by Patti Pomerenke
We have all heard of people throughout the world who are poor in material possessions, but have great inner peace, happiness, and Faith. These examples can seem remote and removed from our own experience, but we have a strong example within our parish family—our sister parish, St. Mary of the Angels, in Aramberri, Mexico.
Life is hard in remote Aramberri and the surrounding area. To get an idea of how remote it is, St. Matthias parishioner Sam Colon explained that to reach Aramberri, it requires a flight to Monterrey, Mexico, then a six-hour drive which includes a drive 3000 feet up into the Sierra Madre mountains. Aramberri is nestled in a valley with 2000 more feet of mountains above it! Aramberri, a mostly agricultural town (pecan and avocado trees are their main crop), is quite spread out and contains approximately 12,000 people. Most of the homes are modest, and homes range from those with electricity and running water to more rural homes having no electricity and pit toilets. People in Aramberri and the surrounding towns are frugal and do not waste anything-they recycle virtually every item and find ways to use everything that they have.
Father Gerardo, the Pastor of St. Mary of the Angels, is constantly on the move to serve the people of Aramberri and the surrounding 36 small villages in the hills of the Sierra Madre mountains. He may preside over Sunday Mass at St. Mary of the Angels, and then drive to two more towns that day and celebrate Sunday Mass with them. The next day, he might set out to his next destination(s) and arrive in other villages to celebrate weekday Masses. Travel is slow and treacherous, much of it on steep, mountain roads. Since Father Gerardo cannot be at all places each weekend, the people in the surrounding villages often gather together to worship, teach catechism, and to share their Faith with one another without a Priest being present. Since Aramberri is the biggest town in the area, Mass is said there more often than the other villages, and some families will travel for hours to attend Sunday Mass there.
Sam mentioned that parishioners from St. Matthias have made several trips to Aramberri, most trips lasting approximately one week. While there, the St. Matthias visitors stay with families from St. Mary of the Angels, and participate in the Parish and community activities. According to Sam, it is through these experiences that one is able to see the peacefulness and gratitude of the people in Aramberri, and how they praise God in all that they do. When Sam went on this trip, he stayed with a woman who had recently been widowed, and who was also taking care of her dying brother. Even under these circumstances, she opened her home to Sam, and was truly thankful to God for providing her the opportunity to share what she had with Sam and welcome him into their community. Another memorable story was of an elderly woman who was wheelchair-bound. Father Dave prayed with her and presented her with a prayer shawl made at St. Matthias. Sam described her as having a “huge” smile and was as grateful and appreciative as if she had just been given an expensive gift. Finally, Sam recounted how they traveled to a village to view a chapel that was under construction, and after visiting the chapel, the villagers slaughtered a goat and prepared dinner for all. A goat is a valuable resource, as it can provide milk and cheese for a family or families on an ongoing basis. However, the villagers chose to share it with their visitors in a gesture of friendship, acceptance, and shared Faith.
Since St. Matthias and St. Mary of the Angels became sister parishes in approximately 2010, the faithful people of St. Matthias have been wonderfully generous with St. Mary of the Angels and with other Churches throughout the area.
One of the first fundraisers held was to raise money for a used Jeep for Father Gerardo, as his jeep had over 250,000 miles on it. St. Matthias raised the money and Father Gerardo still drives the Jeep to this day!
There was then a project to raise funds to build chapels in surrounding villages.
Until that time, parishioners would celebrate Mass in open-air churches or in lean-tos made of poles and tarps. St. Matthias parishioners donated enough money to buy material for three chapels, and the villagers provided the labor. Today, those chapels are used for Sunday Mass, celebrating weddings and baptisms, holding Christian Formation classes, and during the week also serve as schools for the local children!
Next, St. Matthias parishioners showed their generosity by donating money to put an addition onto the Church building of St. Mary of the Angels. That addition is used for Christian Formation classes, meetings, and community events. In addition, St. Mary of the Angels was able to buy 100 Bibles and 160 Religious Education books (in Spanish, of course) to form a resource library for the parish. St. Mary’s was able to start an adult Bible study group and upon completion of the Bible study, participants were given a Bible to have as their own. For most of them, this was the first Bible they ever owned. Sam Colon described it eloquently, “Due to the generosity of St. Matthias parishioners, we were able to bring them the word of God and then give them the Word of God”.
In 2013, a severe drought occurred in Mexico and in Southwest USA. In one village, the villagers would gather water from an 80 meter (262 ft) deep well one bucket at a time, because the electric pump on the well had burned out. They did have a wind-powered pump, but then the villagers would only be able to get water if there was wind. Once again, St. Matthias came to the rescue and raised money for a new pump. Sam stated that one anonymous donor at St. Matthias paid for most of the new pump.
Finally, St. Matthias parishioners donated funds to re-plaster the walls and add a microphone system to the main Church in Aramberri. This has helped St. Mary of the Angels keep their Church in good working order. Sam expressed that he, and the parishioners of St. Mary of the Angels cannot say enough about St. Matthias parish and the generosity of its people.
When asked what he learned the most about our relationship with St. Mary of the Angels, Sam stated that the Faith of the people that he met in Aramberri made the biggest impression on him. He feels he is a good and faithful Christian, but in Aramberri, he felt their Faith put into action even stronger than he imagined it could be. He also was overwhelmed by the peace and happiness of the people there, and with the simple lives they lead. In the USA, we have so many possessions, but often take it for granted. In Aramberri, they must trust in their God above all else, and it brings them peace and contentment. Sam brought back this prayer from Aramberri, and it is also listed on the St. Matthias website:
En los momentos felices, alabamos a Dios.
En los momentos dificiles, buscamos a Dios.
En los momentos tranquilos, adoramos a Dios.
En los momentos dolorosos, confiamos en Dios.
In happy moments, we praise God.
In difficult moments, we seek God.
In quiet moments, we worship God.
In painful moments, we trust God.
What’s next?
St. Matthias and St. Mary of the Angels communicate monthly, mostly via email from Father Gerardo. St. Mary’s is still in need of support, and St. Matthias’ Lenten project this year was to raise funds for them, which Father Gerardo will gratefully receive and allocate according to his judgment. Sam encourages parishioners of all ages, and especially young people, to get involved in the Sister Parish Committee. He feels it is a great opportunity to learn about the world and to perform outreach and to share what we have in common–our Catholic Faith.
To learn more:
- Visit our parish website: stmatthias-milw.org=>Parish=>Community=>Sister Parish
- Click on this link for pictures and videos from Sam Colon’s visit to Aramberri:
https://app.box.com/s/yfl80i57f0rf3fdomnmn1lbp7yqej0jc
To become involved with the Sister Parish Committee, contact the St. Matthias Parish Office and they will get you in touch with Isabel Pauc.