Issue 2 Volume 1 June 2007 How Amor en Acción Changed My Life … Sofia Cueto Amor en Acción has become the vehicle through which I express my Christian faith. I know I am young, but I have never found something– be it an organization, community, group or ministry– that so earnestly and comprehensively embraces the mission of the Church, in its capacity to both envision and implement a plan for building God’s kingdom here on Earth. Amor en Acción works as the eyes and hands of Jesus, choosing to see and touch that and those whom the world ignores. In this way, Amor en Acción works as the eyes and hands of Jesus, choosing to see and touch that and those whom the world ignores. I feel that Amor en Acción, in its ideology, theology and spirituality fits my like like a glove and I am forever thankful to those who laid the foundation of this organization with their unique talents, tireless effort, devotion and love. Sofia Cueto (black shirt and bandana) and other missionaries at a summer camp in the Dominican Republic. live the universality of our Catholic faith by participating and sharing in the lives of our brothers and sisters in developing countries Immigration- a Missionary Perspective Teresita González de la Masa • Amor en Acción • Archdiocese of Miami truth to be told, nor that of countless others. As members of one body in Christ, our stories only make sense when linked to the redemptive story of the suffering and resurrection of Christ. Our stories live best in kinship and solidarity with others that also suffer. When we fail to listen to others, we all lose. We can be missionary in our time and place. Some of the most missionary people I have ever met have never left town. The opportunity to walk in solidarity with Christ has arrived, is arriving, and will continue to arrive, regardless of national security, border fences, and airport inspections. The hungry will continue to seek and the oppressed will continue to run for their lives. Haitians, like Cubans, risk their lives in search of a dignified future. Amor en Acción was born in the midst of the immigration struggle. The Cuban exile experience propelled our founders to channel their pain and loss onto a path of seeking justice for others. Today’s immigration struggle continues to move people around the globe and into our communities. We are called, as a community of the Gospel, to see these arrivals as opportunities for mission on our doorstep. Mission is about crossing cultures and boundaries, becoming vulnerable in order to accompany the vulnerable, seeking conversion, and proclaiming the truth. We do not have to travel far to do this. Here on our very shores unfolds the drama of humanity seeking liberation from oppression everyday. we have been enriched by Haitian culture and blessed by their enormous faith and contagious perseverance. Theirs is a difficult life, full of challenges, but full of God. We know why they come, and we also know that it is not an easy decision to make. Many cultures share this land in the United States and particularly in Southeastern Florida. Though the details of our history of politics and pain might differ, the anxiety of migration under duress is quite the same. We have shared the deserts, the skies, and the seas to get here. We are now called to share in the search for truth and life across this land. This is an opportunity for mission in our community, to bridge a divide of culture and politics that does not allow the Haitian Recently, human tragedy and triumph once again knocked on our door when Haitian migrants arrived here with barely their lives. We may forget that, as God’s children, they too have a mission among us, they too are bearers of the Good News, portadores de la Buena Nueva. Who are we to refuse to meet them at the shore? How much Good News has drowned already in the Florida Straits? How much has to desperately starve for want of dignity as the world sleeps? How much of that hope of a suffering Jesus is suffocated upon arrival? The aspiration and bittersweet victory of arriving alive are muffled and their stories are never told. Many of us in Amor en Acción are of Ibero-American background, but over the years, as a result of our work in Ayiti, What will be our response? The guidance of our Catholic Church and of our own Archbishop John Clement Favalora has served as a clear and powerful guide for Some of the most missionary people I have ever met have never left town. us and as a prophetic voice for urging unity. We can reclaim our Christian mission in defense of the vulnerable by calling our congressional representatives. Tell them proudly who you are: Cuban, Dominican, Colombian, American, or hyphenated. Tell them that compassion and justice for our brothers and sisters is overdue. Let us listen to the immigrant stories of others. Let us give them the opportunity to be heard and to allow their wounds to begin to heal. Look into volunteering for our local church outreach program (see below). A courageous journey has brought us all together. We carry our courage and unfailing faith and hope to this country. Let not race, ideology, or ruthless strategies stand in the way of true understanding and compassion for one another. For we are people of the road, and no one knows the road better than those who have traveled it. Most rural Haitians practice subsistence farming because the collapsed infrastructure does not allow many agricultural exports. Please do not hesitate to call Gloria Luna at Catholic Charities’ Office of Social Advocacy at 305.762.1338. For further resources, log on to the USCCB website at www.justiceforimmigrants.org. participate in the missionary activity of the Church as a living community that supports and fosters the growth of each member Sister Schools Corner: Epiphany School, a Grooming Ground for Vocations Jennifer Hanlon like they can help and that they are, in a sense, being called to a vocation.” Sister Carmel Regina, accompanied by Olga Vieira & David Masters, eagerly sets out to visit Dekostyè, Epiphany’s AeA sister school, for the first time. In the words of Sister Carmel Regina, the Assistant Principal at Epiphany: “Amor en Acción is an avenue that allows us to help the children understand the concept of mission. AeA affords us an opportunity to broaden the minds of these wonderful kids who want to make a difference. A spirit grows within them, I guess you could say. Although it is challenging for them because of their age, they still feel milk. “The kids put it all together by examining the challenges before them, by thinking of ways that they can benefit people in need, and then by carrying out their solutions,” declared the proud mentor. While the kids can’t actually visit Ayiti themselves, they are offered the opportunity to do so upon entering Lourdes or Columbus. Sister referred to Epiphany as a “grooming ground” where the students receive a great foundation that can be carried into their high school years and beyond. Epiphany collects clothing, sneakers, and back packs. They organize drives and raffles, all profits of which go to their sister school in Ayiti, Dekostye. With this money, they support the student nutrition program and pay the teachers’ salaries. Most Epiphany students engage in hands-on activity of recently, they collected solidarity by packaging Three Kings Day gifts for food - bags of rice and beans, oil, and powdered their siblings in Haiti. Saginaw Corner Michigan Missioners Prepare for Summer Missions Jennifer Watt- Saginaw, Michigan of Cutupú and walk the vivacious streets of San Pedro de Macorís. Combined missionary group from Saginaw, Michigan and Miami, FL. Michigan Amor en Acción members are busy preparing for our 2007 summer mission trips to La Vega and San Pedro de Macorís in la República Dominicana. After gathering for meetings and retreats, as well as collecting supplies and fundraising since February, I recently took out time to ready myself personally for this challenging, yet rewarding experience. Through spiritual readings and quiet moments of prayer, I find that I am once again ready to climb the hills As I was reading Max Lucado’s publication entitled You! God’s Brand New Idea - Made to be Amazing, I was interested in his comment that “God gave you, not a knap sack, but a knack sack” to provide you with the necessities to become the person God created you to be. In his heart-warming book, he went on to remark that each of us has been given gifts from God, talents enabling us to accept the task that God has called us to pursue. This brought to mind the unique personalities that God has assembled to form our summer mission group. This year, he has blessed us with college students, wives and mothers, a young man serving our country in the military, sons and daughters. He has chosen some that speak Spanish, some that don’t, a musician, an actor, a chef, several that make others laugh, and a few with the strength and availability to stay committed to AeA for more than one summer. All are created with a love for God’s children, a longing for social justice, and the courage to allow God to lead them where they might not otherwise have gone. Each will bring a variety of gifts that will help make this mission a life altering experience. With seven returnees and five new members, we have missioners traveling from as far west as Colorado and as far north as Wisconsin. We have students from Central Michigan University in the middle of the mitten to the University of Michigan in the south, as well as many different colleges scattered between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Michigan missioners are truly a diverse group with three common goals: to build strong lasting relationships with our Dominican friends, to share our Catholic faith through our actions if not our words, and finally to introduce a new kind of United States American, an American that is stepping out of a self-centered materialistic society and viewing the world through new eyes, eyes filled with love and compassion for our neighbors across the sea. p r o m o t e J e s u s C h r i s t Õ s m i s s i o n a ry c a l l i n g a n d t h e k e y r o l e e a c h o f u s p l a y s i n b u i l d i n g t h e K i n g d o m o f G o d SHEEP OF GOD: AMOR EN ACCIÓN, CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, AND SALVATION César Baldelomar • STU Pax Romana Society President • Florida Catholic Correspondent For centuries, Christians have struggled to discern what type of community Jesus desired on the eve of his arrest, when he pleaded to God “that they [His disciples] may be one just as we are one.” What is clear from this is that to be a Christian means to be in community. But should Christians tend solely to the parish community and the domestic sphere? Or should Christians also engage in and serve the larger community? Many of us grapple with this question, but the answer is clearly delineated in Scripture. In Matthew 25:37-46, we find an apocalyptic vision of the Parousia (second coming of Christ) in which all nations assemble before Jesus Christ to await their judgment. Jesus separates the sheep from the goat, placing the sheep to his right and the goats to his left. Then, to the ones on the right (the sheep), Jesus says, Come, you are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. The ones on the right immediately ask Jesus when they did these things for him. The answer from Jesus is, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” The ones on the left, on the other hand, “fail Jesus by neglecting these brothers and sisters.” According to Clarke and David Cochran, the message of this Scriptural passage is clear: “…prayer…liturgy…loyalty to the church. These are all vital to Catholicism. But—do you really think that any of us will make it into heaven without feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, ministering to the sick, visiting the imprisoned? There is no way around Jesus’ central teaching.” Thus, essential to our salvation is engaging the world, just as Jesus and his disciples did so long ago. Serving as an invaluable tool in this difficult endeavor is the rich tradition and wisdom of Catholic social teaching (CST). Catholic Social Teaching According to Marvin L. Krier Mich, “The Roman Catholic church has a rich tradition of social teachings. Some would claim it is ‘our best kept secret.’” For Catholics who are familiar with CST, they often only mention Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum novarum and other papal encyclicals, pastoral documents, or the achievements of the Second Vatican Council. Yet, “Catholic Social Teaching is both older and broader than the papal encyclicals…” It includes contributions from the “activists and leaders who lived out that teaching and, in the process, helped to forge that living tradition.” CST SEEKS TO: 1 Identify a social problem 2 Analyze it in light of biblical values and the principles of Catholic social teaching, and by exploring its historical and structural relationships 3 Plan and carry out actions aimed at transforming the social structures that contribute to suffering and injustice. The Haitians’ daily struggle for survival is exacerbated by political corruption & short-sighted environmental mismanagement. s h a r e w i t h o t h e r s t h e m i s s i o n a r y e x p e r i e n c e o f o u r m e m b e r s Our History AMOR EN ACCION Citizens of Pòdepè unite in order to incarnate Bishop Paulo’s vision. Although tentative, Clarke and David Cochran claim that “eight headings conveniently summarize Catholic social teaching: the dignity and social nature of the person; subsidiartiy and the proper role of government; the common good; stewardship and property; social justice; solidarity; religious freedom; and the preferential option for the poor.” Although there is no space here to describe the principles, we shall now see how Amor en Acción embodies them. Amor en Acción: Catholic Social Teaching in Action The living tradition of CST “is…carried forward by believers who join…groups working for justice…” The extraordinary missionaries of Amor en Acción are leaders who are with their deeds continually contributing to and embodying the rich tradition of CST. The missionaries identify a problem, analyze it, and then act to fix it. The fruits of Amor en Acción’s social and theological analyzes are several projects that benefit the poorest of the poor in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. From funding the education of poor children, to nutrition programs, to constructing schools and chapels, to providing medicine, to housing projects, to an evangelization program, to reforestation and water management projects, the “sheep” of Amor en Acción have contributed to the edification of the kingdom of God on earth. Through their countless projects at home (sister school program, visiting schools and organizations, holding regular reflection meetings) and abroad to assuage human suffering, Amor en Acción incessantly promotes the CST principles of the dignity of the human person, the common good, social justice, solidarity, and the preferential option for the poor. They have demonstrated their love for the poor and oppressed and, in so doing, have strongly identified with Jesus’ ministry of tending to the least of God’s children. Amor en Acción has also shown us the path to eternal salvation, where we will be seated—like the sheep of Mathew 25— at the right hand of the Father. See John 17:11. Also see Michael J. Schuck, That They Be One: The Social Teachings of the Papal Encyclicals 1740-1989 (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1991), ix. Matthew 25:34-36. Clarke E. Cochran and David Carroll Cochran, Catholics, Politics, & Public Policy: Beyond Left and Right (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2003), 1. Ibid., Marvin L. Krier Mich, Catholic Social Teaching and Movements (Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 2004), 1. John A. Coleman, S.J., “Making the Connections: Globalization and Catholic Social Thought,” Globalization and Catholic Social Thought: Present Crisis, Future Hope (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2005), 15. Ibid., Office for Social Justice, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Refection/Action Process (no date), 3. Cochran, Catholic, Politics, and Public Policy, 7. Ibid, 6. Amor en Acción, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, is a missionary community recognized as such by the Archdiocese of Miami. The community was founded as a result of the individual missionary experiences of two of its members, Adriano Garcia and Alicia Marill. In 1976, both participated in separate Catholic missions in the Dominican Republic. Upon their return to Miami, both felt a special call to dedicate their lives to lay missionary work, serving the poor in the Caribbean and Latin America. Ms. Marill and Mr. Garcia founded Amor en Acción (Love in Action) on the principle that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:14). From the community’s earliest stages, Amor en Acción’s members dedicated themselves to promoting the Catholic faith in the missionary dimension of the Church. In 1978, the late Archbishop Edward McCarthy gave the missionary group his blessings and sponsorship, enthusiastically supporting Amor en Acción’s vision of living out the universality of the Catholic Church. Since its founding, Amor en Acción has touched thousands of lives in other countries and here at home. Today, with the continued blessings and guidance of Archbishop John C. Favalora, we collaborate as the missionary arm of the Archdiocese of Miami in its Sister Diocese of Port de Paix in Haiti, and also work with the bishops and pastoral agents in five areas of the Dominican Republic. As we work to meet the urgent needs of the poor, the very people we serve continue to evangelize us in Gospel values. This is referred to as “mission in reverse”. Thus, together, we work toward building the Kingdom of God. m o d e l f o r o t h e r s a n e w, e c c l e s i a l - b r i d g e - b u i l d i n g , m i s s i o n - i n - r e v e r s e a p p r o a c h t o m i s s i o n a r y w o r k Programa de Becas Pere Bo Teresita González de la Masa • Translated by Marta Carbonell Fredeline Cadet Fils aime Anne Charilia Ducasse Widline Ocgenor Ruth-Stephanie Ocgenor Moise Chery Socrate Sylvetre Ilner Fenelus Jean Baptiste Deuve La semana pasada, Olga Vieira y yo realizamos un corto viaje a República Dominicana. Tuvimos la oportunidad de visitar a viejos amigos, y conocer nuevas ideas y varios proyectos. Algo muy importante para mí fue la reunión con un grupo de estudiantes haitianos que acaban de comenzar sus estudios en la Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra en Santiago con la esperanza de completar su educación y regresar a Haití para servir a su pueblo. Su compromiso ha renovado mi convicción en el poder multiplicador de la solidaridad cristiana. En esa reunión tuvimos la suerte de contar con la compañía de dos amigos dominicanos: Leo y Julio. Leo es un médico que también estudió en esta universidad y Julio es un arquitecto que ha colaborado durante muchos años en proyectos misioneros en la República Dominicana. Juntos pudimos comprender mejor la situación actual de los estudiantes y diseñar un plan de acción. Los estudiantes, procedentes de diferentes áreas de Port-de-Paix, en Haití, diócesis hermana de la Arquidiócesis de Miami, fueron seleccionados y llevados a República Dominicana por su maestro y mentor, P. Boniface Fils Aime, conocido como Père Bo. Recientemente, Pere Bo, quien tiene ahora 82 años y durante muchos ha sido guía y mentor de Amor en Acción, nos habló del proyecto y nos hizo sentir la urgencia de colaborar en todo lo que pudiéramos. ¡Hay que ver lo que tienen que luchar!. Son ocho en total: cuatro muchachas y cuatro muchachos. Siete van a estudiar medicina y uno ingeniería mecánica. Su situación financiera es precaria ya que sólo cuentan con lo poco que le pueden enviar sus familiares y las donaciones que se esfuerza por conseguir Pere Bo, a quien también le agradecen haber obtenido un crédito especial de la Universidad para su matrícula. Los ocho comparten con otros dos, ajenos al grupo, un pequeño apartamento Lift up your eyes! Your Heavenly Father awaits to bless you in inconceivable ways and to make your life what you never dreamed it could be. Pè Boniface champions remote rural education & evangelization via the diocesan radio station. de 3 dormitorios. Las 4 muchachas comparten una reducida habitación y dos de los jóvenes duermen en el suelo en la sala. Un apartamento más grande sería incosteable y además difícil de conseguir a causa de la discriminación contra los haitianos. No pueden gastar dinero en libros ni en materiales escolares básicos. Todos han hecho grandes esfuerzos por aprender el idioma español y ya hay cuatro que lo hablan con fluidez. Además de los retos propios de la vida estudiantil, deben enfrentarse diariamente a la pobreza y el aislamiento en una gran ciudad extraña. Con todo, a pesar de la ansiedad, porque saben que enfrentan un gran desafío, ésta no es una historia de derrotas, sino más bien de energía juvenil y de esperanza. Ellos saben que sus profesiones son vitales para incontables seres que sufren en Haití y están dispuestos a llevar sobre sus hombres la responsabilidad. Y en medio de todo, consideran que es un sueño hecho realidad, porque una educación universitaria es prácticamente inalcanzable en Haití. Leve zye w! Papa ki nan syèl la ap tann pou beni w e rann lavi w pi bèl ke ou pa ta janm ka kwe oubyen janm reve ¡Levanta tus ojos! Tu padre del cielo espera para bendecirte de manera inconcevible, ¡para hacer de tu vida lo que nunca soñaste! But my God shall supply all your needs, according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ. PHILIPPIANS 4:19 Men Bondye mwen pral ranpli tout bezwen w avèk richès li geyen nan glwa Jezi Kris la. FILIPEYEN 4:19 Por lo tanto, mi Dios les dará a ustedes todo lo que les falte, conforme a las gloriosas riquezas que tiene en Cristo Jesús. FILIPENSES 4:19 Y allí estábamos…doce de nosotros, con diferentes experiencias. Y comprendí que nuestra reunión era muy especial. De un modo u otro todos estábamos conectados por la amistad y el cariño de Pere Bo, por su celo misionero y por la obra de Amor en Acción. Allí estábamos con nuestros escasos panes y peces, algo inseguros y temerosos de nuestra flaqueza, pero con la certeza de que el Señor moverá los corazones de cuantos conozcan la historia de estos jóvenes para que se animen a compartir sus bienes en una obra de amor. Es lo que llamamos Amor en Acción. collaborate in projects which respond to urgent or established, long-term needs CAMINOS Misioneros SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 29 2007 Contact Information 5th Publisher & Adriano García Photo Editor [email protected] S HERATON M IAMI M ART H OTEL Chief Editor David Masters [email protected] 60 Saginaw Editor Jennifer Watt [email protected] Kreyol Editor Kathy Lynn Pierre [email protected] Amor En Acción Annual DINNER/DANCE FUNDRAISER F OR INFORMATION , CONTACT : Layout & Design Daniel González [email protected] N OCHE C ARIBENA @A MOR E N A CCION . COM J.S. Paluch Company Serving the Church since 1913 PARISH BULLETINS ~ PARISH DIRECTORIES ~ CALENDARS WORSHIP AIDS & RESOURCES ~ PARISH SOFTWARE For More Information Please Call: Cristy Guzmán ~ 1-800-432-3240 4300 NW 124th Avenue ~ Coral Springs, FL 33065 I have been working the J.S. Paluch Company for 12 years. I’m very proud to be part of this company which is dedicated to serving the Catholic Church and promoting vocations since 1913. J.S. Paluch is a family owned company that is very involved in the Catholic Church. We are happy to be able to help Amor en Acción and are proud supporters of ANSH and other Catholic Hispanic organizations. Cristy Guzmán WWW.A MPERSANDM IAMI.COM Logo Design Website Design Print Advertising Flash Animation Package Design 2-D Illustration Brochure Design 3-D Illustration CONTRIBUTORS TO Jennifer Hanlon Journalist-inTraining CAMINOS Misioneros César Baldelomar Pax Romana Society President at St. Thomas University Kathy Lynn Pierre Amor en Acción Member and Newsletter Kreyol Editor Jennifer Watt Amor en Acción Newsletter Saginaw Editor Mercy Valero Amor en Acción Database Coordinator Teresita González de la Maza Amor en Acción Director David Masters Amor en Acción Chief Newsletter Editor Daniel González Graphic Designer, Amor en Acción Member m o d e l f o r o t h e r s a n e w, e c c l e s i a l - b r i d g e - b u i l d i n g , m i s s i o n - i n - r e v e r s e a p p r o a c h t o m i s s i o n a r y w o r k Amor En Acción PO BOX 141523 AMOR EN ACCION Coral Gables, Fl 33114 We’re Counting on You Anna Figueroa Our time in mission binds us together in a most sacred way... to each other and to those who touch us so deeply on our trips. It is a bond that lives on inside us for our whole lives as an unbreakable connection through our Lord. We, more than anyone else, have witnessed the importance and urgency of the people and programs that Amor en Acción supports and administers in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Many of us can call some of the children who benefit from these programs by name. It is in the name of all of these children that we exhort our members, old and young, new to Amor en Acción or founders, to please commit to a small sum as a monthly donation. I would like you to close your eyes and recall someone you met during a mission who changed your life profoundly. Realize that your small sacrifice will help transform someone else’s life just as yours was changed. Just $25.00 a month (or more) from every member would make an enormous difference in our ability to feed and to care for more children. For the price of something as trivial as a trip to the movies, we can all make a meaningful difference in the lives of those to whom we owe so much. We are a spiritual family. Let us revive a neglected tradition within our missionary community. Let us now own up to our responsibilities and commit to doing our part each and every month. Please do it now. Your sacrificial gift will save our siblings’ lives and deliver hope to innumerable members of our family. Financial Contributions Name: FIRST LAST Address: City: State: Zip: Home Phone: Work Phone: Mobile Phone: E-Mail: I want to make a monthly pledge of: $15 $25 $50 $100 Other $_____ In addition to monetary contributions, businesses can donate construction equipment, office or school supplies, medical supplies, or other donations. Make check payable to Amor En Acción and mail to address below. Credit Card donations can be made online by visiting: http://AmorEnAccion.com/donations.php Amor En Acción :: PO BOX 141523 Coral Gables, Fl 33114 phone :: 305.762.1226 w w w. A m o r E n Ac c i o n . c o m Newsletter designed by: W W W. A M P E R S A N D M I A M I . C O M