Sister Story: Sr. Walter Maher CCVI

While Sr. Walter Maher CCVI is the newest member of the Congregation’s International JPIC Committee, she is certainly not new to the work for peace and justice.  A Sister for over 50 years, she currently serves as the Vice President for Mission and Ministry at the University of the Incarnate Word.  She has been in that role since 2009 after leaving congregational leadership, and it is evident when speaking with her that she has a deep passion for the work she does to share and inspire the CCVI mission in others. 

For Sr. Walter, “Justice is not separate from mission; they are one.  Justice is about looking around, knowing what the concrete needs are, and figuring out how I can respond.  That’s our mission.”  And it is with great joy that she shares this mission with students, staff, faculty, and administrators at the University through various formation programs and opportunities. 

In addition to formation, another very important part of Sr. Walter’s ministry is facilitating the life of prayer and worship at the University.  She sees this as the real work of the University: to inspire students, faculty, and staff through opportunities of communal prayer and worship, in order to understand the heart of the mission and identity of the University and allow that inspiration to move them forward.  She also brings in the writings and messages of the global Catholic Church, reflecting on recent encyclicals and tying in the theme of the Year of Mercy to retreats and reflections last year. 

Sr. Walter believes that the shared life of prayer and worship can transform, and encourages all to participate, even those who aren’t Catholic, because they are one community.  The dignity of every student, of every religion, is respected and uplifted in an active inter-faith council at the University as well.  Sr. Walter says, “We can all come together, knowing we are working for the common good.”  What a beautiful lived example of social justice for our world! 

With a long history of ministry in education since she entered the Congregation, it is no surprise that Sr. Walter loves her work with students.  Just as she shares her passion for mission and ministry, the student’s passion for working for justice in the world inspires her as well.  She is particularly excited about one dream that became a reality last year when the University became a Catholic Relief Services (CRS) designated university.  There were about 30 students who attended an all-day training about CRS, and left full of energy and commitment to this work.  Some of the current foci of the group are on climate change, fair trade, and migration. 

She is also inspired by the dedication of the faculty and staff to the mission of the University.  Currently she is working with faculty of the graduate level programs to integrate Catholic Social Teaching into the curriculum.  There is a group of 20 people who gather together to reflect on issues of social justice from the lens of Catholic Social Teaching on a personal, communal, structural, and global level. 

When reflecting on her many and varied responsibilities in her ministry, Sr. Walter acknowledges that she is, “all over the place, but the power of presence is so important.  I really see my ministry as a ministry of presence.  As a representative of the Congregation I hear students, staff, and faculty acknowledge how important my presence is and that I’m not afraid to jump in where needed, doing what needs to be done while always keeping the larger vision of our mission present.”  This is also apparent in her open door policy.  She always has an open door for anyone in need to come in, share with her, and together they can help figure out a response to any problem as it arises. 

Even with her many responsibilities and busy schedule at the University, Sr. Walter was still willing to say yes when invited to serve as a member of the Congregation’s International Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Committee.  She brings with her an open heart, and many years of experience serving in diverse communities and responding to a variety of needs.  She sees this as just one more way she can continue to serve the Congregation which she says has so richly blessed her own life.   

Thank you Sr. Walter for your “Yes” to collaborate with the International JPIC Committee, and for all of the passion, love, and humility you bring to your ministry with the University of the Incarnate Word.  What a blessing to all who benefit from your many gifts, shared so generously!   

Called to Mission

During the first weeks of January, I (Sr. Katty Huanuco) had the opportunity to share the spirituality and charism of our CCVI Congregation and the work of our Congregational JPIC Office with our lay missionaries in Lima, Peru.

These days of sharing gave everyone a chance to better understand Peruvian culture and society, its historical reality, and the challenges it presents to our mission in Peru. It was also a precious time to experience an inclusive retreat where all the memories and experiences from 2016 were reflected on in light of Scripture, in order to renew our commitment to the poorest and most vulnerable.

The first day we gathered together, and after having lunch with our sisters in Lima, we visited the Shipiba Community in Cantagallo, Lima. The shipiba-koniba community, are indigenous Amazonian communities living in Lima. This population has been recovering from a fire that left more than 280 families homeless in November. Sharing with the women artisans encouraged us in our work and reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening women's leadership. They gave us a lot of hope.

The next day, we visited the National Museum of Archeology, Anthropology and History of Peru in order to understand the diversity of cultures in the country.  In the afternoon we arrived at the Museum of Memory and Tolerance, a space that chronicles the last 20 years of violence in Peru. After these visits, we talked about our commitment to this country, its people and the world, to create a culture of more respect, nonviolence and peace.

After contemplating this reality, with the support of Sisters Ivonne and Carmelita, the missionaries had opportunities for reflection around our call to incarnate the merciful love of God in our concrete commitment in Peru.

Then there were 4 days of spiritual retreat, where the concrete faces of victims of human trafficking, the cries of the earth, and the victims of violence continued to call us to collaborate with God in healing the suffering of the world. One phrase we reflected on was, “be visible signs of community in diversity.” This is a call that continues to require us to be a presence of compassionate love that engages in the transformation of the world, so that the world can fulfill its plans to serve the joy of all women and men.

It is interesting to note that our lay missionaries Diana, Mark, Juan, Selena and Ana Catarina come from different cultures and countries, and have been in Peru since August 2016 with a missionary commitment in Chimbote for two years.

Thank you for helping us to extend the Mission and Work of the Incarnate Word as Lay Missionaries of the Incarnate Word. As a Peruvian, I feel very honored to have them among us, sharing the God of life with such humility and love. Our prayer accompanies your ministries in Chimbote. Blessings.

Women Leading Women

By: Sr. Katty Huanuco, CCVI

When we think of the many challenges and the violence that women face (according to the Ministry of Women in Peru, between 2009 and June 2016 there have been a total of 812 femicides), and that they represent 50% of the total population according to figures from INEI, we must also remember that the gap between men and women in health, education, economic opportunities and global political representation remains 4% over the past 10 years, according to the global Gender Gap Report from the 2015 World Economic Forum. In economic terms, this means that women are still not making today the amount earned by men in 2006 (the year in which the report was first published).

Faced with this reality, hundreds of women and men are making a new path and working for change. For example, on August 13 thousands of people courageously took to the streets in Peru to demand respect, an end to the silence against femicide and end to abuses against women. In short it was an extraordinary event. But there are other actions and wonderful experiences that have been going on for many years that mobilize and create the great changes urgently needed today.

If I think of the work of women, by women, and towards women in Peru, what immediately comes to mind is Pushaq Warmi, an organization created in 2012 in Chimbote.  So, we reached out to talk with them and they quickly replied with great kindness, “Yes!”  Therefore, we share with you these lines reflecting the work of our friends from Pushaq Warmi who are undoubtedly sowing seeds of justice, peace and care for creation.

Office of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC): How did Pushaq Warmi start?

Pushaq Warmi (PW): Pushaq Warmi was born out of a group of women from different grassroots organizations of the Province of Santa and its districts. We exercised leadership in our communities without being prepared to serve as leaders, which is why the Casa de la Mujer (house of women) called women from these organizations such as: groups providing glasses of milk, soup kitchens, mothers' clubs, neighborhood directives, among others; in order to improve our knowledge and exercise leadership properly.

There were three years of preparation in the school of women leaders called 'Betty Carol Bonner'.  We graduated 30 women. From that group, 15 women met to form an 'association of women leaders' in order to share our knowledge with other women of other organizations at local and regional levels.

After a time we decided unanimously to legally establish ourselves before the Public Registry under the name of 'ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN PUSHAQ WARMI'. That means ‘women who guide women.’  Our mission is to bring development and improve the welfare of women by strengthening their organizational and leadership skills.

JPIC: What actions are currently underway?

PW: Our first focus is the Radio Program with issues involving women, on Sundays from 9 am to 10 am on Radio Santo Domingo. A second focus is the local and regional Training Program with different topics requested by the communities we visit. And a third focus is the Productive Project which involves the development of arts and crafts with designs from our local area, both regional and national, developed by us, the women of PUSHAQ WARMI.

JPIC: What are your dreams for the future?

PW: We dream of achieving social justice for women, strengthening them in knowledge and skills. We see one another grow and develop each day as a group and also personally.

In the future we would like to share what we do, and learn more about the work experience of organized women by visiting other countries.

JPIC: How does our Congregation, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, relate to the group of women Pushaq Warmi?

PW: We are deeply linked to all of the people who are part of the family of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, but especially with the team from Women’s Global Connection, through the unconditional support that they provide through the Incarnate Word lay missionaries who accompany our group and also with the training they bring us from competent professionals in subjects according to our areas of focus. We feel blessed and grateful for the support they give us.

JPIC: Any final words ...

PW: Thank you for considering us.  We hope to meet more in order to further strengthen the bonds of fraternity, friendship, love and work that we do with Women’s Global Connection, and you, our Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Thank you very much, God bless you.

          

Upon completion of this interview, I remain immensely grateful to these women. Their struggles, dreams, efforts and creativity makes hope tangible. How wonderful to get to know them better! What a great job they do! Thanks Pushaq Warmi.

Thanks to our congregational ministry 'Women’s Global Connection' for promoting the learning and leadership of women both locally and globally. Thanks for supporting the women in Peru. And thanks also to our Incarnate Word lay missionaries who have accompanied and continue to accompany this beautiful group of women leaders. Thanks Kelly Nelson, Kyle Seymour, Ada Garza, Niki Varnicar, Juan Piña and Ana Mora for sharing our charism and mission with them.

Their Gaze Remained in the Eyes of the People

By Carol Velarde, Pre Novice CCVI

On the occasion of the beatification of the martyrs Miguel, Zbigniew and Sandro, in the near future, 22 persons, including consecrated men and women and members of the laity, responded to the invitation of the Conventual Franciscans to live a mission experience in Pariacoto, Huaraz, from August 5 to August 15.

From August 5 to August 7, we prepared for the experience in a retreat-workshop in Chimbote, which helped us to prepare our hearts and to be ready for the mission.

The topics responded to the needs in the areas of information, sensitivity and formation.

a) Information: This placed us in the context of the mission lived by the martyrs, through the verbal testimony of Father Jareck, the booklet they gave us, the video they presented and also through the conclusions reached during the retreat they had previously in Chosica.

b) Sensitivity: before starting the mission, it was important for us to remember that having Hope is having the conviction that the things we do have a reason. This is more important than evaluating results. In this regard, we had the support of the reflection guided by Father Vicente regarding the Decalogue of Missionary Dialogue by Saint Francis; all of this was very helpful to us at the spiritual level.

c) Formation: The Workshop “Emotional Company for Persons affected by Violence”, presented by Lenin, a psychologist, helped us to learn many things. Especially, it helped us to know the characteristics of each stage in the process of closing wounds caused by violence, being aware of the way we are affected by this situation and how wounds are opened, if we are going to be able to contain this and to close it. Another valuable support was the Accompaniment Guide, the patterns to be followed before, during and after the conversations with the families, including a practice with the participants in the mission.

Later, we participated in the activities for the anniversary of the martyrdom (August 9), which ended with the blessing and “sending forth” of the missioners, who spent five days visiting, accompanying and sharing the life of the people who live in Pampas Grande, Cochabamba, Pariacoto and Yautan. 

My Missionary Experience 
At an individual level 

My missionary experience increased in intensity as time went by, both physically and emotionally.

On Monday, we were in Callima; it was a day of openness and a welcoming attitude. I became familiar with the mission place and felt surprised with what the Lord was showing us along the way. The visit to the homes was very rapid; many people did not know about the martyrs because they were young families or because they came from other places.

On Tuesday, we were in Chauca; it was a day of waiting, but also a day of hope, because there were few families in this place, and we thought that we were not going to meet in the afternoon, but we met with several mothers and with many children with whom we could share.

On Wednesday morning, I was with two missioners (a lady called Karen and Sister Milagros, member of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart) in two radio transmissions. It was an opportunity to communicate with each other indirectly, but we reached many families. In the afternoon, we went to Paqueyoc. I was more in silence. I devoted my time to contemplating the faces, the expressions. I listened to some testimonies related more closely to the day of the martyrdom, but contemplated from a third perspective.

On Thursday, we stayed in Pariacoto to organize the encounter with the children which would be in the afternoon, and the encounter with adults (the mothers club, the adorers, the brotherhood, etc.), in the evening. The only thing we did that day were visits to the homes to invite the people. We stopped to listen to some of their sorrows and consoled them as much as we could. In the afternoon, the children were very happy. The group I accompanied was a little difficult (children 3 to 5 years old), because I am not used to working with such small children and I am not familiar with the activities or songs that can be taught at that age. In the evening I shared the sorrow for the dead of the martyrs, felt by the people who were invited to this event. I saw the video about the martyrs again, but this time it affected me deeply because I had been in contact with the living history of Pariacoto.

On Friday, we visited “El Milagro”. This was a day of great tiredness and conflicts for me, because I heard the experiences of great sorrow, of feeling helpless, of resentment, that were shared with us.

At a group level 

I liked the diversity of our group, because we shared the mission with religious men and women, with the laity, with young people and adults, who lived in the places we visited or who were there for the first time. This diversity enriched the experience. After each visit, almost at the end of the day, we stopped to contemplate it, in order to see what would be the best thing to do the next day. We made projects based on the knowledge we already had of the place and listening with care to the Holy Spirit who guided us. We were also able to listen to each other, to accompany each other and to restrain ourselves.

I think that everything we lived during these days has been helpful to live the beatification, because nobody loves what they don’t know, and nobody is grateful if they don’t know what others are giving them as a gift. The Beatification of the Martyrs is a gift from the Church; it is a gift from God. Those who knew Miguel and Zbiniew say that they were Saints. They knew it from the moment they arrived at Pariacoto (simple hearts know how to appreciate the passing of God among their people). Their attitudes, their feelings and their dreams to achieve the best for themselves, their daily living and the closeness with everyone, was a strong enough motive to give their lives. Without this experience, I would not have known the martyrs. And it was not just a mere knowledge, because I think that being in the same places they were and following their footsteps, sharing life with the inhabitants of the area, having a slight understanding of the love they felt for this portion of the people of God, will help me to live the beatification with joy, to go from death to resurrection, because the martyrs are Witnesses of Hope.

I will never forget the joy of having prepared myself for this mission, having prepared my heart for the encounter with the families, knowing something more about myself and knowing the mission of the martyrs. It also strengthened in me the wish to spend my life building the Kingdom of God here and now.