Called To Be Missionary Disciples

Early in his papacy Pope Francis called all Catholics to be Missionary Disciples. Yes this includes monetary contributions to help people in their poverty, but also, and more importantly, to imbue oneself with a Missionary Spirit. This means when possible, to visit people in Mission Dioceses, to work with them, to become familiar with their culture, their poverty of material goods, their richness of Gospel living that comes from the experience their relationship with Christ.
 
My first real experience with mission lands occurred after Hurricane Mitch hit Honduras in October, 1998. The following year the Bishops of Region X (Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas) decided to enter into a Fraternal Partnership ( Commission de Hermandad) with the Dioceses of Honduras. We in San Antonio, were partnered with the Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa as was Amarillo. I was an Auxiliary Bishop in there at that time and Archbishop Patrick F. Flores appointed me to coordinate the efforts of the Archdiocese of San Antonio in this new partnership. We were assisted by Catholic Relief Services of the USA in this project.
 
My first trip to Tegucigalpa took place a few months later. It was then that I met my good friend, Archbishop Oscar Andres Maradiaga Rodrigues…now a Cardinal. The destruction was unimaginable! I was accompanied by twelve lay people from San Antonio. Our first purpose was to meet the committee from Tegucigalpa and visit some of the devastated areas. During this visit we also learned much of the local culture and customs. I made many friends during that visit.
 
On returning to San Antonio I visited the parishes to speak of the great needs in Tegucigalpa and to request funds for the rebuilding of homes and schools so that the people could return to a more ordinary life. During the eight years I visited many times, visited many parishes, brought funding for their projects and learned of their continued…and even new needs. The most treasured memories are of the encounters I had with the local people, the priests, religious and Cardinal Rodriguez.
 
Simultaneous with this project I met some Brazilian Missionary Priests in Rome at a Conference. They were a new Missionary Institute and Father Celso was the superior. They shared their charism with me and their dream of being Missionary Disciples in their own Country. They invited me to visit them and experience their work among the youth and the elderly. It was impressive to say the least. I decided to help them also; however, this was a personal missionary project of my own. I also raised funds to help them in building Senior Citizens Homes and shelters for the forgotten youth. The labor in each of these projects was donated by the parishioners of local parishes. This was very different from the projects in Tegucigalpa, but just as rewarding.
 
A few years later, at the Conferencia Episcopal Latino Americano (CELAM) known as Aparecida, I met a priest who came from the Diocese of Osasco near Sao Paolo. He was pastor of the parish of O Santo Cruz with 15 mission Churches and Chapels. The area was very poor, but as usual, the people were rich in Faith and family life. At that time I ceased support of the above mention Institute and began to help Father Edilson. By this time I was already here in Amarillo. One day a gentleman came to visit me and gave me a handsome check for the missions; however, he stated that I could only use it to help people in Mission Lands outside of the USA. I raised other funds also and used some of proceeds to replace a dirt floor with a concrete floor in one church. In another we purchased an Altar and an Ambo.  In another we upgraded a run-down rectory. In still another we tiled the sanctuary to add dignity to the liturgy. There were manly other projects.
 
During these years I also helped an African seminarian of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate who was suffering from brain cancer. The funds helped him to receive the treatment that he needed. He had a miraculous recovery, was ordained a priest and is ministering well in Central Africa. Some funds were given to build a Children’s Learning Center in Moravia, Czech Republic. Funds were given to El Salvador to help build a new Seminary. Some went to Mexico to help build a Casa San Juan Diego for migrants who were returned to Mexico just across the Rio Grande. Various other donations were made to other projects in a variety of countries. 
 
Travel expenses were borne by me and not from any of the donations received. That would not be just. Some expenses were borne by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops when I was sent to a country to observe the progress of projects or to determine if new projects were needed. 
 
These projects and the encounter with peoples of different cultures were very edifying for me. The smiles on peoples’ faces, the most humble meal in a very humble home, the gift of a some chickens in an African village or the warmth of the welcome with which I was greeted by a family, religious or a priest were more than I deserved. By the way, I gave the chickens to three different families in a town just a few kilometers from the family who gifted me with them.  Each family had a member with a very serious illness. One chicken would provide soup for a week for each.
 
I share this with you because October is Mission Month. On Sunday, Oct. 20, the Church will remember the needs of people in Mission lands. A collection will be taken up at each Mass and in every parish in the diocese. Please be generous. Please try to assume the heart of a Missionary Disciple.