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Visit Notes Soyapango Oct 1-9, 2007
Franciscan House; Visit to Santuario Nuestra Senora de Fatima, Planes de Renderos; visit with Fr. Henry. 9 seminarians in temporary vows; studying theology. New building, chapel with mural of Franciscans. Gift of German church organization. Conduct monthly vocational discernment day. This was first place Franciscans returned to after expulsion; returned in 1933. Fr. Henry: is vicar of parish; also runs new general medical clinic here; just opened 9/27; it has one doctor, nurse and secretary. People are very poor; campesinos; men work in fields; women in maquiladoras. Henry also runs medical clinic downtown; and is in charge of vocations for El Salvador. Says he takes one day of solitude a month at local Franciscan hermitage. Clinic downtown needs lab equipment.
Guadalupe parish for lunch at Tonita’s; then walk to church. Wall repair behind church: done. Local government put in $93,000; Japanese put in $50,000 and church put in $12,000. Church borrowed $5,000 of that and has paid off $2000.
Meeting: The archdiocesan pastoral plan has four objectives: evangelization; family; children youth and vocations; and formation of pastoral agents. The archdiocesan pastoral plan says; “El Salvador has in its youth and children an invaluable treasure. In San Salvador more than 66% of the population are youth and children. This great potential signals a sign of hope for the country and the church. As the Holy Father said in the World Youth Day in Germany: ‘Youth are for the church, and especially for pastors, a living call to faith and hope.’ “
With the scholarship programs the parish is reaching out to its youth.
Political situation: Calm, but violent. Election coming in 2009. Country is always in political pain. FLMN has few delegates in assembly and is moving toward aligning with Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador and Bolivia. Except for opposition presidential candidate, a journalist, who wants dialogue and does not want to move that way. But problems since he announced early which has destabilized things. Violence and killings so far this year: four employees of UCA including Christina Lopez and information worker who has disappeared; Salvador Sanchez; 2 weeks ago a reporter connected to UCA; a student working on a program for homes for the poor. Also a couple who were lawyers; left three children orphans. Government creates things to distract; extortion and death squads back again; government uses gangs to destabilize things; excuse for repression. Police work in very bad conditions so likely to be easily co-opted. (see CISPES web site: www.CISPES.org)
Economic situation: Unemployment is high. Many emigrate; leave children behind. Country is full of gangs, violence and crime. Big companies are coming: call centers. Also consumer business is strong: restaurants and concerts. Average salary is $171 per month; in factories it is $158. 5 families run the country now; was 7 families during the last 25 years; 14 before that. ARENA and the five families are close. Church says nothing; elitist; Opus Dei; nothing of Romero. Every day 180 deportees from US arrive: no jobs, etc. President of El Salvador loves Bush; sends troops to Iraq.
Discussion of scholarship programs. Government will come out with tuition increase end of October; expect range of 5%. Need to develop criteria for scholarship program: will help them deal with requests as program becomes known. Questions re help beyond scholarships: e.g. glasses, medical attention. Can they use scholarship money for this? Or unallocated money, e.g. from kids who drop out. Decision: keep scholarship for just that. We will try to set up a special fund for medical and other contingencies that come up for these children; maybe $1000. Also, when kid drops out, they would like to apply remaining scholarship to scholarships for other needy kids. We agreed that they would have to inform us first, so we could discuss with padrino before going ahead with applying the funds to another child.
They do ask parishioners for help with specific things for the scholarship students, e.g. typewriter.
Contacts and communication: Bachilerato/high school: Blanca and Yesenia Primaria: Ana and Mima Basica: P. Francisco
Accounting: Ana
Note: The parish scholarship committee in Soyapango (Blanca, Yesenia, Mima, Ana and Fr. Francisco) which coordinates our scholarship aid to children in the parish (12 lower school children and six high school children in 2007 plus six high school children from San Jose Obrero) has had a number of meetings throughout the year with parents and scholarship recipients. Beyond serving the purpose of explaining the program, these meetings have been an attempt to begin to work with these families around educational issues. The following report was given by Yesenia, one of their committee members, at one of our meetings during this visit. It shows, that beginning with the idea of scholarships, the parish is developing a ministry to these needy children and their families. This ministry is becoming an important one in the life of their parish community. By our providing scholarship aid we are working with them on this ministry. See also below: Remarks shared at Franciscan House of Formation.
Yesenia’s report: At a meeting of scholarship recipients and their families, the committee showed a video on parents and children and then asked them to discuss daily problems. People were very open.
Common problems brought up were: alcoholism violence emigration to U.S. single mothers angry rebellious children in these families unemployment or unstable employment big families – relatives live with them in very small spaces children not living with parent(s), but with relatives parents disagree on how to educate the children
The team felt this discussion indicated a level of confidence on part of parents and acknowledgement of need for help. For the team, it made them realize they are helping people who really need help.
Challenge: How to help these children with their homework and studies?
Besides the above problems: no one has a computer in some houses: no table or place to study; many study on a bed. children in grades 1 – 6: no one at home to help with homework. Mother work all day or at night. parents do not have knowledge to help with homework. Parents do not have education; are campesino people who moved to Soyapango during civil war. some children are orphans; live with neighbor or grandmother. In one case a neighbor helps with homework.
Beginning of year they had a family meeting of scholarship recipients and their parents/guardians and had a psychologist speak on study skills.
There are no programs or resources in the schools for these types of interventions.
Consider in future: a study center in each sector of the parish, where children could come to do their homework and get some assistance. The center might also provide some part time psychological help. Possible assistance of university students from the parish and parish volunteers. While these volunteers would not be paid, the idea would be to give them all the tools they would need for this work.
Lunchtime walk in neighborhood: three large factories right near church. Snacks, chicken parts, textiles. Big public school across from church. Most factory workers have no benefits; no social security. We saw 91 year old woman who still works going from house to house washing clothes. Also visited state run medical clinic.
Meeting with parish council: One woman runs group for children of alcoholics; 38 children ages 9-13. Some of the other ministries: Adoration, economics, charismatic, ministry to the sick, prayer apostolate, liturgical commission, devotions, small biblical communities.
Review of the Guadalupe sector: Popular religion is important here. 450-500 attend Mass on Sunday; three Masses: 8. 10 and 5 PM. Church provides experience for Franciscan students who have active roles in the parish. Economic commission raises money with after Mass sales; raise $70 per month. Weekly collection is $180. Parish sponsors excursions to religious site in Guatemala. 10% of all collected goes to archbishop plus six Sunday collections a year: Feb for sick priests, Good Friday for Holy Land, Pentecost for vocations and Diocesan priests, October for missions and in June on feast of St. Peter for archbishop. These are not second collections, but collections that parish does not keep. Also they have 4 second collections in the year: for Fr. Henry’s clinic, for Haiti, for the sick, and for vocations. Sector Morazan has only one collection a month on the first Sunday and collects $7-11!
Each ministry has its own weekly meeting day; meetings last minimum of several hours. All ministries come together on Thursday night for a holy hour in each sector. Each ministry prepares a holy hour in turn. Most ministry meetings are on weekends. Sector parish councils meet on second Saturday of each month; and all three councils come together on the first Saturday of the month. This year the parish is preparing a new pastoral plan for the next five years based on three documents: vicariate pastoral plan, diocesan pastoral plan, and 5th general conference document. Theme: Disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ in order that our people have life in Him. Do a pastoral plan every five years. Focus of prior plan was on catechesis; that plan was developed by pastor before Fr. Celso, but Fr. Celso did not focus on it.
All commissions and ministries of the parish are studying the documents in order to discover and clarify their mission so they can discover together their pastoral plan for the parish.
Also: preparing first national missionary meeting. Parish mission will take place October and November. Initial convocation is October 13-14. Next two Sundays there will be for studying the themes; last Sunday visit to homes and invite people to experience the disciples of Emmaus gathering at the end of the mission. 168 missionaries from the parish will be participating.
Fr. Francisco wants to improve in areas of communion and solidarity. Feels parish is not strong in those areas.
Biblical team starts the mission; Lucan focus. Last years theme was the Church in America.
Note: Archbishop was affected by 5th Conference; has invited country president and others in his cabinet to study social teaching of the church.
Visit to Colegio Mangini: Visit with Fr. Adrian who has started this high school in neighboring parish, Mother of the Americas; it borders Reina de la Paz. This school is their social outreach to these young people. They got assistance from diocese in California to build the school. Fr. Adrian spoke to us: Many people have only marginal or occasional employment; they have costs besides education which are often higher necessities. Area became populated during the war in 1980; people came from all over the country. Are campesino people; most have no education and are limited re employment and education. When he came to parish seven years ago people asked him to intervene to get their kids into schools, but schools were full. He spent two years thinking about what to do to help families and children. Parish council decided to open a school for grades 1,2,3. Didn’t have teachers or furniture. Went to visit friend in California; church permitted him to come to speak which he did and they dedicated second collection for them. Parents asked for a school for 4,5, and 6 year olds; set up a kindergarten in another part of parish for 120 children. Began to think about older kids; talked with Ricardo Melendez who donated the land for the high school(he owns ½ of Soyapango) on condition that Fr. Adrian do this work. Ministry of education paid for building; administration is responsibility of the parish. Parish realized that youth groups were not enough. One way to support youth is in education; help them to stay away from violence and gangs. Many kids have no mother or father. So goal was lo cost education. He knows the economic situation of families; can’t keep raising tuition – idea is access for those who cannot pay. But ministry of education is not providing teachers. So support through tuition and fund raisers. U.S. parish is helping with construction of library. Many schools do not have all the teachers they need. Without education the children do not have a future. Effort is to raise level of education. Problem at high school level is that kids come from many different schools; many have significant gaps. Are securing other help from UCA on Saturdays; math tutoring from 8 AM-12 noon. This is a beginning; working with UCA; wants to build more for more children. Also wants to add other services: workshops, play fields, and a chapel. He starts with a plan for construction, then solicits aid. High school is in its first year. Programs are: 1) general, which is two years and prepares for university, and 2) technical, which trains in secretarial or accounting and is three year program. He wants to add other areas to the technical program: English, information science/computers.
Review of Convenio/covenant: Fr. Francisco agreed that each parish has its own traditions and forms for celebrating feasts. For Novenas: they celebrate at church; begin with Rosary, then a reflection given by a lay person, then the Eucharist. All commissions participate; commission on Reliosidad organizes. Wants to share lists of commissions and people on them; their commissions pray for ours in their meetings. Fr. Francisco approved; signed at Mass on 10/4. His focus: conversion, communion and solidarity.
Meetings at St. Joseph the Worker. Met with faculty; dynamic, community, dedicated. : Welcome signs outside every classroom. Well prepared program of events. First: Faculty meeting: history of school, socio economic data on children who have padrinos; visit to classrooms and computer room; visit to prep, k, 1st school yard which they want help for; then to homes, then program and presentation of letters to Padrinos; then lunch; at lunch talked with regional superior who came for our visit, then meeting with faculty to review padrino program and records; meticulous. Fr. Francisco present for last meeting; raise issue of joint criteria for hs scholarship recipient selection and need for them to work together. Talk with regional superior: community is committed to this school; current transition with Dora leaving; Edelmira in charge; working with Francesca. New sister, 52 years old, is coming in about a month. Superior has visited a number of times; very aware of the work here. She is finishing her six year term in May. I said we would like to support what they are doing here in any way we can. Impression: very viable and good school; padrino program not dependent on presence of Sr. Dora. Sr. Edelmira, now 76, helped found the school, is very committed, is out in the community, is very warm, and has a good relationship with the faculty. The faculty is a real community, as is the school. Note school covers salary of security guard, cleaning person, and 2 mathematics teachers and lower school English teacher (who we pay for), Betsy del Carmen Solorzano (very grateful for her job).
Remarks shared at visit to Franciscan House: Alfonso: Davil: 7 months to ordination. Thanks to us for coming and our concern for poor and children; scholarships. He works with Liturgy. Feels our support. Manuel: remembers our visit two years ago; appreciates our commitment. Saul: (priest, director of formation): No experience with twinning; sees it as concrete way of being church; adds outside of ourselves dimension of church life and is a sign in society of who we are; realization of church as community of communities. They feel supported. Pat: Impressed two years ago and now with Fr. Celso and Fr. Francisco; don’t keep hours, there to serve; speak to people, very personal; take time for individuals; walk with the people. In community of 3 de enero see Fr. embracing the people. Ordained to celebrate sacraments, but bring themselves. People need them; know so many people. Their example lifts our faith; we will go home with a deeper faith having witnessed the church here. See their constant teaching and leading in the faith; wish could translate to US. Sees relation with the people in San Jose and in parish; very personal. Donna: Experience has been a journey of head and heart; head: sees people so involved at Mass and so happy to be there; sees smiles of children and parents we visited; music inspires. Heart: as retired school teacher and parent see how deeply they care for their children; see their faith and the work they do; overwhelmed. Yesenia: When Fr. Celso tapped the four of them they did not know what they were getting in to. Program began with Sr. Dora, then with them. After visit last year and proposal to aid children, had to hurry when got back to organize it. Met every Wednesday – understand each other well, Padre, too. Yesenia knew something of scholarship programs from work; felt lots of support in their little group. Accompanying high school children was difficult; not know San Jose kids. Needs began to come out; they, as committee began to look for additional help in other quarters. Began to work on relationships more than focus on aid. Began with a dance they had. Goal – work with these families; more than $ issues; began sharing. Separate areas of responsibility: primary, basic (middle school) and high school, but were a team all together. The experience was very beautiful; she had six years working in college scholarship program; not want kids to lose this opportunity. Try to support them as best we can. An experience of faith. Mima: Fr. Celso called us individually; I said, “yes,” not know what getting into. We do it with a lot of love and it does not weigh on us. Here we are constantly doing this! Getting supplies drove us crazy with different lists from different schools; buying them; bagging them. Now being the “5” is part of us; heart in hand. Have been to the schools, to families. Tremendous kids. When first went to families, one kid announced to his mother: “The gringos are coming!” Contact with families; when made first family visit began to cry; 3 children and one grandmother! This project has helped us grow as Christians and as persons. And we will continue. Anna: Thank you in name of all of us and of the parish and especially the children. Great to experience the opportunity to visit. Thanks from all her heart. Time conflicts in doing this – sometimes meeting til 12 PM. But sees the fruit of their work and the happiness of the children. Felt nervous at beginning – how can we do all this? Padre: Glad we are meeting here so Franciscan students can be informed about what we are doing. Studied “Church in America” as a committee during Novena of Mt Carmel before visiting to US last fall. Blanca: Very good experience. Feels stronger in her faith. Appreciates more what she has. Difficult balance doing this and responsibilities at home; tries to balance. Does this program at night: archives, records. Likes it and gets satisfaction from doing it. A grain of sand for the kingdom of God. Committee has gotten closer; know each other better. Understanding limits under which children live and how that affects what they do. How accompany these kids; not just a bible in hand. Yesenia: Becoming aware of what are the problems of these families: alcoholism, unemployment, violence; kids who are orphans. The reality of these kids is the motivation for her to continue in all areas of her life, not just with this.
Family and Socio Economic Data of Children at San Jose Obrero who have Padrinos:
Visit to Franciscan Clinic downtown:
Clinic serves sex business area; no questions asked, no preaching. Low cost medical care for indigent gays and prostitutes. When we were there we saw a young mother (prostitute) with her six week old baby being examined; baby’s grandmother was with them. Clinic is pleasant, dedicated staff; equipment is old; they need new or updated lab equipment. Fr. Henry runs the clinic. Met with one doctor who has been there 11 years; also met with lab tech. |
