Fasting year-round, learning to surrender

Because some things should remain private, I have hesitated writing about my devotional fast. However, I believe we learn from one another. Sharing helps us engage in conversations that lead to greater understanding.

I started fasting twice a week close to four years ago. I began not for the reasons one might think, but as a health measure. After watching the BBC documentary “Eat, Fast & Live Longer” by Dr. Michael Mosley, a physician and journalist, I wanted to try intermittent fasting. According to research, fasting provides time for the body to initiate healing.

“It’s not just about how we eat, but when and how we eat it,” said Mosley. In his documentary, he looked at the scientific theory that calorie restriction influences longevity in humans.

My mother died young. She was 50 years old. Since her death, I have been on hyper alert to ways of living healthier. Naturally, I wanted to reap the benefits of intermittent fasting. We take extreme measuring fighting an illness; why not take extreme measures at prevention?

Over time, my practice has evolved into a devotional fast, and I see it now as a gift.

I felt guilty that my fasting did not come prompted for spiritual reasons as part of my ongoing prayer life. Father Alex Flores, pastor at San Juan Diego Parish in McAllen, put me at ease one day when he explained, “Grace builds upon nature.” He said God is gentle and uses our natural inclinations to draw us toward him. So while I started this discipline for health reasons, God helped me understand there are greater reasons to fast.

Fasting is one of the three pillars of the Lenten season. Which draws me to the question I ask myself frequently, “Why fast?” Each week I find more and more reasons to continue my twice-weekly fast.

For thousands of years people have fasted – some for spiritual reasons, some for health. During Lent, we focus on Jesus Christ’s fast in the desert. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in his message for Lent 2009 said, “The Sacred Scriptures and the entire Christian tradition teach that fasting is a great help to avoid sin and all that leads to it. For this reason, the history of salvation is replete with occasions that invite fasting.”

He adds, “Fasting represents an important ascetical practice, a spiritual arm to do battle against every possible disordered attachment to ourselves. Freely chosen detachment from the pleasure of food and other material goods helps the disciple of Christ to control the appetites of nature, weakened by original sin, whose negative effects impact the entire human person.”

I remain in awe of how God works in our lives and by how our Blessed Mother calls us closer to her son. Early in my fasting journey, my husband and I made plans to visit Croatia. While our original plans did not include Medjugorje in Bosnia, the site where apparitions of the Blessed Mother began in 1981, the proximity prompted us to include a side journey.

It truly felt like our Blessed Mother was guiding us toward Medjugorje. She was also helping me gain a better understanding of the discipline of regularly abstaining from food. I did not realize at the time Our Lady of Medjugorje is calling for fasting twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. I still can’t seem to trade my Tuesday fast for Wednesday, but at some point I may be ready.

To date, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has not issued a doctrinal judgment on the apparitions. However, on Feb. 11 Catholic News Agency reported Pope Francis “appointed Archbishop Henryk Hoser of Warszawa-Praga as a delegate of the Holy See to look into the pastoral situation at Medjugore, the site of alleged Marian apparitions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

This does not diminish the call for fasting. While I sometimes fail, the weekly practice of abstaining from meals keeps me aware of the graces that flow from this devotion.

For one, fasting compliments prayer on multiple levels. It is a great gift to offer up a fast when someone has asked for a specific prayer intention. I am becoming more aware as well that fasting is part of my ongoing surrender to God. Learning to rely on him for strength, each fast brings some insight to a moment before me or to a lesson on my spiritual journey.

Second, fasting keeps me in balance by helping me focus on what is important. I’ve learned to better appreciate the blessings before me. I have also become more aware of the needs of others.

Often fasting serves as a reset button for times when I overindulge and have committed gluttony or when I veer off course from healthy eating. Not only does fasting keep me in check, it makes me more mindful of my meals on the days I don’t fast. I have a greater appreciation for the foods I consume.

Third, fasting offers health benefits for body and mind. Scientists continue to study this and find more and more proof of the merits of periodically abstaining from meals.

Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician known as the Father of Modern Medicine, advocated for fasting. He noted, “The man carries within him a doctor; you just have to help him do his work. If the body is not cleared, then the more you feed it, the more it will be harmed. When a patient is fed too richly, the disease is fed as well. Remember – any excess is against nature.”

What a blessing. Fasting does not need to be reserved for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. We can incorporate the practice year-round. I will likely continue to stumble at times, but I trust God will set me back on the path, however many times it takes.

(Originally published in March 2017 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper) 

Why we must march with love, respect

Thousands of women marched on Jan. 21 to raise their voices for human rights. In Washington, D.C. and across our nation, women came together in solidarity.

On that same day, I marched in McAllen for my beliefs along with hundreds of others in our community who joined the Diocese of Brownsville’s annual Pro-Life March. Had I been in Washington, I would have marched in the Women’s March, but not for all the reasons organizers of that particular event supported in their platform.

The question for some on that day, as reported in the L.A. Times: “To march or not?” The headline continued: “Some women are staying away from women’s rally because of a rift over abortion.” Organizers decided not to include groups with a pro-life stance as partners for the event. So it seems the Women’s March did not aim to include all women’s voices.

“It’s frustrating and insulting,” said Meg McDonnell, executive director of Women Speak for Themselves, that you would claim to be inclusive and for human rights and yet leave out women who are defending the rights of humans in the world.”

Helen Alvaré, a law professor at George Mason University and founder of the Women Speak for Themselves movement, also pointed out in a piece published on Crux, a Catholic news site, the Women’s March raised a number of questions – questions the media rarely pay attention to when it comes to what women “really want.” The article is available at https://cruxnow.com/commentary/2017/01/17/womens-march-raises-questions-answers/

“I realize that no one wants to organize a march called “The March for Some Women’s Ideas, Some of which are Good, Some Vague, and Some Truly Terrible.” But that would be a more fair characterization of the 2017 Women’s March.”

Moving forward, I say given any opportunity, we should march. We should show up and stand for our beliefs regardless of what the organizers try to set forth at the dominant agenda. The Women’s March organizers showed their card by removing pro-life groups from their list of partners, but we must not be bullied to the sidelines.

All women have the right to speak and uphold their convictions. No one can dictate my beliefs or silence me. I am a pro-life feminist who promotes life at all stages.

Closer to home, the annual Pro-Life March in our Diocese is held in solidarity with the national March for Life. Father Alex Flores emphasized it was a “peaceful and prayerful march.”

This year the national march was moved from Jan. 22 to Jan. 27. As we reported in the January edition of our newspaper, it is held in reparation for the more than 58.5 million babies who have been killed in the United States since abortion became legal as a result of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision on Jan. 22, 1973.  

Interesting what the media pays attention to when they cover an event. Most reporters and photographers in McAllen on Jan. 21 were not at the start or the finish of the pro-life procession. They did not hear or report on the testimony of a father who adopted a baby whose mother considered an abortion and opted instead to give him life. They did not hear the songs of love, faith and hope of those who witness to life. They hovered instead at the intersection near the abortion clinic on Main Street and Houston. They wanted to see a confrontation as the voices of those who support abortion tried to drown out the song and prayers of the pro-life march.

Talking to pro-life supporters who gathered at St. Joseph the Worker Church before the procession, Bishop Daniel E. Flores acknowledged, “We are living in a country right now where we see a lot of anger for a lot of different reasons.”

He stressed, “We must be a people who do not let our anger move us, but we let our love move us. Let us be the witness of a people who march through the street, in a procession, singing praise to God, praying and asking God for the grace to make this a world that is first of all hospitable to unborn life.

“As we pray, pray for each other, for those whoever they are who may be contemplating abortion, pray for those who are undecided, and pray for those who are angry at us. One thing Jesus made very clear; we have no right as Christians to answer anger with anger.”

How can we expect peace in the world, if we cannot create it here in our communities? As someone who is not comfortable with confrontation, with people screaming in my face, I prefer to sit together and talk with one another. There is no need to scream. I can hear you better when we dialogue. Let’s remember we are brothers and sisters. We may have different views, be we can still love one another and respect our differences. Bishop Flores reminds us, “Responding with love triumphs with the grace of God.”

(Originally published in February 2017 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper) 

Walking together, raising our voices

Hope is one of the gifts brought by a New Year. But before we rush into the new it’s healthy to stop and reflect on the past year we traversed, give thanks for the blessings, consider the lessons learned, and acknowledge the people who walked with us.

Some of the standout moments for my 2016 are those spent with family and friends. As much as I value quiet spaces to think and write, I also treasure the time spent in community with others. I think this is one of the reasons I never tire of participating in outdoor processions during special feast days or for an important cause. We are family, in good times and in bad times, walking together on this pilgrimage.

St. John Paul II in his encyclical Sollicitudo rei socialis said it best, “We are all one family in the world. Building a community that empowers everyone to attain their full potential through each of us respecting each other’s dignity, rights and responsibilities makes the world a better place to live.”

Pope Francis called for a “revolution of tenderness” as we participated in the Jubilee of Mercy in 2016. He wants this revolution to continue.  “Mercy cannot become a mere parenthesis in the life of the Church,” he said in his apostolic letter “Mercy and Peace.”

“Like a gusting but wholesome wind, the Lord’s goodness and mercy have swept through the entire world,” he said. Now we must put that mercy into action.

At the closing of the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis said that while the Jubilee ended and the Holy Door is closed, “the door of mercy of our heart continues to remain wide open. We have learned that God bends down to us (cf. Hos 11:4) so that we may imitate him in bending down to our brothers and sisters.”

He pointed out, “The culture of extreme individualism, especially in the West, has led to a loss of a sense of solidarity with and responsibility for others.” He added, “Mercy impels us to roll up our sleeves and set about restoring dignity to millions of people; they are our brothers and sisters who, with us, are called to build a “city which is reliable.”

In December, two young women whose parents and grandparents have been in exile in the United States, worked with interfaith leaders to organize a prayer vigil at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle in solidarity with the people in Syria. Families there have been devastated by a five-year civil war. We came together, people of all faiths, to pray for the people of Syria. We came together in solidarity. Throughout this New Year, we can find ways to express our solidarity with others, to walk with them sometimes on roads paved in uncertainty.

As Pope Francis notes, “We are called to promote a culture of mercy based on the rediscovery of the encounter with others, a culture in which no one looks at another with indifference or turns away from the suffering of our brothers and sisters.”

Following a procession in December for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bishop Daniel E. Flores reminded us “we walk together as brothers and sisters, as children of God.” And this requires, he said, “that we respond with care to those who are suffering, those who are living through difficulties and darkness.” In his homily at the Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he said we must raise our voice to protect those who are vulnerable.

In January each year, we celebrate a March for Life giving voice to the unborn and to remember the millions who have been lost to abortion. In our diocese, we will walk together on Jan. 21 from St. Joseph the Worker Church to Sacred Heart Church in McAllen.

“The Power of One,” the national theme for the march scheduled Jan. 27 in Washington, D.C, recognizes “One person can make a difference in the world, whether in the life of one person or many,” as noted on their website. “Sadly, in the U.S. alone, one million babies are not even given the opportunity to live and change the world each year,” according to organizers. “Building a culture of life and ending abortion takes each and every person. Starting with your family or neighborhood, our collective efforts will change hearts and minds, save lives, and build a culture of life.”

Pope Francis in his message “Overcome Indifference and Win Peace” for World Day of Peace 2016, said, “There are many good reasons to believe in mankind’s capacity to act together in solidarity and, on the basis of our interconnection and interdependence, to demonstrate concern for the more vulnerable of our brothers and sisters and for the protection of the common good.

For me the words of Elie Wiesel in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 also resonate. He said, “Our lives no longer belong to us alone; they belong to all those who need us desperately.” This is certainly counter culture in a world drunk on individualism and indifference.

In this New Year, I recognize more than ever I cannot stand on the sidelines. We cannot turn away with indifference from our family close to home or in other parts of the world. We walk together, we practice mercy, we raise our voices. For our New Year’s resolutions let’s look for ways to include more moments of solidarity, mercy and action.

(Originally published in January 2017 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper) 

Finding joy in the ordinary

Sometimes we take for granted the joy of sorting and washing laundry or ironing clothes. On a rare weekend with some extra time at home I experienced the simple pleasure of caring for our home. Often cleaning can feel like a chore, something I have to do between rushing from one activity to the another.

But the simple act of slowing down this particular weekend allowed me to appreciate a quiet peace. The clean smell of laundry, the pressed shirts ready for the week, life neatly sorted, gave me a new appreciation for the housework before me. The moment reminded me cleaning can be a form of prayer. It also reminded me that every moment is sacred.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux taught us her “little way” of doing every act, no matter how small, with love. Every act we do for our families at home exemplifies St. Therese’s self-surrender “to offer our Lord the flowers of little sacrifices.” Even St. Teresa of Calcutta worked alongside her sisters and maintained a cleaning routine.

These days we live in a culture fixated on attention-seeking moments. Many of the women I admire are not looking for the spotlight; they work behind the scenes. Take for example Bertha Garcia, 83, who has been a member of the altar society at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen for more than 50 years. She said washing the altar linens and decorating the altar gives her time to pray, sing and think.

Bertha finds pleasure knowing her work is appreciated. She shared a story about a child who asked her mother how it was possible that the altar was always decorated with flowers when she never saw anyone changing the arrangements. Her mother’s explanation: little angels came at night. Our parishes, our homes, our communities are filled with “little angels” whose work does not make headlines.

When it comes to our own homes, we cannot neglect our safe havens. Pope Francis in his encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” devotes a section on the “Ecology of Daily Life” in which he addresses the “setting in which people live their lives.” “These settings,” he said, “influence the way we think, feel and act.”

“In our rooms, our homes, our workplaces and neighborhoods, we use our environment as a way of expressing our identity.” He adds, “…when it is disorderly, chaotic or saturated with noise and ugliness, such over stimulation makes it difficult to find ourselves integrated and happy.”

I am guilty of neglecting my home at times. Guilty too of consumerism which has contributed to some cluttered spaces. For a year now I have been trying to declutter. While I have made some progress, I have much more work to do.

In “Laudato Si’,” the Holy Father also addressed the need for moderation. “Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and the capacity to be happy with little. It is a return to that simplicity which allows us to stop and appreciate the small things, to be grateful for the opportunities which life affords us…”

He goes on to talk about the need for inner peace, which he notes, “is reflected in a balanced lifestyle together with a capacity for wonder which takes us to a deeper understanding of life.” “Many people today,” he said, “sense a profound imbalance which drives them to frenetic activity and makes them feel busy, in a constant hurry which in turn leads them to ride rough-shod over everything around them.”

This Advent season, as we wait and prepare for the light of Christ, we need to slow down and appreciate the moment before us. It is easy as we prepare for Christmas to get caught up in the rush of decorating and shopping, just as it is easy throughout the year to rush from one project to another.

Pope Francis writes about “an attitude of the heart, one which approaches life with serene attentiveness, which is capable of being fully present to someone without thinking of what comes next, which accepts each moment as a gift from God to be lived to the full.” (Laudato Si’ #226)

Sometimes it seems we are chasing the grand moments of life and forget about the ordinary, everyday moments. Advent and Christmas remind us to pay attention. Note that Jesus, the savior of the world, was born in a simple manger in Bethlehem. I imagine his Blessed Mother Mary must have taken great care of their home throughout his childhood.

We are fortunate to have a home to keep in order. I think about the hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Central America who have left everything to find a safe place to raise their children. To date more than 57,000 people have received assistance at the Immigrant Respite Center at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen. Looking at the global picture, 65.3 million people have been displaced from their homes by conflict and persecution according to a Global Trends report. Their lives have been disrupted. The simple pleasure of cleaning their homes does not exist.

We are fortunate to have our homes, fortunate to have some stability; how can we not honor the blessing of keeping what we have in order for ourselves and for our families? Our homes are a safe haven, a place for peace, it is up to us as good stewards to maintain them as sacred spaces. And as Andrew Motion, an English poet, advises “honor the miraculousness of the ordinary.”

(Originally published in December 2016 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper) 

Celebrating what's right, counting our blessings

What do your eyes see when you go about your day? St. Ignatius of Loyola said God is in everything.

When my daughter was young we played a game each evening to see how many blessings we could count in our day. The Daily Examen, which is part of the Spiritual Exercises developed by St. Ignatius encourage a similar approach. However, sometimes we can grow blind to the beauty in our lives, to the blessings we receive throughout our day.

Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium challenges us to live the joy of the Gospel. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.” (1)

He reminds us also, “The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God’s will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ.” (EG 2)

Pope Francis writes, “There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter. I realize of course that joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty. Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures.” (EG 6)

“Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met.” (EG 7).

As we rise to the pope’s challenge as Easter people, I say we could each count 1,000 plus
blessings daily. At the top of my list are the people in my life, family, friends, coworkers, and others I meet. Add to that an awe for the innumerable gifts of beauty nature gives us. I find I need frequent doses of the outdoors to reenergize. It’s also a good way to slow down and take notice of what we might miss in our rush. For me each gardenia blooming outside my kitchen window, the salmon-colored bougainvilleas, the lizards scurrying on the window screens, are simple surprises I appreciate.

Our lists keep growing the more we take notice. From people and nature’s wonders to our health and the gifts we have each been given by the Holy Spirit to serve.

Yes, life is messy; we can’t ignore the realities of manmade disasters and those from Mother Nature. We can be blindsided, tempted into cynicism from all the pain and suffering in the world.

If we get caught in the undercurrent of negativity, we run the risk of becoming paralyzed and avoid finding ways to make a difference in the world. Dewitt Jones, a freelance photographer for National Geographic has a film titled “Celebrate What’s Right with the World” and now a workshop. “Celebrating what’s right” he said, “helps us recognize the possibilities and find solutions for many of the challenges before us.”

“By celebrating what’s right we find the energy to fix what’s wrong,” he said. In his approach, Dewitt notes, “To celebrate what’s right in the world means: believe it and you’ll see it; recognize abundance; look for possibilities; unleash your energy to fix what’s wrong; ride the changes; take yourself to the edge; be your best for the world.”

In this ever changing world and its varied moments of highs and lows, let us celebrate what’s right, counting each blessing. Social media sites make use of hashtags to link related subject matters and challenges are often issued to share moments of our lives. Wouldn’t it be nice to see a stream of posts utilizing some of the following hashtags #CountingMyBlessings, #LifeIsGood, #CelebratingWhat’sRight.

Let’s start counting.

(Originally published in October 2016 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper) 

What death brings with our goodbyes

My father died a year ago at 79 and most recently my father-in-law who was 89 died on Aug. 20. Several co-workers have also suffered the loss of a loved one this past year. We have become too familiar with one of the seven corporal works of mercy, that of burying the dead.

Each of us is walking a different grief journey, but we do not walk alone. With each funeral I attend I become more cognizant of the graces that come from each part of the funeral ritual. I have come to understand the beauty inherent in each funeral. I confess I was surprised when I first heard someone describe a funeral as beautiful. How could an occasion tied to death and grieving be beautiful? Is it the flowers, the music, the readings, the eulogies? It is and so much more.

Death comes entwined with multifaceted layers as we grieve the loss of someone we loved, a mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, child. It is a good bye to the person we loved as they “leave the body and go home to the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8). Tears flood us, memories emerge, and in the midst of our grief, some of us still shocked and numb, we are surrounded by family and friends who help us find space to celebrate. Together we celebrate life, the gift of the one we loved in our lives and the life God has given to each of us.

In preparation for my father-in-law’s funeral, we gathered photos for a slideshow. The photos streamed forth with images of a life well lived. As the patriarch, his legacy is marked by a strong work ethic and unwavering love and commitment to his wife of 64 years, his five children (all adults and married now), 12 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. From teaching his grandchildren how to ride a bike or keeping them busy with wood projects, he devoted countless hours making sure not to miss any milestones. Even those of us who married into the family came to see him as a second father. He was a constant presence in each of our lives. So as we cried, we also celebrated what he gave to the world.

Additionally, death makes us pause, reminds us of our pilgrim status. It is a reminder of our mortality, our “memento mori,” Latin for “remember that you have to die.” More than a reminder, it should shake us to ask ourselves “how we are living our own life. What will be our legacy?”

After my father died, I was overwhelmed by the number of people who took the time to accompany our family for the funeral services. To this day I am most thankful for each person who was present in some way – each hug, prayer, condolence card, meal, flowers, phone call. Your kindness will always be remembered.

As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops notes, “Funerals give us the opportunity to grieve and show others support during difficult times.  Through our prayers and actions during these times we show our respect for life, which is always a gift from God, and comfort to those who mourn.”

How beautiful that we do not walk alone. God is present every step of the way. Family and friends too give us strength as we deal with death. The presence of the people in our lives who pause from their own day-to-day commitments to accompany us on our journey brings light to darkness. This as well is cause for celebration, as it gives us hope for the days ahead.

Lydia Pesina from our Family Life Office gave me a journal a year ago, “The New Day Journal: A journey from grief to healing” by Mauryeen O’Brian, which has been most helpful. After the loss of Lydia’s mother, and later her brother, we met together over the course of a year with another friend to work through what the book refers to as the “four tasks of mourning.” While we know that death is not the end and we have hope in the resurrection, death for those of us who remain is painful.

Death can also be a transformative experience. My mother’s death more than 20 years ago instilled in me the urgency of living each moment as a gift. Each death that has followed emphasizes the lesson. Each life we celebrate at each funeral reminds us life is a gift, a gift we have to honor by living it the best we can. Pope Francis, in this Year of Mercy, prompts us to live it the best we can serving others.

Death brings us bitter-sweet moments. I have found it is most helpful to count my blessings daily. It is important as well to be there for family and friends who experience a loss. As we journey together, I know in time, grief and darkness will loosen its grip and light will fill our days.

St. Augustine prayed, “There are days…when our lives have no music in them and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, we beseech thee Lord. Turn our eyes to where the heavens are full of promise.”

(Originally published in September 2016 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper) 

Because the mercy of God knows no limits

Why Peñitas, in a colonia known as Pueblo de Palmas? Why such a remote area along the U.S.-Mexico border where many in our own Rio Grande Valley here in South Texas have never visited? And why would the Holy Father send a message to the people of a rural area that some say is “insignificant”?

These are questions Father Michael Montoya, a Missionary of Jesus priest, who is pastor of St. Anne Quasi-Parish in Peñitas, Texas and its three missionary churches, continued to hear as he was finalizing plans for a World Youth Encounter/Encuentro Mundial de los Jovenes on July 26. This local celebration, which coincided with World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland started off as an idea to help the young people in one of the poorest areas in the country see how they are connected with the Church and young people from around the world.

Given the extreme poverty levels in the community and their immigration status, it is impossible for most to travel. In Peñitas, explains Father Montoya, traveling even from their homes to church comes with risk. Some fear the real danger that if they are pulled over for even a minor driving infraction, they could be deported. Father Montoya points to what he refers to as a “military presence” in the area. There is a no shortage of local police, sheriff’s deputies, state troopers, U.S. border patrol agents and National Guard patrolling the area located just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

“It’s a constant reminder to the people that something is not right. We live so close to the wall that divides families, it affects self-identity. All the images we receive from the outside are negative. It’s always connected to the border, always connected to the things we cannot do,” said Father Montoya.

Add to this the poverty and lack of basic infustructure in some neighborhoods that do not even have sewage and water lines. “There are many circumstances,” Father Montoya said, “that make it difficult for the people. They think they are forgotten.”

But they are not forgotten. Today they are celebrating after learning that the Holy Father prepared a personal message for the youth of the diocese, specifically for the youth attending the Encuentro Mundial de los Jovenes at St. Anne Church in Peñitas.

“The parish of St. Anne is beyond happy. Things like this don’t happen to a place like Peñitas,” said Father Montoya. “The pope is sending a message to us! I think that is proof enough, that the love of the Church for our poor people is really palpable, it’s real.”

So even before they heard the message, the community celebrated the fact that a message was on its way, that the Holy Father took the time to think of them.

As Father Montoya stressed, the idea of hosting the encuentro in Peñitas was to help the people witness that “the mercy of God knows no limits within a Church that knows no borders,” “that it reaches even the remotest part of the world. We don’t have to be in the center of power to be recognized by the Church.”

Forgetting perhaps, that the infant Jesus chose to be born in the small town of Bethlehem and not a city center, many doubted that such an event like the encuentro could happen in such an “out of the way” place. The people of Peñitas and surrounding communities proved otherwise. “Not everyone can travel to Poland for World Youth Day,” explained Father Montoya, “but we believe that even in our area, a profound and meaningful encounter with the world’s youth can be organized.”

“It’s a re-imagining,” Father Montoya said, “of who we are. We are not defined by the border, we are defined by our culture and by our faith.”

This is truly a testament that the mercy of God knows no limits. It should also serve as a reminder to each of us that no matter where God places us, no matter where we stand in the world, we each matter and must do what we can to reach out to those in need and foster a “culture of encounter.”

Some people may still be asking, “Why Peñitas?” Three Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who have been living and helping in the area for 12 years will tell you, because the people of God here have a deep faith that is not daunted by poverty or other hardships they may endure.

The rich faith of the people moved the ICM sisters – Sister Carolyn Kosub, Sister Emily Jocson and Sister Fatima Santiago to remain in the area after they arrived in 2004 to help rebuild the community after it was devastated by a tornado. Through an outreach center they started, Proyecto Desarollo Humano, this underserved area started to blossom. They also built St. Anne Church in 2009. They never dreamed it would become a mother church of a parish four years later, or that one day, on the feast of St. Anne, the Holy Father would send a personal message to the youth of that parish. In the words of ICM Sister Kosub, “God has certainly worked wonders.” 

(Originally published in August 2016 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper. Another version was also published on the Catholic News Blog, July 26, 2016 - https://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/26/why-a-poor-rural-texas-town-captured-the-popes-attention-on-wyd/)