From the Director…

ccompanied by the haunting melodies of the choir, the fragrant aroma of flowers and incense wafted throughout the church.  I bore the Eucharistic Lord in my hands, wading through the crowd of people seated on the floor.  My visit to Chiapas had brought me to Comunidad La Dolorosa (Sorrowful Mother), a community of Tzotzil people in the parish of Zinacantán.  Fr. Alfonso, one of our young Dominican priests, signaled me to assist with the distribution of  Communion.  It was a privilege for me, a gift I will never forget.  As I watched each  one of  the communicants, I was moved by the intense devotion with which they approached and received the Blessed Sacrament.  These people clearly recognized the Real Presence.  At that moment, I too realized something.  It was the Lord who brought this unlikely combination – a Filipino-American friar from the suburbs of San Diego and these faith-filled Mayan people – together.  Christ in the Eucharist unites us both to Himself and to one another!

Br. Stephen Maria with Tzeltal children in Chiapas

This was one of many treasured experiences during my recent trip to Chiapas.  Not only touched by the simple and loving people, I was also stirred by   the  natural  beauty  of   this region.  I perceived the resplendent mark of God’s hand in the majestic mountains, colorful wildlife and the flowing waters that cut through the lush vegetation.  I observed, in particular, the movement of the clouds.  Perhaps the great Jesuit poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins, gazed upon a similar sight when he penned “Hurrahing in Harvest”:

Around, up above, what wind-walks! what lovely behaviour
Of silk-sack cloud has wilder; willful-wavier
Meal-drift moulded ever and melted across the skies?

The people of Comunidad Siete de Septiembre process from their village to greet our arriving mission team.

While visiting some remote villages of the Tzeltal people, I continued to reflect on the splendor above.  Early mornings offered a quiet moment to prayerfully refuel for my busy days of ministry and running around with the energetic and fun-loving children.  As I looked up, the clouds affirmed God’s        abiding   presence   among   His people.  Like a protective mantle, they cloaked the mountains and in turn, His beloved poor.  In a very real way, the clouds tacitly pronounced that    “God has visited His people!” (Lk 7:16)

Though rich in wonderful pastoral and contemplative experiences, my time in Chiapas was not without challenges.  Very quickly I learned that the roads are not ideal for someone prone to carsickness.  My romantic ideas of missionary life soon dissipated as we traveled from one community to another.  On the hour-long trek from Ocosingo to Altamirano, I cursed myself for forgetting my Dramamine pills.    Scratching the numerous insect bites that dotted my body, I tried my best to feign composure.  However, the constant  veering of  the car, the frequent stops for speed bumps, chickens, stray dogs and cattle as well as the occasional whiff of burning trash took its toll on me.  When we finally arrived, I stepped out of the car, my head and stomach reeling. 

The second largest of the missions in the vast parish territory, the quaint town of Altamirano was a much welcomed sight after the disagreeable ride!  In the typical colonial style, the charming old church of San Caralampio faces a plaza where the children frolic and people seek respite from the demands of their arduous daily work.  The church is staffed by Fr. Nelson, one of the Dominican friars in Ocosingo, and three Dominican Missionary Sisters of the Rosary, who reside in the convent adjacent to the church.

Hospital San Carlos, Altamirano, Chiapas, Mexico – the new facility In the pediatric unit, a boy named Israel sleeps as his parents keep watch at his bedside. A mother keeps vigil as her baby receives care at the hospital.

ltamirano is also home to Hospital San Carlos, which the Dominican Mission Foundation continues to support.  Founded in 1967 by American Dominican friars and the Sisters of the Presentation (P.B.V.M.), the hospital is an outgrowth of a small clinic once located at the friars’ compound in Ocosingo.

he late Fr. Joseph Asturias, O.P., the much-beloved Mission Director, described the situation in Chiapas in the 1960’s:

“When they saw that a broken bone could be set, that a wound or infection could be healed, that a sick child could be returned to health, the Indians came to know a whole new way of life.  The story of the Good Samaritan ceased to be only a Gospel story of 2000 years ago, and became instead a living expression of the love of Christ demanded of His followers.”

Responding to the still urgent healthcare needs of the indigenous people, the hospital is now under the very able direction of the Daughters of Charity.  These sisters joyfully continue the healing work of Christ – the Divine Physician.

We arrived at the attractive new facility, which, thanks to your generosity, celebrated its grand opening on 27 November 2004 – the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.  Amidst the lobby teeming with patients and their families, we were warmly greeted by Sr. Maite Tomasena, D.C., the hospital administrator.  The contagious enthusiasm, which she radiated, was inspiring.  In the tradition of their founders, Saints Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, she and nine other sisters carry on the great legacy of Catholic healthcare.  Unique in her contribution to the alleviation of human   suffering,   the   Church places high importance on the ministry of healing.  Christ himself, after all, exhorts us, “Heal the sick.” (Mt 10:8)

The patients of Hospital San Carlos are among the poorest of the poor.  Farming the often-rocky soil along the hillsides, the people struggle to survive in a region torn by corruption and political strife. The violence, fortunately, has abated since the cease-fire in 1994, but many continue to live in poverty due to the lack of agrarian reform.  In the remote communities, there is little or no access to health care.  As such, the people travel hours and sometimes days to seek treatment at the hospital. 

Some of the common problems, Sr. Maite explained, are malnutrition, malaria, tuberculosis and parasitic infections.  Moreover, there are very high rates of death in childbirth and infancy.  A good number of the hospital’s patients are children.  Due to limited resources, the hospital cannot always provide the necessary treatment.  In these cases, the sisters find a facility that can do so. This often entails additional travel for the patient and his/her family.  We met one young man who must go to the sisters’ hospital in Merida, Yucatan – a twelve-hour journey! 

Because they are poor and so far from home, the families of the patients stay at the nearby posada.  The husbands and fathers of the patients often work around the grounds in exchange for the family’s room and board.  In the pediatric unit, we encountered one such family – a young boy, Israel, accompanied by his parents.

n their ministry, the sisters incorporate the indigenous culture at all levels of patient care.  A unique and integral aspect of Hospital San Carlos is the nurse auxiliaries.   Like the patients, these women come from the remote indigenous communities.  Their first-hand knowledge of the languages and customs of the people prove invaluable in serving the needs of the poor.  In addition to performing nursing duties, the auxiliaries  serve as translators between doctors and patients.  Their presence eases the anxiety of the patients and their families, making them feel more at home.  Because of the cultural bias and the lack of economic resources, women receive very little formal education.  As such, the Daughters of Charity house 35 young women in the nearby quinta, giving them the opportunity to complete their basic education and train in nursing skills.  Sr. Maite proudly shared that four women in the program are now pursuing nursing degrees in Mexico City.  Upon their return, they will serve in the hospital and in their own communities. 

At Hospital San Carlos, the sisters minister to thousands of people each year. I was impressed with the compassionate care they provide; however, as Sr. Maite expressed, more can be done to alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters.  The hospital, for example, operates with very dated x-ray equipment, which limits their ability  to diagnose.   A new one costs $100,000 (U.S. dollars).  Other needs include new beds for some of the units.  Your generous spiritual and material support allows the Dominican Mission Foundation to help with these and other needs to better serve God’s people in Chiapas.

As we depart Comunidad San Juan, a Tzeltal girl kisses the Blessed Sacrament. Sister Maite Tomasena, D.C., the hospital administrator, with Student Brothers Jeremiah & Stephen Maria and Br. Jorge Gonzalez, O.P., who is based in Ocosingo.

Later that week, I found myself in the colonial capital of San Cristóbal de Las Casas.  In the sixteenth century Dominican Church of Santo Domingo, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed daily. In His presence, I reflected on my experiences and gratefully lifted up the people of Chiapas and you, our coworkers, in my prayer.  I was reminded during this time that we are all called to participate in the Church’s missionary endeavor – to bring the Gospel, by witness and word, to all nations.  This, however, is made possible only through the Eucharist.   Admiring the tireless efforts of the friars and sisters in Chiapas, I realized that their compassion flows from the heart  of  Christ  in  the  Blessed Sacrament.  His healing power, as the Catechism elucidates, is “particularly active through the sacraments, and in an altogether special way through the Eucharist.”

ertainly, the Eucharist unites us in an intimate encounter with God, but it also unites us to the entire human family. The Holy Father explains in Mane Nobiscum Domine that it is precisely the Eucharist that empowers each one of us to be “promoters of communion, peace and solidarity.”  In the Blessed Sacrament, the Physician of our souls and bodies, impels us to be authentic Good Samaritans, particularly to our poor brothers and sisters in Christ.  In this Year of the Eucharist, let us center ourselves on the Eucharistic Lord, renewing our “commitment to building a more just and fraternal society” in Chiapas and throughout the world.