A missionary journey

Nueva Jerusalen (New Jerusalem) in an isolated part of the parish of the Holy Archangels in Huandoy - Photo: Fr George HogartyNueva Jerusalen (New Jerusalem) in an isolated part of the parish of the Holy Archangels in Huandoy - Photo: Fr George Hogarty

The missionary journey of Jorge Juaregui (Coco) and his wife Rosa Ramirez, began when the Columban Fathers assumed responsibility for the expanding housing estates being built on land that was once part of a large rural hacienda called Santa Rosa near Jorge Chavez International Airport in Peru. Bishop Lino Panizza OFM Cap named the new parish Saint Francis Xavier and Saint Columban Missionaries in recognition of the long missionary contribution that Columbans have made to the Diocese of Carabayllo since their arrival in Peru in 1952.

Columban Fr Tony Coney made friends with Coco and Rosa when he began visiting families in the area while trying to establish a new Catholic community. Both Coco and Rosa said they were initially attracted to the Church by Fr. Tony’s approachable manner and the empathy that Columbans had shown the people of Peru. Coco and Rosa admitted they had never considered participating in a Christian community because they believed only saintly people went to church. It wasn’t long before they came to know and love Jesus as their personal Saviour because they saw how Jesus changed the lives of people.

When Fr. Tony acquired a 2,368 square foot block of land on which to begin building a church close to  Coco and Rosa’s home, he invited them to become members of the new community named Lord of Mercy (Senor de la Misericordia). They soon found themselves helping with various ministries such as baptismal and First Communion preparation. Rosa, reflecting on this early experience with Coco and her own journey of faith as active members of the community explained, “It’s not because I’m a saint that God loves me but because of my weakness and vulnerability. We’re all sinners but God lifts us up and loves us.”

Coco and Rosa found the people there very resistant to participating in any church activity. For a year they visited New Jerusalem only to be completely ignored. Coco says “it got to the stage where both Rosa and I seriously thought of tossing it in.” However, we always remembered that one thing that kept them faithful to their call as missionaries. They realized that the mission was not only theirs but God’s!

When the Columbans handed the parish over to the diocese in July 2017, Coco and Rosa began to miss the Columban charism of finding Christ in the World. Their long association with the Columbans had led them to appreciate Jesus not only as a person who ministered in the Temple but as one who went out into the world to encounter God’s people. As a result, they decided to become collaborators of Columban Mission. However, one thing kept them faithful to their call as missionaries. They realized that the mission was not only theirs but God’s!

In spite of their willingness, they needed a time of preparation to learn how to be lay missionaries to their own people. This took the form of participating in courses run by the Columbans in the Columban Centre of Mission Education in Los Olivos, Lima. Coco and Rosa found many of the courses such as practicing forgiveness and learning how to respect and care for Creation helpful but most of all they found a positive aspect of the formation was that of gaining a new vision of themselves and others. A serious obstacle that can be easily overlooked when forming Peruvians to be lay missionaries to their own people, is recognizing that the inequalities of Peruvian culture often affect them in developing a strong sense of their own worth. Therefore the courses undertaken by Coco and Rosa helped them gain confidence in themselves as protagonists of their own future rather than being victims of an unfair past. As Rosa explained, “Even if we’ve been downtrodden we can still stand tall because our dignity comes from God.”

Coco and Rosa were accepted by the people of New Jerusalem - Photo: Fr George HogartyCoco and Rosa were accepted by the people of New Jerusalem - Photo: Fr George Hogarty

After a year of training Coco and Rosa were ready to take on a new mission. When Columban Fr. Ioane Gukibau returned to Peru from Fiji he became the new Director of the Peruvian Columban Collaborators. Seeing their enthusiasm, Fr. Ioane appointed them to a challenging mission in a very poor area called Nueva Jerusalen (New Jerusalem) in an isolated part of the parish of the Holy Archangels in Huandoy. 

Coco and Rosa found the people there very resistant to participating in any church activity. For a year they visited New Jerusalem only to be completely ignored. Coco says “it got to the stage where both Rosa and I seriously thought of tossing it in.” However, we always remembered that one thing that kept them faithful to their call as missionaries. They realized that the mission was not only theirs but God’s! 

After months of seeming futility changes began to occur. They began taking care of a man, Walter Tapia, who had been abandoned and suffered from Parkinson’s disease. They took care of him and over time  the people began to take notice and open themselves up to them. Coco recalled that, “Something clicked and the people saw that we really were interested in them.” It was the breakthrough they had hoped for but never expected until it finally happened!

Today, they continue as missionaries to their own people in New Jerusalem but grateful that God showed them the way to reach the hearts of a tough people by caring for the most abandoned member of that community when all hope of evangelizing them seemed lost. 

Columban Fr. George Hogarty lives and works in Chile.

Fr Ioane Gukibau celebrates mass in New Jerusalem - Photo: Fr George Hogarty

Fr Ioane Gukibau celebrates mass in New Jerusalem - Photo: Fr George Hogarty

 

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