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| ...Our largest town comprises 40,000 people. Some four
population centers are over 5,000 persons. Thirteen towns hold over 1,000 people. Two
hundred ninety-four villages are between 100 and 1,000 folks. Sixty percent of our parish
is spread among smaller settlements. One hundred fifty of these settlements are assisted
by other parishes due to distance and roads. We serve a total of 200,000 people, most of
whom are Catholics. Mission San Jacinto alone serves the Catholic population with 375
churches and chapels, divided into 31 pastoral zones. The two headquarters, Ocosingo and
Altamirano, are in urban areas. In this parish that stretches to the Guatemalan border,
six Dominican sisters, six Franciscan sisters, two Diocesan Missionary sisters, four
Dominican friars, three Marist brothers, and two Marist priests serve on the pastoral
team. The daily life of the Catholic communities is done by the men predominantly (this is due to the Mayan system of men's cofradias, (social and religious confraternities) but also many of the Indian women give their service freely to the people as an expression of the faith commitment and their profound religiosity. By and large, the Mission achieves evangelization, the celebration of the Sunday services of the Word, and the pre-sacramental preparation and catechesis by the 949 Mayan catechists. This is accomplished by married couples who live and work in the rural countryside and receive their training from the missionary team that visits even the smallest pueblitos. Many of the catechists have given more than 20 years of service, but there are also many young married couples who work alongside and sustain the project, taking over as people retire or die. These groups are divided into zones and regions, under 52 leaders. Another 68 catechists specialize in the training of the children. For the celebration of baptism and marriage, as Eucharistic ministers, and visitors to the sick, we count upon the service of 78 deacon candidates, who are preparing for ordination to permanent deaconate. There are already 33 deacons who exercise their ministry in harmony with these other servants of the communities. Even as the other ministers live and work in the communities, so also the deacons and candidates are farmers and artisans, who have families to support. Each receives training prior to their level of ministry. We have 516 principales (elders with lots of experience of serving), who supervise, counsel, and support the work of the various ministers. They are listened to with great respect by all the communities. Meanwhile, each local community has a wide variety of volunteers who give richness and solidity to the Christian life for our many parishioners. By this system, the Church has a mature and broad participation at all levels of the Mayan nation. We are delighted to see the Church becoming ever more an authentically Mayan Catholic community, close to the heart of the people. To maintain the travel and work of so many persons, the Mission Team has to uphold many responsibilities, something we do with joy. Probably, the animating and evaluating visits to the small communities are the most effective tool for achieving this. Equally important is the training given to catechists, pre-deacons and deacons, and communities. The School of the Ministries, which we maintain, helps to develop more and better leadership. Recently, the work of mediation, reconciliation, and the reconstruction of peace, has been our most important ministry with the local communities. This year, the results of the catechists' work with youth preparing for Confirmation
have been impressive. Around 4,000 young people will receive Confirmation in our parish
alone! Bishop Arezmendi has delegated me to confirm in all the areas of our Mission Parish
in which he himself cannot travel due to the limits of any human being's time and energy.
What a joy it is to celebrate The work and support of the deacons and pre-deacons is fundamental and invaluable. Often, the larger Church does not recognize their essential role. In the main towns, Ocosingo and Altamirano, the pastoral work has greatly increased, due to the mushrooming urban populations. Just the program for First Communion this year had 1,000 children! All were well-prepared in a program with great participation. Youth groups, youth choirs, small Christian base communities, lay ministries in the various vicinities, the weekly liturgies, and festivals in local communities, absorb a great deal of the time of the friars and sisters. Luckily, we can completely count upon the faithful commitment of our lay ministers! Meanwhile, the friars and sisters who live at the Mission Compound in Ocosingo, pray, work, eat, and recreate in common. This gives us the spiritual strength and life needed for the missionary life. This community that so supports us would not be possible without the Grace of God and the support of all of you. May the Risen Lord, at the right hand of the Father, fill you with the Holy Spirit, so that you may know the joy of continuing to be witnesses to the reign of God, even to the ends of the earth! With great joy and gratitude, Triduum of Saint Martin de Porres How can you help? Find out how to support the Western Dominican Missions. |
