Fr. Stan Returns from Esmeraldas
March 16th, 2009
Left to right, Fr. Barnabé, Fr. Stan, Br. Edison, Fr. Lino, Fr Jesús. Kneeling: Br. Fernando.
I went to Ecuador from March 2-16 in order to do the Regular Visitation at Our Lady of Esperanza, the monastery of our Trappistine Sisters for whom Mepkin is the Father Immediate. Arriving safely at 1:00 AM on Tuesday the 3rd, I was met at the Quito airport by Hernán Romero, a friend of the Sisters. I spent the night at the Procura and flew down to Esmeraldas on Tuesday afternoon. Padre Lino of our monastery of Miraflores in Chile had already arrived on Monday to assist in the Visitation, both as a former superior and as translator. It was a warm welcome by the Sisters and by the temperature (in the 80s, where Charleston at the time was in the 30s). The Mass of the Holy Spirit was celebrated on Wednesday morning, followed by Chapter in which the Visitation was formally opened. The next six days were spent in personal interviews with all of the Sisters, from the oldest, Marie Jesús at 75, to the youngest, Jessica at 21. In all there were 30 individual interviews, lasting an average of an hour and a half. The Sisters opened their hearts during these interviews and that enabled us to listen attentively to the Sisters’ joys and sorrows, cares and concerns, dreams and desires. Padre Lino and I then spent a day working on a first draft of a report and meeting with Mother Mireya, the Superior, twice and with the Foundresses once. We presented the various drafts to the community in the course of five separate meetings over the next four days. The final version was read in Spanish by Padre Lino on Friday morning and we left together on Friday afternoon, returning to Quito.
The Sisters were very grateful for all that was done and said during this Visitation and both Padre Lino and I felt that the Spirit had been present throughout these days and that we had been instruments of the Spirit for the good of this wonderful community.
The community at present numbers: the three Foundresses, 14 native solemn professed (one of whom is on a leave of absence), five temporary professed, three sisters in transitus from other religious Orders, and four postulants. The average age is 42 and the median age is 38. It is a vibrant and loving community.
We ate with the community for the main meal each day (and what a meal that was, even though it was Lent). On Thursday evening there was a fiesta and the dances and the camaraderie were exceptional. The new novitiate group performed some dances the community and us Visitors had never seen and they received high marks from the spectators. I also had the opportunity to go through some amazing picture albums showing the lives of Madre Miren and Madre Yosua, the two principal Foundresses. Seeing the growth of the community from its beginning up to the present was heartwarming and inspiring. It was truly a lovely evening together, capped off with home-made pizza.
For Eucharist, Padre Lino and I took turns being the Principal Celebrant. It is a privilege to celebrate with the Sisters and their singing at the Eucharist and the Hours continues to be exceptional, both in the melodies and their reverent performance.
During the course of the visit we went to the farm and saw the growth of the cacao plants which Dismas and I had helped to put into the ground as small seedlings in January, 2008. The herd of cattle is about 120 at present, both milk and beef herds. They use the milk from Monday to make manjar, a preserve/jam for bread, and Tuesday’s milk goes to make a wonderful cheese. The rest of the milk is sold to local grocers. The Sisters are gradually becoming more self-sufficient, but still have a good ways to go.
It was with a real sadness that Padre Lino and I bade good-bye to the Sisters after the noon meal on Friday, but the hugs and wishes of affection assured all of us that the prayer and the monastic life we share overcomes distances and keeps us united together in the one hope of our calling, the Lord Jesus Christ.
I spent Friday evening with the Romeros, who met me at the airport and took me to their home in the old part of the city. Cecilia had prepared a lovely meal and Lolita, their daughter, her husband Francisco and their new born baby, Ignacio, were all there. I had prayed with Francisco and Lolita a week or so after a miscarriage in November, 2007, and somehow assured them that they would conceive again and have a healthy child. Ignacio is proof of the Lord Jesus’ love and they are very attentive parents.
After spending the night at the Procura, Hernán took me to the airport, where I managed to miss my flight back to Atlanta. After several phone calls, the reality of the Providence of God became clear as I was able to visit Our Lady of Paraiso, the monks’ foundation in Ecuador, two hours south of Quito, to which I had been invited at least five times! Padre Jesús came to meet Hernán and I halfway, and I spent the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday at this small community of four monks in a beautiful monastery built for 25. The vision of Padre Jesús was quite visible in the buildings, in the relations with the indigenous people around the monastery, and in the quality and reverence with which the Liturgy is prayed. On Monday morning fervent good-byes were said and I was left at the airport in plenty of time to catch my flight to Atlanta.
I returned to Mepkin in the early evening, renewed and refreshed by my experiences with the Sisters and the brief stay with the Brothers. Please pray for these two communities, that they may continue to flourish for the Praise of God’s Glory and for the upbuilding of His Church on earth.