Fifty years ago, the Diocese of Cleveland initiated a new apostolate which is being celebrated for its 50th anniversary of serving the people of El Salvador. Priests, religious women and lay women over the years responded to the call of Jesus to ?Come, follow me? by offering their services in behalf of brothers and sisters living in Central America.
Our Holy Fathers Pope Pius XII and Pope John XXIII in the 1950s and 1960s asked Bishops if they had priests in their dioceses who could be shared with Bishops where the numbers of priests were very small, thus being unable to be present to serve all the people of the dioceses. Archbishop Edward Hoban considered our diocesan situation in light of the urgent need for priests in other areas of the world and was in favor of having a diocesan favorable response to this serious request. He knew the priests of our diocese would respond positively.
Thus in 1964, the first priests were sent to El Salvador and were graciously received by the Bishops of El Salvador, the priests and religious, and the laity. As time passed on, women religious and lay women also applied and were accepted for service in El Salvador. This commitment by so many individuals in our diocese over these past 50 years has been truly extraordinary on so many levels. We really need to take time to reflect upon all of this as it surely is the work of God, people responding to people graciously and generously.
We remember all who served in El Salvador being present to and ministering with God?s people, sharing their talents and their precious time. And of course, when speaking about courageous service we need to pause and remember in prayer Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel, lay missioner Jean Donovan and Maryknoll Sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke who gave their lives for the people whom they were serving. May God count them among the blessed.
Also, we remember the Faithful of the Diocese of Cleveland who have so generously given financial help to support the work of and the projects undertaken by the missionaries.
Lastly, it is my belief that having had the El Salvador Mission has been a great blessing to our diocese. With so many people knowing of what has been happening over these past 50 years has kept alive in their hearts an awareness that the Church is Missionary in its very constitution that Jesus gave to it when He said, ?Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations.?
So many of the faithful of our Diocese have traveled to El Salvador, to other countries in Central America and South America, to islands in the Caribbean and to countries in Africa. This phenomenon is truly remarkable as a testimony of peoples? appreciation of being part of a Universal Church with responsibilities to those in need. This lesson is not only being lived by our adult Catholics, but by many Catholic high schoolers who have traveled to these countries and who have had an experience which will be with them for life--being present to and living with fellow believers.
There is one more point I wish to share at this time. Preparing to write this article there was a thought coming back to me. It centers around the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, particularly the line that reads ?...it is in giving that we receive.?
From the response of Archbishop Hoban to those who left our diocese to go to El Salvador, those who supported the efforts, and those who traveled to El Salvador and to all the other destinations that groups from our diocese traveled to, I thank you for your giving. In your giving, we have received from God the gift of prepared priests, religious women and lay women, and generous parishioners who now are so needed as the diocese benefits from your knowledge of the language and culture of so many Hispanic people who now live in our diocese, worship in our parishes, and work in our communities.
Indeed, what began fifty years ago has impacted people and continues to do so there in El Salvador and serves people here in our diocese as they share what they had learned with those who are in our midst.
May this wonderful gift of God goodness and care and the wonderful response by so many continue well into the future!
(The above column by the Most Reverend Richard Lennon, Bishop of Cleveland originally appeared in the Friday, June 20, 2014 issue of the Catholic Universe Bulletin, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Cleveland.)
