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The Challenge of Matthew

A small Protestant Church in Dallas, Texas, surprised members one day when they handed out envelopes of cash to all in the congregation. The minister told the people that they were to use the money in the envelopes to live out the Gospel of the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25. They were to use the money to further the fame of Jesus Christ. They were not to use the money in random acts of kindness, simply handing it to the first needy person they saw, nor keep it themselves unless they needed it for food. A number of people found clever ways to enjoy the gift of giving. One family with a young son who had spent much time in the hospital bought inexpensive teddy bears and dressed them before giving them to a hospital chaplain to distribute them. A woman bought inspirational stationary and sent encouraging notes. Although all the members enjoyed finding unique ways to use the money they received to spread the Good News, for one family it was a wake-up call. The main provider for this family had been out of steady work for over two years. He says that the money he received was a reminder that God gives us resources every day, whether it is ten dollars or our time. This family wanted to leverage their small amount and put it in something that would reproduce. They took the money they received, added some cash of their own, and gave it to an organization which was drilling a water well in mission territory. The well would continue giving.

Two years ago, in response from a challenge by Father Vince Thompson, at our mission in Colombia, and in response to Pope John Paul II’s appeal for social justice, the Boyles family began Saint Basil Coffee company in Houston, Texas. To date, the company started by these Basilian co-missionaries has distributed over $40,000 to the Basilian missions. Each person who purchases the fair trade Saint Basil coffee is also a co-missionary because in addition to gaining a delicious beverage, the profit from the sale goes directly to the missions. The Boyles family definitely is meeting the challenge of the Gospel in using their talents to spread the Good News.

You can order Saint Basil coffee at www.saintbasilcoffee.com or by phone or fax at: Phone: 281-397-2276 ; Fax: 713-880-0779. Saint Basil Coffee is available in the U.S. and Canada.

Our Basilian missions rely on, and are grateful for, your prayers and alms. In addition, if any of our co-missionaries can think of ways to further meet the Gospel challenge with new ideas for multiplying our talents for the missions, please send your ideas to Father John. We are working together to bring souls to God.

A Note From Father Jack:

What a joy it is to have Father John Boscoe, a veteran missionary and truly a wonderful Priest, become the Director of the Basilian Fathers Missions. I wish him well in his new venture and assure him of our prayers. Father John has many of the postitve attributes of Father Miguel Pro, the Mexican martyr who was slain by Godless people for bringing Christ to the people of Mexico.

Blessed Miguel Pro – Heroic Mexican Martyr

Miguel Agustin Pro, a Mexican Jesuit priest, on November 23, 1927, in Mexico City, was executed as a victim of a cruel persecution against the Church and her priests. From among these Father Pro had been sought with special intensity on account of his extraordinary apostolic activity. Many times he had been able to elude the police and manage to escape thanks to his marvelous spirit of enterprise and astuteness. In the end he fell into their hands almost by accident. Without a trial, without a jury, without a sentence, they put him to death by the bullets of a firing-squad while he was victoriously saying aloud: “Long live Christ the King!”

Miguel Pro was born on January 13, 1891, in the little village of Guadalupe near Zacatecas, the capital city of the state of the same name, in the Mexican Republic.

Brought up in a way which fostered Christian maturity and a sense of responsibility, Miguel helped his father in supporting the family. Having become aware that God was calling him to the religious life, he entered the Society of Jesus.

By temperament Miguel was open, lively and jovial. He made a constant effort, even in those distressing times, to spread joy and humor among his brother religious, and this in spite of excruciating pain caused by the various illnesses which affected him throughout his life. It was a known fact that the more intense his offerings were, the more he appeared to be smiling and communicative.

He began his theological studies in Spain and completed them in Belgium where he was ordained to the priesthood on August 30, 1926. His superiors then sent him to Mexico.

At the beginning of July he reached the shores of Mexico where the religious persecution was coming to its most critical state. He went directly to Mexico City to exercise his priestly ministry with utmost secrecy. Hiding in different places and under always new disguises, living in circumstances which recalled the times of the catacombs, he heard confessions, distributed Holy Communion in a great number of places, blessed marriage, baptized children, offered spiritual assistance to the sick and the dying, all this by cleverly eluding the police who were constantly on the alert.

In all his activities Father Pro was always an exemplary priest and religious who faithfully and joyfully carried out the wishes of his Superiors. He never had recourse to violence and dissuaded others from making use of it. He prayed constantly for his persecutors and forgave them up to, and at the very moment of his death.

Rev. John Whitley, C.S.B.