Reflection from your Co-Pastors
Aug 4, 2020
Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.
The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.
If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him... the people who give you their food give you their heart.
Cesar Chevez 1927-1993
El Paso: One Year Later (yesterday Aug. 3)
“The Gospel of Jesus is real and prophetic…” said Fr. Artura Banuelas, priest at St. Mark’s church in El Paso in an interview with Commonweal (a lay-authored Catholic monthly publication). Fr. Banuelas went immediately to the shooting at the shopping center in El Paso believing that the church belongs there. You can listen to this first hand account of then and now, and how faith is transforming the surviving victims and families. The link to the interview with Fr. Banuelas and Professor Neomi DeAnda is below.
On August 3rd one year ago, a 21-year-old white man drove hundreds of miles to a Wal-Mart in El Paso, TX, where he shot and killed 23 people and injured 23 others, the majority of them Mexican and Mexican-Americans. This young man had written a Manifesto committing to murder as many Mexicans as he could because they were threatening to take over our country. The El Paso matanza, or massacre, is considered to be the deadliest anti-Latino attack in U.S. history, and one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. (Commonweal, August 3)
One year later, Fr. Banuelas reports there are still people who are dying from their wounds, still having surgeries, and still in therapy. Funerals continue. Families remain in deep grief from the trauma and suffering. And in all their discussions, family and Faith are central. David Cloyd’s impression of the Mexican-American Boarder, one year later, is also one of Familia, kindness, and caring. He cites a recent communication with Pastor Rose, who he met during his border trip, that fewer people are crossing the Boarder and more help is needed on the Mexican side. She is
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traveling back and forth to help. Of course, White people can cross more easily than Brown people. She gratefully acknowledged our help.
Fr. Banuelas numerates three learnings from this mass murder, all concerned with White privilege, systemic and structural racism.
- Christian Love becomes a political action in the transformation of a better America.
- The blood of the martyrs affected all of us and it became evident that we share a sacred oneness.
- For societal transformation to be authentic and credible, the Black and Brown people who are oppressed themselves must rebuild the system otherwise it is status quo. The victims’ voices call us to support the poor in their efforts to rebuild the system built on racism, oppression, and inequality.
Fr. Banuelas says of the Church: “We can no longer remain on the sidelines when our brothers and sisters are suffering. We cannot be neutral in the face of hate and violence and racism otherwise we are allowing and maybe fostering a culture of hate and death.
The Gospel of Jesus is real and prophetic and that is one of the lessons that can come out for us, how we have to integrate our spirituality in solidarity and commitment especially with the poor among us.”
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which Christ looks
Compassion into the world.
Yours are the feet with which Christ walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which Christ blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
— St. Teresa of Ávila (attributed)
Click on the image below to listen to a podcast as food for thought and reflection. (No need to subscribe.)
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Discovery and Perspective
An open discussion of scripture - "Feast of the Transfiguration" Thursday at 9:00 am
All are welcomed!
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Join in conversation and connection weekly with Pastor Jane
Zoom Phone/Audio Link
+1 669 900 6833 Meeting ID: 930 8604 8248 #
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Our Service Recordings
and More
For all bulletins, reflections, Sunday recordings during our hiatus from celebrating together, visit our webpage and other videos are located here.
Please contact us with questions, concerns and ideas for better connection
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Community Prayer Requests |
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Please pray for -
Dick Life, member, for continued recovery from surgery. Jim DeMuth and family for the loss of his sister, Pat DeMuth. For Jennifer Pfeister and family for the passing of her father, Bill McClellan.
For Courtney, daughter of Jean and Tom Christen. Michael Keefe, son of member Yvonne Keefe. For the continued recovery of Linda Joyce. The Kent family whose Mother Teri (community member) and Father recently passed.
Dona Bosse - community member. Joanne Gallagher, offers prayers of thanksgiving for the success of her surgery and gratitude to our community for prayerful support.
Julie Schoenbauer and family for the passing of her father and for the family of Edwin White, brother-in-law of Pastor Jane.
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For the peaceful repose of the souls of Bill, Greg, and Calvin - friends of Deacon Rosean. .
For Rosemary - Fr Michael's mother. For Dani - Niece of the Cloyds. Mary Crosby – parishioner. For Chris Bachman, friend of Lisa Jones and Ruth Parker, sister of Dori Carroll. For Lynne Barnes and family.
Leo Six – father of Michael Six, Mike Gudim, Margie Weitz, Suzanne King, Robert Browell.
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