The Plastic Odyssey is a ship currently embarked in an expedition, formed by a group of young French volunteers, led by Simon Bernard: their adventure began in October 2022 and will last for three years, crossing the seas of thirty of the most affected nations due to plastic pollution.
The Plastic Odyssey, which was recently in the Dominican Republic, travels the world in search of solutions to build a future without plastic, or to learn how to recycle. The ship is a laboratory equipped with machines to process plastics and give them a new life in the form of construction materials, fuel or other objects. Since we learned that it was arriving in the Dominican Republic, we signed up for its activities, as a team of the “Recycle plus” project, through which we have been collecting plastic from homes in Sabana Yegua (Azua) for several years to recycle it, as well as educating the population about reduce, reuse and recycle.
The “master class” in which we participated lasted two days and exceeded our expectations: 270 people gathered, including plastic artisans, landfill recyclers, transformers, researchers, academics and environmentalists. The ship collects data from different projects it visits, shares knowledge and even offers funding to innovative initiatives. Here we leave you their information: https://plasticodyssey.org/en/
As members of the “Recycle plus” project, we felt honored to be able to participate in this initiative, and we were excited to see so many people motivated in the fight to achieve a healthier and more sustainable environment. From the Community of Saint Paul we continue to promote the care of God’s creation and the fight against the destruction of our beloved common home. This beautiful Plastic Odyssey initiative fills us with hope.
For six weeks, members of the CSP in Sabana Yegua (Azua, Dominican Republic) hosted two seminarians from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee as part of their immersion program to learn Spanish and learn about the work of the parish. Upon their arrival back in the US, one of them wrote the following reflection.
It can be easy to build up expectations in life. It helps us to prepare and complete the tasks we face. While expectations are mostly useful, they often keep us from the joy of new experiences that only come from being flexible and spontaneous. The importance of being flexible and to stay open is a deep spiritual reality as well. God often reveals himself to us outside the expectations we build up in our minds and hearts. This important lesson was at the core of my experience and the experience of my fellow seminarian, Brady Gagne, during our summer in the Dominican Republic.
Coming into our summer assignment in the Dominican Republic, I had the expectation that we would be working on a lot of projects. I expected the majority of our activity to be spent painting and building for the parish. Instead, what Brady and I found to be our daily work was that of encountering the people God had put into our lives. Whether it was talking with parishioners or locals on the street, the ministry of being present to others allowed us to see what God was doing in the lives of so many people. As we were able to reflect on these experiences, we were also able to slow down and ask God what he was doing in our lives. In my experience, God invited me to slow down and listen to others rather than trying to say something smart or profound (especially true when learning a new language). God also invited me to live with a deeper sense of gratitude and generosity by being open to receiving so much from the people, whether they invited us to dinner, or just waved hello to us on the street. Being flexible to receive whatever encounter the day might bring was a real grace of the summer.
Being flexible this summer also taught Brady and I the importance of having an adventurous spirit. When we were open to trying new and adventurous things, we opened ourselves to encountering God in those moments. I think about going to the mountain town of Guayabal to celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart after having been invited by a local parish priest the night before. I also think about driving up the mountainside of the small Haitian village of Los Cacaos to celebrate Mass. These adventures led to encounters with many kind and generous people. They blessed me and Brady with so much, and revealed to us the love of God. Jesus says, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35). At the heart of the Christian life is love. While it might look different across cultures and places, being open to adventure in those new cultures and places opens us up to the love of God.
Recently, a group of seminarians from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in the USA spent two months visiting La Sagrada Familia, Milwaukee’s sister parish in the Dominican Republic, run by members of the Community of Saint Paul. Upon returning to the USA, one of them wrote this reflection, that we now share.
Over the last two months, my name was neither Craig nor Jeffrey, my first and middle names. Instead, it was Gregorio, a much more common and easier to pronounce name for a native Spanish speaker. The name change is a funny and lighthearted memory of the two months spent at La Sagrada Familia in the Dominican Republic. It is also a reminder that God used the experience to change me for the better. Although I could write pages about how my time there has impacted me, there are three which I especially want to highlight: greater zeal to go out and preach the Gospel, a deeper realization of the joy of the priesthood, and greater trust in the Lord to bear fruit from my life
I often feel the need to have everything planned out, especially when it comes to matters of faith. Without all the answers, I worry that I will miss the opportunity to give a convincing testimony for the Gospel. This summer, God has reassured me that no matter where I go or how prepared I feel, He is present and is at work. One morning, for example, I walked over to watch a youth baseball practice in town. I sat there for nearly an hour, talked to the coach and some of the players for a bit, and then headed home. As I was walking down the street back home, one of the young players started walking alongside me. I asked him if he knew the Our Father and, for the next five minutes, we walked with our hands folded at our chests praying the Our Father as people on the street watched and listened to us walk by. Baseball practice turned into an opportunity to lead others in prayer, an opportunity which would not have come about had I stayed put until I felt totally prepared to communicate the Good News. God not only gave me the chance to spread the Gospel but the words and actions to do so.
While I have gotten to know priests and spent time at parishes, I had never spent as much time with priests outside of the seminary in a parish setting as this summer. Daily, we spent time with Fr. Javier, the pastor, and Fr. Bob, a priest of the Archdiocese assisting for three months, celebrating the sacraments, eating together, traveling, and sharing conversations. In addition to Fr. Javier and Fr. Bob, we spent time with priests and bishops from the local diocese, priests from Antigo, WI, Virginia, the rector of the minor seminary, Fr. Luke Strand who came to visit us from Milwaukee, a Cuban priest who serves at the cathedral of Santo Domingo, and seminarians from the local diocese. The priests I had the chance to meet and spend time with had different personalities, backgrounds, and years of priesthood, but the love and joy they shared with my classmates and I for the priesthood and the mission of the Church was undeniable. It was, in a word, convincing that my life as a priest will be full of joy and fraternity.
Lastly, I am more convinced that the Lord will bear fruit from the seeds which He asks me to sow in the lives of others (Matthew 13). In forty years, the parish has grown from a few chapels to more than fifteen, and some of the communities have grown to the point of becoming parishes themselves. The parish has established health and nutritional centers where people can receive basic healthcare and bring their young children for education and food respectively. I heard parishioners talk about the impact past priests have had in their lives and priests with us explain how they have seen parishioners there grow in their service to the Church. As we all are, I am called to sow seeds in the lives of others and trust that God will bring the growth (Mt 13). My time in the Dominican Republic, seeing the growth God has brought about over forty years, is a convincing witness that God will bring the growth He desires from the seeds He asks me to sow.
I am Craig, and I am Gregorio, and my life has been changed because of the two months I spent in the Dominican Republic. Praise be to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the graces of confidence to go out and spread the Gospel, conviction that my vocational call is full of life and joy, and a renewed trust in the power of God to bring growth from the seeds He asks me to sow.
Dolores Puértolas, who coordinates this project (far right) with Bishop Tomás Alejo Concepción
from San Juan de la Maguana, and the civil authorities who participated in the event
On March 12 took place the inauguration and blessing of the “Altos de la Caobita” eco-hotel and retreat house. This is an initiative of the Community of Saint Paul in Barrera, Dominican Republic, which aims to promote a space for retreat and leisure in the middle of nature. The promotion of sustainable tourism and the creation of direct and indirect jobs are some of the main objectives, as well as the preservation of the environment in a privileged setting, with the Sierra de Martín García as the background National Park and the scientific reserve of the mangroves of the La Caobita area. The project, a non-profit social enterprise, goes hand in hand with a project in the town of Barrera focused on agroforestry development, community and sustainable tourism, and job training.
The project has the capacity to accommodate 18 people in villas and family spaces, as well as ample camping areas. It promotes walks and boat trips in the area and is an ideal place to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of life, recharge one’s “batteries” and pray and meditate in front of the wonderful view of Caobita beach.
The blessing of the space was celebrated by Msgr. Tomás Alejo Concepción, bishop of San Juan de la Maguana, and was attended by Antoinette Mensah, director of the missions office of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, as well as various regional authorities. Amongst them, the Governor Gray Pérez of Azua Province, and Senator Lía Díaz. We are grateful for the collaboration of institutions and friends from the Dominican Republic, the United States and Spain who have been helping for a long time so that this project can now be a reality.
“Círculo Rojo” Publishing house, from Spain, has just published “El fascinante origen de la República Dominicana” (The fascinating Origin of the Dominican Republic) by Esteve Redolad, a member of the Community of Saint Paul.
The book combines historical rigor with a dynamic and entertaining reading. It is aimed at Dominicans, and all those who are interested in this wonderful country, and those who like history, especially Spanish colonization, slavery and Latin-American emancipation.
The book intends to question some myths, in which, as in most national narratives, “we” are inevitably the good guys and “the others”, the bad ones.
The book can be purchased in printed format at Amazon, Casa del Libro and the Círculo Rojo Publishing House and in digital format at the Casa del Libro, Agapea and El Corte Inglés.
On February 16th, the Dominican municipal elections had to be suspended by the Central Electoral Board because the automated voting system failed. A few hours after the voting began, the elections had to be canceled. This unprecedented fact had never been seen in the country and caused a great bewilderment that led to loud demonstrations followed by a great meeting on February 27th, Independence Day, in the Plaza de las Banderas of Santo Domingo. Dressed in black, most of those still demonstrating are young people, who protest the electoral system and demand true democracy for the country.
The government called the disruption “regrettable” and asked the Organization of American States (OEA) for an investigation into the possible causes of the incident. Several political scientists explain that the demonstrations of these days, the first of this magnitude since the end of the dictatorship, are the last straw. There is political fatigue towards the ruling party, which has been in power 20 of the past 24 years. Although there have been substantial changes, including various social policies and economic progress has been uninterrupted, problems of security for the average citizen, low quality services such as education, public health, few opportunities for young people, corruption, especially the Odebrecht scandal have undermined people's confidence in the institutions that run the country. Until a few years ago, citizens in the Dominican Republic were far removed from political discussion and in recent years that is changing.
The new date for municipal elections is March 15th, and this year there will also be the general elections, scheduled for May 17th. We hope that this process and these demonstrations will serve peacefully to contribute to a higher quality, transparent and participatory democracy that serves the many challenges of the citizens.
The Community of Saint Paul serving in La Sagrada Familia in Sabana Yegua (Azua, Dominican Republic) was visited recently by Frs. Curt Frederick and James Lobacz, general vicars of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, who traveled with Fr. Tim Kitzke, member of the Placement Board of the archdiocese and pastor of several parishes in the city of Milwaukee.
They came as part of Archbishop Jerome Listecki’s plan to ensure that the leadership of the Archdiocese is familiar with the reality of its sister parish in the Dominican Republic. The visitors were able to see several of the parish rural communities and their chapels, they concelebrated in Sunday Mass, and also saw some of the social programs that the Community of Saint Paul develops in the area (the Health Center, the three Educational Children’s Centers, water projects and the project to establish latrines, amongst others). They also had a chance to enjoy a future project of the Community of Saint Paul, the Eco-hotel “Altos de La Caobita”. We are grateful for their visit and for the support that La Sagrada Familia Parish has received for many years from so many people in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
A group of doctors and volunteers from Wisconsin visit Sabana Yegua and serve more than a thousand people in a week
Juan Manuel Camacho, from Sabana Yegua (Dominican Republic) sends us this news:
"From January 6 to 13 we had the traditional visit of the group of parishioners of Saint Mary Catholic Church, in Kenosha (Wisconsin, USA), for the much-desired annual ophthalmological campaign. This time they were able to carry out 110 surgeries (cataracts and pterigium) at the local Taiwan hospital, and they checked the eyes of more than 900 people, providing all those who needed them with glasses. During the week in which the ophthalmologists visit us, the facilities of the parish become a medical field where people are checked and prepared for surgeries.
This campaign is an excellent opportunity for Dominican volunteers from the local community and the volunteers from the United States to share experiences, work and camaraderie, strengthening ties of friendship. From here, we want to thank the dedication of all the volunteers that make it possible for this annual campaign to be so fruitful. 2019 was the fourteenth consecutive year in which we have been able to do it. Thank you, dear friends from Kenosha!»
I remember that years ago there was in Spain a famous song announcing the lottery. It said, “The hope of every day is to share the ticket of the ONCE”. ONCE (the Spanish National Organization of the Blind) is an entity well known in the country for their lottery tickets, and the money obtained from these tickets benefits the many charitable activities that the organization carries out for the blind. Recently, this song came to mind while I was thinking about our reality in the Dominican Republic. Throughout the country—a nation with an extreme poverty rate of 6% and a moderate poverty rate of 29%—the disproportionate number of posts that sell lottery ticket, which one can find in every corner, even in the most isolated and unfortunate villages, is notable. It has been estimated that there are 154 lottery exchanges for every public school in the Dominican Republic.
Of course, there is a reason for that: it is so difficult to fulfill one’s big dreams with the product of the daily work that many people decide to enjoy life in other ways. They do it by installing satellite dishes and watching endless soap operas, they do it by alienating themselves consuming alcohol, or by celebrating special occasions with big parties. Yet another way is to dream about winning the lottery: for only a little money, one could win a major prize. However, this “small” amount of money, wasted day after day, becomes an important expense —and often an addiction.
If you think about this reality, it could make you want to bang your head against a wall trying to understand how one squanders the small amount of money one obtains from work, instead of better using it to cover basic family needs. Nevertheless, you must place yourself in the other person’s situation, in order to try to understand. Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo, in their book “Poor Economics” observe that precisely the little things that make life less tiring are a priority for the poor, who, in place of raging against fate, endure it. Therefore, in many cases, instead of ignoring whims and focusing on necessities, people do just the opposite. They are lenient with themselves because they are skeptical about their supposed opportunities and the possibility of radical change in their lives. And indeed, they have many reasons to be skeptical! They ask themselves if it’s worth the trouble to sacrifice for an unlikely change, which, in addition can arrive too late.
In any case, regarding the lottery, the reality is that in the Dominican Republic its proliferation damages the lowest economic classes. The bishop of San Juan de la Maguana, Msgr. José Grullon, usually promotes from the pulpit an attitude of saving money and organizing the family’s finances as a better way of fighting poverty than hoping for the unlikely prize to come. In his homilies, he often mentions—with his typical common sense— that the only one who gets rich with the lottery is the owner of the lottery business. How right he is!
We really hope that for more and more people the real “hope of every day” might be the hope of a good job, the hope of sending the children to school, and thus gaining the opportunity of a better future. It surely is a stronger bet than the expectation of obtaining a more than improbable prize; most of the time, while waiting for it, the domestic economy suffers—and it’s all for nothing.
Safe transportation for children from a rural community in the Dominican Republic
In 2019 the Association "Smile and Grow", founded in Barcelona, will celebrate the tenth anniversary of collaboration with the Community of Saint Paul and La Sagrada Familia Parish. It has been ten consecutive years in which young people from Spain have spent their summers in the Dominican Republic, organizing, as volunteers, activities for the children of Sabana Yegua.
Apart from its traditional summer activities (tutoring students, teaching values true games), the group has been incorporating other collaborations in recent years, taking advantage of the professional training of its volunteers. For example, they created "Smile in Health", with medical talks in various communities conducted by medical and nursing students.
This year, two architecture students were dismayed by the precarious situation of the “Km 13” community, a rural village located on the edge of the state highway, only two kilometers away from Sabana Yegua. One of their concerns was the insecurity that people endure by being so close to the road, and especially the difficulty of the children to walk to school in Sabana Yegua following the road, where cars and trucks pass at full speed, having already produced several accidents.
Five years ago, the parish got a bus, donated by the Dominican Government, for school transportation of young people from two other rural communities (Km 7 and Km 8) to the Secondary School of Sabana Yegua. Those in charge of the parish had already considered expanding the route and the bus also picking up the children from km. 13 to take them to school, but the difficulty there was to obtain enough resources to pay the driver (each child is already asked to give a contribution to cover the fuel). After a meeting with the community, the two young men from “Smile and Grow” decided to meet with the mayor of Sabana Yegua and request a collaboration, so that “Km. 13” could have this service, and they got it! The municipality is giving a small monthly contribution to pay the driver and since last August, 25 children and young people from “Km. 13” already go to school by bus. From here, we would like to express our gratitude to the youth of “Smile and Grow” for their commitment and sensitivity, which bear new fruits every year.
Bishop José Grullón, from San Juan de la Maguana, blesses and inaugurates a new chapel in Mordán, a community of La Sagrada Familia parish (Azua, Dominican Republic)
In one of the most remote corners of this parish, in the southwest of the Dominican Republic –formed by 22 communities and under the charge of the Community of Saint Paul– until recently people met in a wooden house in poor condition to celebrate there the Eucharist and the other sacraments. They had been hoping for a long time for the construction of a chapel in their village.
Thanks to the collaboration of Sacred Heart parish in Racine (Wisconsin, USA), which is also in charge of a member of the Community of Saint Paul (Fr. Ricardo Martín), the new chapel in Mordán has now become reality. The parishioners of Sacred Heart raised funds a year ago for the construction of the chapel of Tábara Abajo (at the time, we mentioned it in this blog), and after the inauguration they launched to promote the construction of the chapel of San Juan Bautista, in Mordán.
On August 24th, with the presence of the Bishop José Grullón of San Juan de la Maguana and a group of Sacred Heart parishioners, who arrived from Wisconsin, the community celebrated the blessing of the new chapel. During the week the premises of the church will serve so that, in them, cooking, pastry, electricity, accounting and other courses will take place to collaborate with this community, which traditionally lived off the burning of charcoal, and which is very in need of people with more diverse professional skills.
The people in Mordán showed their happiness with the celebration of a Eucharist accompanied by songs, dances and food for all those present. They also shared some sincere words to thank Sacred Heart parish and all its parishioners.
In preparation for the 525th anniversary (in 2019) of the first Eucharist celebrated in the New World, the Dominican Episcopal Conference declared 2018 as the Year of the Eucharist. In this context, celebrating the month of September as the month of the Bible, took place the Second Biblical Congress of the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana. The congress was held on Saturday, September 1, at the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios parish, in Azua.
The event was organized by Fr. Juan Manuel Camacho, a member of the Community of Saint Paul, who is responsible for the Diocesan Biblical Commission, and the theme was "WORD AND EUCHARIST." The conference of the congress was delivered by Fr. Martí Colom, also of our community.
Martí shared with the attendees some reflections on various biblical passages related to the Eucharist, starting with the accounts of the Last Supper and then expanding the focus to "the other Eucharists", that is, other “eucharistic moments” related by the Gospels. We saw how these other moments can enrich our understanding of the Eucharist, as each one of them underlines an aspect of the Eucharist. For example, the joy that should be present in all our celebrations (as it is present at the Wedding in Cana), or the radically inclusive fraternity which we see in the meals of Jesus at the house of tax collectors, or the gift of full and responsible freedom that Jesus gives us –if we are willing to receive it– that underlies the Johannine text of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes.
His presentation was very well received by the more than 200 participants of the Congress, who came from different parishes of the region. They returned to their communities with the desire to continue deepening in the scriptures and in what they teach us about the Eucharist.
The Community of Saint Paul starts a water supply project for agriculture as an alternative to burning coal in the Dominican Republic
Antonio is 70 years old and has always lived in the mountains: he has spent his entire life cutting trees for the construction of houses and for selling firewood or coal. In the town of Barrera, next to the Sierra de Martín García, a beautiful protected national park in the southwest of the Dominican Republic, that was the basic livelihood of almost half of the inhabitants of this town of 2,500. Two years ago, the Ministry of Environment prohibited the commercialization of charcoal to protect the vegetation of the area, but no alternatives were given to the people. Since then, villagers insist on cultivating the land to get by, but water is scarce.
In several meetings held with the community, the idea of channeling the water from a spring that is now rarely used arose. Water, which runs through a natural ditch, is lost in large part by evaporation, filtration and because at night nobody uses it. With the help of an engineer, last year a complete project was designed, with the plan to build a spring protection, a water tank and a pipeline to the cultivation areas and exploit alternative crops with drip irrigation systems.
At this moment, the first phase of the project is being initiated, with the construction of the spring protection, thanks to the visit and help of the "Project Water" group from Milwaukee, led by Mr. Patrick Harrington. Our friend Antonio told us a few days ago: "It is very hard to live on coal! If we could, we would definitely do something else!"
Our hope is that this new project may become a valid alternative to coal that may ensure the wellbeing of the inhabitants of the area.
Last year, the Archbishop of Milwaukee, Jerome Listecki, visited the Dominican Republic to celebrate thirty-five years of the partnership between the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and La Sagrada Familia Parish in Sabana Yegua (Azua). This beautiful thirty-five year relationship of faith and friendship has undoubtedly produced many fruits, both in Milwaukee and the Dominican Republic.
During these thirty-five years, for instance, vocations have flourished. Today we have three ordained priests, originally from La Sagrada Familia, who work in parishes in the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana; there are also three seminarians in formation in the local diocesan seminary; and five members of the Community of St. Paul are also from La Sagrada Familia Parish. In addition to that, five priests from the Community of St. Paul lived in the parish during their formation, before entering the seminary. They now enrich Milwaukee with their experience as missionaries.
In order to continue to strengthen this relationship of Sister Churches, the Auxiliary Bishops of Milwaukee James Schuerman and Jeffrey Haines, as well as the Vicar Generals David Reith, Jerry Herda and Javier Bustos, visited Sabana Yegua during the first months of 2018. They were all able to celebrate the Eucharist with the local community and see various areas of the parish, where they were received with much love and affection. Bishop Schuerman, especially, had a moving meeting with parishioners from the parish, since he worked there as a missionary priest from 1992 to 1996; they were able to share many memories.
Thirty-five years of faith and shared friendship is a great accomplishment, surely a work of God!
In the middle of a violent racist episode, a chapel became a temporary refuge for a Haitian family
Last month, an immigrant from Haiti robbed and killed a farmer from Sabana Yegua, Azua, Dominican Republic. It was an atrocious act. The perpetrator was immediately captured and is now in the hands of justice. The crime was then followed by a disproportionate and irrational reaction against all Haitians who live in the town, which is the headquarters of La Sagrada Familia Parish. The same night of the crime, a group of people (some with criminal records) took to the streets of the town, beating and, with machetes, attacking several Haitians. They set three homes on fire, robbed and took away property from Haitians, excusing it all as retaliation for the death of the farmer.
From that moment, Haitians in town feared for their lives; many returned to Haiti, and others hid themselves in the fields, outside the village. We, as representatives of the Church, called local authorities and mobilized several organizations to stop the brutality that was occurring, asking for compliance with the law, civility and peace.
Intolerance and xenophobia against Haitians have been present for a long time in the Dominican Republic. They have deep historical, economic and social roots, and produce cyclical altercations and episodes of intolerance. When this happens, there are always voices who make the ridiculous accusation that the neighboring country (Haiti) is carrying out a peaceful invasion of the Spanish-speaking side of the island. Historical episodes from the past are mixed with present day immigration circumstances; yet, they are completely different. In fact, today Haitians are a key part of the economy of the Dominican Republic, as a workforce in agriculture, and there is no doubt that the Dominican Republic’s exports to Haiti are very important for the nation’s commerce.
Joselito, a 45-year-old man from Haiti, arrived in the DR as a twelve-year-old orphan looking for a better life. He admitted to me that he was terrified, and that he needed protection. He and his wife, Melady, have ten children, and as is the case with many families, it is very difficult to give their children all that they need. Yet, Joselito and Melady have never committed a crime and are legal residents in this country. Their children were born here and are now completing high school. He was afraid that they could be the target of the anger of those attacking Haitians just because of their nationality.
We decided to move Joselito and his family to the new chapel in Tábara Abajo, a town located a few miles away from Sabana Yegua. Therefore, this little chapel, which was inaugurated in December, had the honor of sheltering a foreigner in need of lodging. For one week, the family stayed there, without beds or furniture. At first some neighbors were suspicious, but common sense prevailed. In fact, a neighbor told us that many Dominicans have family in the USA, Spain, Italy and Switzerland: these are people who have immigrated in search of work, and none of them would like to be judged because of a crime committed by another person. Those who sparked the outrage tried to continue the talk of expelling all the Haitians from town. However, they were not supported, and finally things returned to normal. Nevertheless, it’s important not to lower our guard, for it is obvious that what happened was very, very grave.
It is essential that the law may act against those who commit a crime, regardless of their nationality, and we must promote coexistence, respect and dignity for all people. In any case, the church which is made of living stones (that is, all of us) and the church/temple (that is, the building) should always be a sheltering and welcoming place, a true home for everyone. On this occasion, our humble chapel at Tábara was just that, in a concrete and tangible way.
Weddings in the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic
On November 25, in the cathedral in San Juan de la Maguana, 18 couples from La Sagrada Familia Parish said, “I do”, in a great ceremony in which 174 couples were married. It was an important wedding ceremony for the whole diocese, in a cathedral packed with couples, witnesses, songs and much joy. And it wasn’t a gathering of young people: the average age of the engaged couples was well over 40.
In the Dominican Republic, marriage, even civil marriage, is not common. The fear of commitment, respect for the indissolubility of the sacrament, as well as many additional social, economic and psychological factors contribute to make matrimony quite infrequent.
In one of the talks that we gave to these 18 couples, someone told them that they all were brave. In the Dominican Republic a civil wedding is rare, and a wedding performed in the Church is almost counter-cultural.
We applaud the decision of the diocese of San Juan, to celebrate these collective weddings, that affirm the love of the couples, fortify the families already created, and fill the relatives and brides and grooms with pride. After the celebration, the 18 new couples walked through their communities smiling, happy and cognizant of the fact that although they had already lived together for many years, they now were initiating a new stage of life, full of blessings. To them we say, with joy, congratulations!
This time we’d like to share the witness of Steve and Kathy Hrpcek and their group of their experience with the Community of Saint Paul in La Sagrada Familia parish in the Dominican Republic.
Father Ricardo Martín led our group of eight parishioners from Sacred Heart in Racine, Wisconsin, USA to dedicate a new chapel in Tabara Abajo, Azua, which was built with funds raised by our parish during this past Lenten season. It’s almost impossible to try and put into words everything that we saw and felt during our eight-day trip to the La Sagrada Familia parish in the Dominican Republic, but we will try.
The members of our group included: Nikki Rosati, Sallie Hollow, Dan and Sue Horton, Steve and Kathy Hrpcek, Shawn Olley, and Kathleen Kostroski. Along with our luggage, we also brought several hundred dollars’ worth of donated educational toys for their child care center. Upon arrival at the airport in the capital city of Santo Domingo, we were met by one of the two pastors that take care of the 22 communities within their parish, Father Juan Manuel Camacho. The 3-hour drive to the main parish and visitor center in Sabana Yegua provided us a view of the beautiful mountains in the Dominican Republic, as well as some of the differences from what we are used to in Racine… loud music, dogs walking in the streets, and so many motor bikes and cars. When we arrived at the parish center we were met by our other hosts for the week, Pastor Esteban Redolad, Dolores Puértolas and Indhira Bautista of the Community of St. Paul. This parish center was the base of the operations for the first five nights of our trip.
During the trip we were able to learn more about the various la Sagrada Family Parish ministries. This included visits to:
- A child care center with over 40 very vocal 3 – 5-year-old children that were rehearsing the story of Mary & Joseph and the birth of Jesus,
- Training centers focused of developing skills of young women in the areas of sewing, crafts and beauticians,
- A self-sustaining bakery that provided employment to men,
- Both a physical therapy center and health care center that were focused on medical needs of the community,
- After school centers that provide tutoring for “at risk” students to keep them in school,
- The elderly of the community.
- Beyond the ministries there are numerous projects that the staff is involved in. By working with local communities, they have completed projects that now provide safe drinking water to the rural areas, as well as building houses and latrines for families. It was truly amazing to see what this small group had already accomplished. But they are not resting… they are exploring new ideas on how they can further make a difference for the individuals they serve.
Seeing the new chapel for the first time in Tabara Abajo, we were filled with emotion. The builders were provided with photos of the statues of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother from Sacred Heart Parish in Racine, and turned them into tiles that form pictures that are on the walls in the new chapel. It brought tears to our eyes and will be a constant reminder of the connection between our two parishes. We absolutely loved it! By the way, Father Juan, who is involved in many of the other projects and ministries, did most of the planning for the new chapel. The dedication ceremony and mass were led by Bishop José Grullón, and there were more people attending the service than could fit into the chapel. You can tell that the 75-year old bishop truly loves his job and is so passionate and energetic. The music, decorations and flowers were so beautiful. After the mass it seemed like everyone there wanted to give us a hug or a kiss and to say thank you. One of the local families provided dinner to celebrate the new building, which ended a very beautiful day.
During the trip we had plenty of time to build stronger friendships, both within the group traveling from Sacred Heart and with our hosts in Sabana Yegua. We did everything as a group. We ate all our meals together, where we talked about our experiences during the trip, as well as the interests and activities we are involved in. We traveled together in a group in their vehicles, which included riding in the back of the pick-up trucks down unpaved roads. We had trips to two very beautiful beaches where we could swim, look for shells and just spend time together. When we finished our visit in Sabana Yegua we spent time exploring Colonial Santo Domingo together. This included visiting the First Cathedral of the Americas, Basílica Catedral Santa María de la Encarnación, which is over 500 years old.
While there were many photos taken that showed what we saw and what we did, they do not do justice to the feeling and emotions that each of us experienced during the trip:
- The joy of the children in the child care center with seeing a puppet or being able to take a selfie with our cell phones,
- The pride of the individuals that were building the latrines and water projects,
- The conflicted feelings of sadness we experienced when we were invited into someone’s home and we could see how they lived, with the feeling of joy and the warm welcome (which normally included a hug or a kiss) we received from the person that lived there,
- A feeling of guilt, when a woman, whose family income was about $40 a month and was getting a latrine built for her home, provided us with a soft drink because she wanted to be a good host (we easily spend more than that going out to dinner once)… it was this same woman that broke down in tears when we applauded her for going back to school to complete her high school degree,
- The warm welcome, hugs and handshakes in the daily masses we participated in,
- The pride a mother had in her children when she showed us their pictures from school and their birth certificates,
-The joy of children we saw, whether they were walking to school, jumping and swimming in a river or taking a bath in a small tub right on the side of a street.
- While language may have been a barrier in our communication, the joy, friendship, and the appreciation expressed toward us was certainly not!
Reflecting on the trip, we learned that it was more than just participating in the dedication of a new chapel. Through our experiences, this trip provided each of us with a unique opportunity to learn more about ourselves. The challenge now is to apply what we learned to further grow as individuals and in our faith.
Follow the link to watch the video of the chapel:
https://www.facebook.com/sacredheartracine/videos/1742256652485878/
On World Health Day, which was celebrated November 19, the United Nations reminded us that today in the world there are 2,400 million people without access to sanitation, and almost a billion people who take care of their physiological needs in the outdoors.
Since the beginning of the presence of the Community of St. Paul in the Dominican Republic, 14 years ago, we have been involved, from La Sagrada Familia parish, in building latrines for the most disadvantaged families of the region. In spite of the remarkable progress that has taken place, today almost 1,000 families in the parish territory that we serve still have no toilets.
La Sagrada Familia parish and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee have had a partnership for the past 35 years. Last January, we celebrated this 35th anniversary with a visit from the Archbishop of Milwaukee and a group of catholic faithful, who made a pilgrimage to the Dominican Republic. Upon seeing the need for dignified toilets for families, the Archbishop dedicated his Lenten campaign to this cause. Friends and acquaintances generously responded to his call, raising enough money to build 200 latrines.
We are very grateful for this collaboration, and would like to take this opportunity to share a short video, in which the priests currently in charge of La Sagrada Familia explain the process of building one such latrine.
From the 12th to the 19th of October, a group of ten people from Holy Apostles parish of New Berlin, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, visited the La Sagrada Familia parish of Sabana Yegua. Since 2013, Holy Apostles has a twinning relationship with La Sagrada Familia, which over the years has bear much fruit. In the last two years, the most significant result of this relationship between sister-churches has been the medical campaigns carried in Sabana Yegua by members of Holy Apostles, to provide specific attention to the significant population of Haitian immigrants in the parish.
This last time we had the participation of a general practitioner, a pediatrician and a dentist, who served 273 people during the three days of the clinic. One hundred and forty-one patients received general medical care for a wide variety of diseases, especially infections caused by the use of unsafe water and stress-related illnesses. Stress-related disorders are very common in the Haitian community: food insecurity, economic insecurity, housing and immigration status in the new country expose people to much tension, which is reflected in continuous headaches, backaches and stomach ailments.
Fifty-two people received dental services, such as check-ups and minor surgeries of extraction of teeth. Eighty children from the child care program carried out by the Community of Saint Paul were also reviewed and attended. Many were given preventive general and oral health treatments.
We are grateful for the enthusiasm of our friends from Holy Apostles, for their readiness to share their time and medical knowledge with us, and for wanting to contribute a bit to the task of welcoming Haitian immigrants in Sabana Yegua.
Two groups from Milwaukee visit La Sagrada Familia parish in Sabana Yegua
Recently, the Community of Saint Paul, working at La Sagrada Familia parish in Sabana Yegua (Azua, Dominican Republic) received the visit of a number of friends and volunteers from Milwaukee.
First, we welcomed a group of 16 young adults who came on a mission trip to experience the life of the parish and the diverse ministries that take place here. This is the second time that we have young adults from Milwaukee visiting us. Their visit is the result of a shared effort between the World Mission Office of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Catholic Financial Life and the Community of Saint Paul, to organize these trips and make available to young men and women from Milwaukee the opportunity to experience different realities of the Church and the world.
While in the DR, the young adults took on different projects, working along with youth from La Sagrada Familia. They played games with children, organized a show case for the people of Proyecto 4 (a community within the parish), built latrines with the local beneficiaries and celebrated faith with the different communities around the Eucharist. They were able to share their gifts with the people of the parish; at the same time they received the warmth and love from their brothers and sisters in the Dominican Republic.
Just after this visit, a group of seven friends from Wisconsin, from “Proyecto Agua” (a small initiative that arose from a previous trip to the DR) came to work building latrines and to offer speech therapy sessions, as well as to share with the community.
Both groups had an enriching visit, and returned to the U.S. with many cherished moments in their hearts. To all, we say, thanks for visiting!
The Dominican Republic Ranks First in Latin and America and the Caribbean for “Married” or “United” Children and Adolescents
“Did you hear? Little Carmen is now married.” When you hear this in the Dominican Republic, especially in the South, you do not have to understand that between Carmen and her partner a civil or religious wedding took place. It simply means that two people are now living together, as a couple.
This happens often with very young girls, especially in the social sectors with lower educational levels. A pregnancy is often the cause for it, although not always.
In some cases, indeed, a young girl becomes pregnant as a result of a relationship, and then she goes to live with her partner. In some instances, once the girl is pregnant she is pressured to leave her school, although legally, no one can force her to do this. At the same time, she is “invited” by her family of origin to go and live with the father of the child on the way, with whom, quite often, she is not in a stable relationship. This produces a double rejection for the girl, that of the school and that of her family. However, the boy can continue school with no problem, and no one throws him out of his house. These are the worst cases.
In other occasions, the family of the girl knows that she is having relations with the boy, and so they force her to leave the house and join him, even though there is no pregnancy. In this way, they avoid the gossip of the neighbors, who would see her as a girl of loose morals.
There are even worse situations. Many girls and adolescents go to live with an older man. The man “takes care of her” and provides for her. Thus, they go from being girls to being mothers in an instant, barely experiencing youth. The difference in age and the girl’s abandoning school lead to the dramatic inequality of the couple, to her low self-esteem and, often, to instances of domestic violence. The study, “Married Girls”, carried out by the NGO Plan Internacional in the provinces of Azua, Barahona, Pedernales, Elías Piña and San Juan, claims that one of every five (or 23.4%) of the teenagers between the age of fifteen and nineteen is married to or living with a man ten years older than she. According to this study, in 39% of the cases, the men say that they like to have a very young wife because she is more obedient and can be easily dominated.
According to the author of the investigation, Jeannette Tineo, child marriage is the result of already existing intrafamily violence in the child’s home, the expectation of reducing the economic burden on the family, or even a business opportunity that is established between families as a means of getting out of poverty.
This negotiation happens in some families who live in poverty and know that their minor daughter is having relations with an older man. The parents accuse the man of rape. The man then, in order to avoid prison, pays a sum as reparation for the damage, and the girl becomes his spouse.
The study reveals that forced child marriage has a strong link with teenage pregnancy, and that of every ten girls interviewed who are married to older men, seven were pregnant when the union was established.
Among the actions proposed by Plan Internacional is that legislators support raising the minimum age for marriage to eighteen years of age. Currently the Dominican legal code permits a girl, with her parent’s permission, to marry when she is fifteen.
It is obvious, at any rate, that an urgent need exists to continue educating mothers, fathers, boys, girls and adolescents regarding values, so that these situations disappear. No one seeking the development of a dignified society of empowered men and women wants married girls.
The Community of St. Paul continues to develop an environmental health program in the Dominican Republic
“They used to say that the witches ate up the children, but what killed them was in fact diarrhea”. The Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana has built more than 18,000 toilets in 25 years. As part of this same effort, the Community of St. Paul, from La Sagrada Familia parish in Sabana Yegua, has built more than 2,000 toilets in the last 14 years.
A few days ago, the executive director of FUNDASEP (the foundation of the Diocese of San Juan for human development) told us, with great enthusiasm, of the great impact over the years of the uninterrupted construction of sanitary outhouses with dry wells and toilets. Msgr. José Grullón, Bishop of San Juan, insists that they no longer be called latrines, but rather “lavatories”, because with the toilets placed in them now, they gain more dignity. Also, he insists —despite people asking once in a while why the Church concerns itself with such material matters— that the work of the Church and of all Christians it is to be concerned with the whole person.
Indeed, what is more important than the life of a child? And so many children were dying from diarrhea as a result of gastrointestinal illnesses caused by parasites, bacteria and bad drainage. It is no secret that when people take care of their needs in open fields, diseases spread easily. No, it was not the witches or a bad spirit or a curse that ate the children. What “ate them up” and literally killed them were the recurring gastrointestinal infections.
In the last decades, the situation has drastically changed. We could say that our environmental health program has indeed “killed the witches”. We thank many people and institutions for the support we have received for the construction of toilets and promotion of hand washing. Although a great number of families already have their bathroom inside and thousands have toilets or improved outhouses, still 15% of the homes in the region where we work have no bathroom. We are decided to continue with this program until there remains no family without a toilet.
The Community of Saint Paul begins a Plastic Recycling Program in Sabana Yegua, Dominican Republic
About six months ago, the “Galilea” Parish Youth Group of La Sagrada Familia in Sabana Yegua took on a project sponsored by the Community of St. Paul. The idea was simple: to start a culture of recycling in town.
First, the youth made a short video that explained a twofold problem: the environmental contamination that arises from discarded plastics and the proliferation of mosquitoes that the trash laying on the streets attracts, which contributes to the propagation of illnesses, such as Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika.
In order to tape the video, the youth visited the city dump and saw the great quantity of plastics there in the open air. They were told that it takes many decades for the plastics to disintegrate. Once the video was edited, it was shown to the parish, as a tool to explain to as many people as possible the importance of carrying out a town “clean up”, by reusing and recycling plastic. The parish youth distributed bags and cans to the homes of families who wanted to participate in the project.
Currently, because of this initiative, there are 30 collection sites in town, where people can go to drop off their used plastic so that it can be recycled. Neighbors bring their plastics to these sites and the municipal garbage trucks pick them up one day each week. The plastic materials are stored in the town hall and picked up by a recycling company later.
The parish youth have also begun presenting talks to schools and other groups in Sabana Yegua, so that the entire town can receive the environmental education and participate in the initiative. They are also thinking of promoting recycling through activities that are at the same time educational and fun.
We hope to reduce the size of the town dump and the amount of plastic in the streets. To that end, we hope that everyone in town may participate in this endeavor!
As we have mentioned before in this blog, the Community of Saint Paul runs a physical therapy center in La Sagrada Familia parish of Sabana Yegua. Last week, a group of friends from the USA came from Wisconsin to visit: Chad Novasic and Kim Jansen were dedicated to physical therapy, while Suzanne Nickolai and Susan Masiakowski had the opportunity to be present at the opening of a new Childcare center for Haitian immigrants in one of the parish’s villages. We’d like to thank them for their help, and share their witness with you:
«This morning Kim and Chad saw 29 patients in the clinic. Strokes. Motorcycle accidents. Childhood illnesses. Post-operative orthopedic surgeries. Birth defects. Traumatic brain injuries. People and families literally came from miles around and some waited hours to be evaluated. All grateful for whatever advice could be given to improve their quality of life. In the afternoon, Sue and I rode out with Indhira, the child education coordinator, and helped set up and open the first Haitian Childcare Center in the province of Azua. We made wall decorations and brought games, coloring books, and puzzles donated by the children at St. Mary's grade school and preschool. Words cannot begin to express the humbling feeling of a classroom full of 25 children on the first day of school with no running water, a caved in roof, a single box of toys, a single tub of supplies. No fancy backpacks or supply lists. No aide or substitute. It is a feeling of inadequacy to know that so simple an action this afternoon is potentially life altering for these children. There is no alternative or choice. As we cut flowers to decorate the blank concrete walls, the thought was that this flower better be the best flower that we can make because this is the only gift that I can give. We may be tiny pebbles thrown into a pond, but even tiny pebbles can create a broad ripple of waves that touch every edge of the pond.»
A group of representatives of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, including its archbishop, visit the parish La Sagrada Familia of Sabana Yegua in the Dominican Republic
From the 17 to the 24 of January, Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee visited Sabana Yegua with a group of pilgrims from Wisconsin to celebrate the 35 years of twinning between his archdiocese and the parish of La Sagrada Familia, located within the diocese of San Juan de la Maguana.
Since 1981, diocesan priests from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee have been staffing the parish La Sagrada Familia, and for the last thirteen years it has been diocesan priests of Milwaukee who are also members of the Community of St. Paul. This fruitful relationship has been guided throughout the years by the theme “Sharing Faith and Friendship”, and it has greatly enriched both sister churches. Today, thanks to this relationship of mutual support, both Milwaukee and San Juan de la Maguana know more about solidarity than they did 35 years ago.
The visit of Archbishop Listecki and his group included meetings with different pastoral groups of the parish, as well as visits to the various social projects we carry out in the region (children development centers, health clinic, the construction of latrines, the professional training center...).
On January 21, a Eucharist was celebrated in the community called Proyecto 4, coinciding with the feast day of Our Lady of Altagracia, protector of the Dominican Republic. This celebration was presided by Msgr. José Grullón, bishop of San Juan de la Maguana, and he reminded everyone that the chapel in Proyecto 4 —which has been recently remodeled— was the first site of the parish, back in the early eighties. On Sunday, the 22, another Eucharist was celebrated in Sabana Yegua, this time with Archbishop Listecki presiding, and the following day the group of pilgrims traveled to Higüey, to the Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia, to give thanks for the relationship between the two sister churches, Milwaukee and San Juan de la Maguana.
The celebration of the 35 years of collaboration left everyone involved with a feeling of deep gratitude to God for sustaining this beautiful twinning in faith and friendship, and the desire for the relationship to continue to grow for many more years to come.
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