Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

The Bishop Writes

(From the Nov. 12, 2009 edition of the Inland Register)

The 50th anniversary of our relationship with the Diocese of Sololá in Guatemala provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this milestone of sister-diocese relationship. Bishop Gonzalo de Villa, the Bishop of Sololá, was here this spring for a visit and as I write this, I will be leaving on Nov. 5 with about 35 people on pilgrimage for an eight-day visit to his diocese. I’m sorry to say that my last visit there was about seven years ago.

A pilgrimage such as this, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary, provides a rich opportunity to remember all that has transpired over this half-century. Our ongoing partnership has involved so many of the clergy, Religious and laity. Bishop Topel of Spokane and Bishop Melotto of Sololá came to know each other at the Second Vatican Council in Rome in the early ’60s. At the time, the Holy See encouraged the relationship of dioceses in the North with those of the South. So 50 years ago these two bishops established an ongoing collaborative effort that is a wonderful expression of what it means to be part of the Church universal.

At the beginning of this partnership, the needs were great. Our diocesan priests and communities of women Religious began to serve in the Diocese of Sololá, mostly in areas that were priestless and without the presence of Sisters. Today there is an abundance of indigenous vocations in Sololá. There has been a tremendous growth in native clergy and Religious that speaks to a Church that continues to grow and minister to the needs of the people.

I remember some of the priests who went there in the early days who described their growing skill in pulling teeth. There were no dentists available. Travel and communication were difficult. There was little education available. But what was difficult and challenging at the time has blossomed into an area that has schools, medical clinics, seminaries, development projects, radio stations, new roads – to mention but a few developments. What a remarkable story of 50 years!

The priests and Sisters have served in the Guatemala highlands. Even by our standards here in the Northwest, this is high country, with frequent elevations over 10,000 feet. The climate is moderate, but can be chilly at the very high elevations. The City of Sololá is on the brink of a huge caldera, now a lake about 15 miles across. The last eruption at the lake site was 84,000 years ago, and three volcanoes are on the south side of the lake. The culture of the area for centuries has been Mayan.

Just below the town of Sololá is Lake Atitlan. Below Sololá on the lake shore is the town of Panajachel, a world-famous resort area. Lake Atitlan is spectacularly beautiful and is the deepest lake in Central America. The lake itself is over a mile high. Surrounding its perimeter are small villages. Perhaps the best known, besides Panajachel itself, is the town of Santiago de Atitlan. This is the spot where Father Stan Rother, a priest from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, was martyred in 1980. His heart is buried there next to the parish church and still is a place of veneration for the people. Several of our priests who served in Guatemala knew him well.

Our pilgrimage group will be visiting some of these areas, especially those with whom we have had contact in collaboration and cooperation over the years with the Diocese of Sololá. There is always a danger in singling out people who have contributed to this effort, but there are several I would like to mention.

Father David Baronti, one of our Spokane Diocese priests, has been in Guatemala for almost all of his priesthood. Father Dave lives in Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, and over and above his pastoral sensitivity, he obtained a doctorate in cultural anthropology from the University of California. He has mastered the Quiché language and translated the Sacramentary into Quiché. Sisters Marie and Immaculata, Sisters of Charity of New York, have run the health clinic in Novillero for decades. They are both in their 80s! Dave Dodroe, a layman from St. Anthony Parish in Spokane, also has lived in Guatemala for decades and has used his contracting skills for projects like power plants, buildings, and so on. To say that these are dedicated people is an understatement. We all need to be proud of their work and be grateful to them. In addition, Jerry and Clara Monks, members of the Guatemala Commission, have exhibited tremendous generosity and dedication over the years.

As we celebrate our 50 years of relationship with the Diocese of Sololá, I would like to express to Bishop Gonzalo de Villa and his diocesan family our profound gratitude for a relationship that very much has enriched our diocese. As we approach our own Thanksgiving holiday, we all have so much for which to be grateful. May we always first and foremost be grateful to God, who constantly blesses us. A Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to all!