants and refugees in the United States. The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word were proud to have two representatives in DC for this public witness: Sr. Jean Durel CCVI and Jennifer Reyes Lay, former Assistant Director of the JPIC Office and ongoing JPIC collaborator. As an Incarnate Word family, our charism calls us to respond with open hearts and hands to Christ present in those who are suffering in the world today, and as we have seen and heard throughout the past year there is incredible suffering happening right now throughout our broken immigration system.

Jennifer Reyes Lay and Sr. Jean Durel CCVI

The day began with a gathering on the Capitol lawn where faith leaders spoke out against the inhumane conditions and treatment of migrants and refugees, particularly the separation of children from their parents and the abuse of children in overcrowded detention centers. They reminded those present and those watching from around the world that our Catholic faith calls us to welcome the foreigner, provide food for the hungry, shelter for those without, and comfort the afflicted. When government policy and action is rooted in unjust and inhuman treatment, then these Catholic faith values we hold in common demand that we speak out and amplify the voices of those who are crying out, working to realize God’s peace and justice here on earth. After the speakers there was a moving prayer service that included testimonies of migrant and refugee children and prayers of lament and recognition of our complicity in their suffering.

Sr. Carol Zinn, Executive Director of LCWR speaks to the crowd

At the conclusion of the prayer service, the crowd walked over to the Russell Senate Building where they gathered in the main rotunda and shared more songs and prayers. A group of 70 people who were prepared to risk arrest made a circle in the center and led the group in a rosary of the sorrowful mysteries, weaving in the names and stories of migrant children who have died in U.S. custody over the past two years. Capitol police informed the group that this was an unlawful assembly and that they would need to vacate the premises. All but the 70 who were prepared to risk arrest left the area, and as the rosary, prayers, and songs continued the police proceeded to arrest them one by one, until all that was left behind scattered on the floor were images of the children who had died.

The group who was arrested in prayer

Sr. Jean Durel leads part of the Rosary

Sr. Jean Durel CCVI was one of those 70 arrested by capitol police and charged with “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” under DC Code 22-1307. She along with the others were handcuffed, escorted to police vans, and transported to the local jail where she was processed, charged, and released later that same day. All 70 who were arrested were released by 5:30pm on Thursday.

Reflecting on her experience Sr. Jean said, “It was a real privilege to be present here in Washington DC and participate in this public witness and action with so many other Catholics. The little inconvenience we experienced being arrested is nothing compared to what the immigrants and refugees are experiencing in detention on a daily basis. Within the group that was arrested, there was a real sense of solidarity and we had the opportunity to share with one another about the work each person is involved in and what motivated them to partake in the action today. There was one sister who was 90 years old and had participated in multiple arrestable actions for justice issues. I am very grateful for this opportunity because it encourages me to not just stand by and think there is nothing I can do. There is something we all can do. I am hopeful that we will continue to participate in future actions like this.

Sr. Jean being arrested

Jennifer welcoming Sr. Jean upon her release

Jennifer Reyes Lay, CCVI JPIC collaborator, was present to support and document the action, as well as offer assistance with jail support and welcome those who had been arrested upon their release. She said, “It was an honor to be present at the Catholic day of action in Washington DC, standing with Catholics living out our faith values, fighting for justice, dignity, and human rights. Together we prayed, sang, and spoke up for the vulnerable among us who are suffering at the hands of our government. It gave me great hope to see so many Catholics coming together and living into what the church as the living body of Christ is all about: love, justice, and peace. Today was a clear call for all Catholics to take action to defend the rights of our immigrant and refugee brothers and sisters. I am grateful for all who joined with us in solidarity from around the country, particularly the CCVI family who gathered in San Antonio on Thursday evening!”

National organizers of the event have said that this is just the first in a series of planned actions to increase pressure on the U.S. Government to change its current immigration policies and practices and encourage more Catholics to take direct action. Eli McCarthy, JPIC Director for the Council of Major Superiors of Men said, “Today’s action was focused on increasing the visibility of Catholics willing to take more risks to significantly improve treatment of children and end child detention. This is only the first phase of a 3-part campaign to end child detention and thus create more political space to challenge family detention and beyond. The second phase will involve a direct action at the border in mid/late-August, and the third phase will include another direct action in DC and at the border in mid-Sept.”

As Sr. Jean said, we hope that the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word will continue to be active supporters and participants in the weeks and months ahead, joining with Catholics around the country to defend the human rights of our immigrant and refugee brothers and sisters and say loud and clear with our words and actions: “Stop the Inhumanity!”

CCVIs Commemorate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On Sunday, January 20th, St. Louis celebrated the Archdiocesan Mass for the Preservation of Peace and Justice. This celebration is always held the day before Martin Luther King Day at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. We were honored that our CCVI Novice, Sr. Christi Sanchez, was asked to proclaim the second reading in Spanish. She did a beautiful job.

 

Sr. Christi Sanchez reading at the Basilica

Fr. Art Cavitt, Pastor of St. Nicholas Parish and Executive Director of the St. Charles Lwanga Center delivered the powerful homily centering on the Gospel reading. He explained that while Jesus said at Cana that His hour had not come, Mary knew it had come. She stepped aside and told the servers, “Do whatever He tells you.” Fr. Cavitt emphasized that our time as the people of God has come. No matter how we may feel about all the challenges in the world and the church, our time is now. The time for racism and all the other isms is over. He recognized the young people from the area parishes and high schools who were honored with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Model of Justice Award, telling them that their time is not somewhere in the future. Their time is now!

At the awards ceremony immediately after Mass, thirty young people were recognized for their work for justice in their lives and in the St. Louis community. Among them was Zoe Webster from Incarnate Word Academy.  The St. Charles Lwanga Center which Fr. Cavitt directs is the site where Sister Christi goes each week for her ministry experience.

 

Zoe is pictured with Archbishop Robert Carlson
and Father Art Cavitt. 

We thank God that so many from St. Louis participated in this event and that our CCVI mission and ministries were so well represented.

Reflection by Sr. Helena Monahan CCVI 

Testimony from Sr. Bertha Flores on Ministering to Migrants in El Paso, TX

There are no words to describe what a shelter is. Only when one is a witness of the relief provided to so many people, can one value and appreciate a shelter in all its magnitude. We were blessed recently to be part of the solidarity shown to immigrants at the St. Charles Shelter in El Paso, Texas, and to see how it attracts, as a magnet, the unity of other people and institution. We arrived at the shelter on Monday, November 4, 2018. The staff toured the facilities with us and explained the policies and daily procedures.

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in El Paso, TX

The Saint Charles Shelter operates with a team of volunteers, most of whom are women 50 years old or older, who provide services to the migrants related to food, lodging, laundry, and telephone connections with their relatives or with those who will receive them. They also provide transportation services to bus stations or to the airport. Ten full-time volunteers live at the shelter.

The maximum capacity at the shelter is 100. Thirty to forty migrants arrive daily; at times this number increases to sixty or seventy. They come from Honduras, San Salvador, Guatemala a, d Brazil and stay for two or three days.

Volunteers cook and serve breakfast. Lunch and dinner are prepared by different groups from parishes in El Paso and neighboring places. Towels and sheets used by the refugees are washed daily; blankets are disinfected with spray.

Every day, a bus drives people from Migration Detention Centers to the eight different shelters in El Paso. Most of them are detained at these shelters from four to fifteen days where they receive only one meal a day and can bathe only once during their stay. The temperature in the Detention Centers is kept low, so when the immigrants reach the shelter, they are exhausted, and most of the children have colds. Most immigrants travel with one or two children, and some bring babies.

Many experience various forms of stress. One afternoon, a woman who traveled alone with her five-year old child fainted while she was waiting to take a shower. The child was very scared and cried. He feared that his mother could die. Those minutes seemed like hours to us until his mother, a 24-year old woman, recovered.

When the immigrants arrive at the shelter, after we welcome them, they register and contact by telephone the people who will receive them in this country. They call across the country – to New Jersey, Maryland, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, California, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Texas, New México– and because they have no money, they ask their contacts to buy tickets for their trip. They are always hungry when they arrive. It is very moving to see how the babies “devour” food. If they drop a piece of food, they pick it up with their little hands and put it in their mouths. Sometimes the pieces of food are so small that they could be considered crumbs. It is difficult to hold back our tears when we see this. The babies are not the only ones who do this; children and adults do the same. After dinner, the atmosphere changes and they begin to feel the effects of the warm welcome and hospitality they have received.

Before their departure from the shelter, we give the migrants clothes suitable for the places where they will go. We also provide them with a backpack for their use during the trip containing items for personal hygiene, a towel, a blanket and a pillow.

But why do they come here?

Most of them are escaping from extreme poverty conditions and from the violence of organized crime which is increasing in Central America. Yesterday, a couple with three children arrived from Guatemala. They had to run away because two armed men, covered with hoods, demanded the payment of a fee for the small business they have there. Because they did not receive the fee, they shot the husband six times, at point-blank range, and they left him, presuming he was dead. Fortunately, he survived. He still has the marks of the six bullets around his waist and heart. One of the bullets broke a bone in his arm and he is wearing a metal support with six screws. Thanks be to God he is alive.

Yesterday, we received three small girls with their heads full of lice. They were very frightened and were crying. Thank God we had an excellent medicine cabinet so we could give them the first treatment. Word spread that I was excellent in treating this problem and I was told that others who needed attention would be referred to me!

Some of the immigrants arrive very ill with colds and other ailments. Yesterday, a boy and a girl with chicken pox came to the shelter. A doctor, who visits every day after work, immediately took the necessary precautions. The mothers take care of the smaller children and those who are ill.

The children are a living lesson of resilience. They arrive exhausted, sad and nervous, but the next day they are outside playing football and are happy! Usually, their parents join them.  Many mother care for the smallest ones or those who are sick.

As the days go by our energy is exhausted, and after a week we must take a pause and rest to recover strength and energy.   .