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A Man's Character

You can tell much about a man’s character by his first reaction to startling or unusual news.

Our readers will remember Freddy Viafara, the Colombian student from the Basilian High School in Cali who is attending St. Thomas University in Houston on scholarship. We are happy to report that he is maintaining excellent grades in his studies, in spite of working in a student work program and participating in a number of extracurricular activities. 

Recently, a friend asked Freddy to accompany her grandson on his trip home to Okinawa. The young boy had been visiting in the states and the family friend who was to fly home with him was unable to go at the last minute. Freddy was delighted to be a substitute chaperone, and to stay and visit a few days in Japan with his young charge. Friends of the Basilian missions surprised Freddy with an envelope of “spending money” for his trip. As he opened the envelope, Freddy’s first remark was “God is so good to me!” 

Freddie and "his charge" in Okinawa

With your help, our missionaries can continue in the formation of these young people in the Basilian schools in Colombia. Hopefully, all the students will, like Freddy, come to realize the personal love and goodness of God for them.

Missing the Missions

Father Tom Sepulveda, after serving 28 years in the Basilian missions in Mexico, was recently appointed pastor of historic St. Anne de Detroit. After several months in his new position, he was asked what he missed about the missions. He replied, “What I miss most can be summed up in a single word – SIMPLICITY: the simplicity of the people, of religious expression, of the Basilians I lived with. Life on the missions is much more direct, experiential, immediate and in a certain sense real. There is a certain sense of that here since I live among, and my life is surrounded by, the very large influx of Mexican immigrants who have streamed into the Southwest part of the city of Detroit. Sometimes, unfortunately, that simplicity becomes distorted by the complexity of the larger society which surrounds it.”

He continues by pointing out that “There is but one task in the Church: to announce, through attitude, action, and word, Christ is raised from the dead and is active among us through the action of the Holy Spirit. This task applies no matter what our state of life. It makes little difference the context in which it is done. The message, because it is not our own, never changes despite the context because it is God’s. Not only that, as they say in Spanish the “chamba”, or task, is fun and fulfilling!! It makes sense of life and especially our sometimes conflicted and confused lives!”

The venerable church of St. Anne de Detroit is a Neo-Gothic 1886 church building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is the eighth structure of the second oldest continuing parish in the U.S. The church was established in 1701, seventy five years before the young nation was born. The Basilian Fathers of Toronto took over the parish in 1886. 

Like the legendary phoenix, St. Anne’s has repeatedly been resurrected following fires, divisions, and urban renewal. Three centuries of history are packed within its walls. The historic parish is attempting to enter its fourth century in the same manner it was founded, as a forward-looking church embarking on an exciting new adventure. We wish Father Tom luck and happiness in his new post, and know that although his body is in Detroit, part of his heart remains with the missions in Mexico.

A Note From Father Jack:

You are the brick

Dear Friend of the Missions,

Christ told St. Peter, “You are the Rock, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.” [Matthew 16:18]

Just as Christ called Peter a rock, the foundation of the Church, you, our generous co-missionaries, are the bricks from which the Church is built. As you work with our missionaries through your prayers and your alms, each prayer, each gift becomes another brick in building up the Church in our mission lands. 

All our missionary areas have many critical and heart-wrenching temporal needs. For example, Ecce Homo, our Basilian mission parish in Medellin, desperately needs a new church. The city is putting a new road through the old church, and due to a refugee resettlement program, 4,500 relocated souls have just joined the parish! At the current church building, most Masses are held outside because there simply isn’t room inside. Elsewhere in Colombia, funding is needed for education and a myriad of other projects to help the people both spiritually and temporally as our Basilian missionaries work to help defeat the violence, poverty and unemployment while they labor to “bring the good news.” In Mexico, and St. Lucia, too, we are building the Church through our work for and with the people. All our actions are done to express the love of God for his people. Through our temporal aid, we hope to encourage our mission people to build up their faith and to help themselves, as well as to educate them in the Gospel mandates.

At this season of remembrance, won’t you please consider giving a special alms in memory of your loved ones?

Without you, we cannot accomplish anything. God is the master mason, our priests work to build up His Church, but YOU are the bricks on which we build. A heartfelt thank you to all our readers. I will remember you and your intentions in my Masses this month.


Sincerely in Christ,

Father John R. Whitley, C.S.B.