His Holiness Pope John XXIII in the early 1960s invited dioceses from Europe and the United States to consider a commitment to assist dioceses that were experiencing a serious shortage of priests and experienced church workers. Our Cleveland Diocese heard the call for assistance and responded generously and graciously to this invitation.
The Diocese formed the Cleveland Latin American Mission Team (CLAM) in 1964. Over the past 50 years there have been many priests, religious women and lay women who have traveled to the country of El Salvador to be modern day missionaries bringing the Gospel to the people, celebrating Masses and the Sacraments and reaching out as Jesus did, helping those in need, those experiencing challenges and hardships, educating adults and children in the faith and providing schooling for the children.
The example of the Diocese is to make and keep its commitment and the dedication by those who traveled to live and witness their faith in El Salvador have resulted in many parishes from our diocese encouraging prayers for the missions, sending supplies and funds to support the good works in El Salvador and sponsoring "mission trips" to areas where our missionaries are serving and to places beyond.
The past 50 years have been marked by challenges and hardships, especially for those who have so bravely and compassionately served their brothers and sisters. In particular, we remember our sisters from our Mission Team, Sister Dorothy Kazel, an Ursuline sister, and Jean Donovan, a laywoman, who were martyred for the Church.
Notwithstanding these realities, the missionaries to a person have spoken these past days about the joys of their time in El Salvador, and how very much their service and time has deepened their love of the Church and of God's people, whom they were called to serve.
This past week has witnessed a number of the missionaries, priests, religious women and lay women who have returned to El Salvador to celebrate with the Catholic faithful of El Salvador the 50 years of CLAM. I was privileged to travel to the Archdiocese of San Salvador and visit three of the parishes served by our missionaries and to hear their thanks to Cleveland and for what Cleveland has done for them.
The archdiocesan newspaper had a special edition entitled Misi
