Sunday,  August 17th  2008

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ST. ANN’S PARISH BEGINS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MARYKNOLL SISTERS IN MALACATAN, GUATEMALA .  Click here to see the Project Executive Summary.

In response to Bishop Saltarelli’s request that each parish in the diocese establish a spiritual, educational and needs alleviation relationship with the San Marcos diocese, St. Ann’s parish has decided to establish a partnership with the Maryknoll sisters in Malacatan, an area lying outside the city of San Marcos, Guatemala. As a first step, St. Ann’s will furnish the Sisters with a jeep to better enable them to reach all the people to whom they minister. Their needs are many and will be detailed in coming weeks in a “Maryknoll at Malacatan” corner in the weekly bulletin. To help meet those needs, we will provide a special blue envelope in your bi-monthly envelope packet, which may be put in the collection at any time. Please enclose any prayer requests you have for the sisters in your envelope, which will be forwarded to the sisters in Guatemala. One of the current projects is WORK WITH CHILDREN: IN MID-February, 2004, Sister Mi Young started to work with children of parents who have HIV/Aids – most of these children also have HIV/Aids. She would like to set up a library for the children to include: A bookcase, two small tables, books, tape recorder and tapes. This project will cost approximately $1,000.  We’d like to Thank the family that donated the funds required to establish the Children’s Library.  If there are any questions or comments about our partnership with the Maryknoll Sisters, please contact Bob Tracy @ 539-3240.

Historical Summary of Communications - Updated as information arrives.

August 17, 2008 FROM MALACATAN
The parishioners of St. Ann’s and the Maryknoll Sisters in Malacatan, San Marcos, Guatemala.

Over four years ago, the parish of St. Ann’s established its partnership with two groups of Maryknoll sisters, who were assisting the needy poor, especially women and children, in Malacatan, San Marcos, Guatemala. Over the past four years St. Ann’s has contributed almost $50,000 (an average of almost $1000 per month) to the sisters’ work, and in addition, provided them with $10,000 to assist in the purchase a new jeep to reach the people in the hills on virtually non-existent roads. Every dollar contributed has gone directly to the sisters to assist the people in Malacatan.
The money has been used to provide needed surgeries for poor children; to replace a collapsed kitchen; to assist a family get on their feet, after their husband/ father was killed attempting to cross Mexico into the US to find work to obtain some money for his family. The mother and her children were established in a simple food preparation business that has enabled them to become self-sufficient. Funds have also been used to further the education of lay leaders, who teach religion and administer parishes between the visits of one of the few priests there. We have provided funding for a store for the sale of locally hand made artifacts, and other items, again with the hope of providing some ability for people to become self-sufficient. A library has been established for children, especially those who are born HIV positive. And of course there are the little needs that the sisters are now able to do, which helps the people in short term crises, including helping people rebuild their homes and re-establish crops that were destroyed by Hurricane Stan. We have funded the education of approximately fifty children in grades one through high school, who would otherwise not receive an education. It only requires $250 per child to cover all expenses. We will continue this work each Fall. The relationship with the sisters has been a multi-dimensional one. They have visited the parish and met some of the people here. The sisters pray for the needs of the parish, as correspondingly, members of the parish pray for the needs of the sisters, and the people they assist. One of the classes at Most Blessed Sacrament school organized into teams named for each of the people we were supporting in their education. They sent them messages of support, and prayed for their success. Additionally, the town of Bethany Beach has donated the unused July 4th T-shirts, for the children of San Marcos. St. Ann’s continues to support the sisters through the blue envelopes placed both in the bi-monthly envelope packets and by the doors to the church and through other private donations. As a result of the generosity of the people of St. Ann’s, the sisters have been able to meet needs that had gone unmet in the past. The latest project, a grocery store, opened the first of August in a room in one of the parishes to enable the people of Malacatan to buy affordable groceries in a project that should be self sustaining. Pictures and progress of the store will be provided in September bulletins.
 

August 3, 2008 More on the Sisters

Sister Rae Ann O’Neill (chatting with local women)
 

Location: Guatemala, Central America
There Since: 1990
From: Highstown,New Jersey
"They keep us grounded in the relity of San Marcos." Sister Rae Ann hails from Highstown, New Jersey, and joined the Maryknoll Sisters in 1960. She spent her mission years as a teacher in Tanzania, East Africa; as an administrative secretary for the Holy See Mission at the United Nations; and as pastoral worker with basic Christian communities in a poor area of Mexico City. In 1990 Rae Ann began her mission in Guatemala as a pastoral worker, especially with women. Since 1995, she has dedicated her time to the development of the women’s work in San Marcos.
 

July 20, 2008 - More on the Sisters
Judith Noone was born November 17, 1947 in New York but moved shortly thereafter to Alexandria, Virginia where she grew up, attending Saint Mary’s Parroquial and Saint Mary’s Academy High School. After studies in Literature at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland she joined the Maryknoll Sisters and was assigned to Bolivia in 1970. During her years in Bolivia she lived and traveled along the rivers of the Beni Province, visiting rural communities, then to the North of Santa Cruz she lived for 3 years in a remote jungle community helping the new settlers forge a new life after having lost everything in floods. She returned for a year of formation (where she first met Teruko Ito) in 1974 and earned an MA in theology at Maryknoll Seminary. She returned to Bolivia in 1975 to begin the “Rural Pastoral Project” to train ministers of all kinds in the vast area to the North of Santa Cruz. Given the increasing number of Quechua speaking highland people migrating to the lowlands she studied Quechua for several months in Cochabamba.
In 1980 she was asked to work in the Communications Department at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining, NY, arriving just a few months before Sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke of Maryknoll and Dorothy Kazel OSU and Jean Donovan were brutally murdered in El Salvador in December 1980. For the next 4 years she dedicated most of her time to researching and writing The Same Fate As The Poor, a book on the lives of Ita Ford, Maura Clarke and Carol Piette, a Maryknoll Sister companion to Ita who died in a flash flood in August of that same year. To be continued next week
 

July 6, 2008 - More on the Sisters - Teruko Ito
Was born into a Buddhist family in Kyoto, Japan on March 25, 1945 a few months before the end of World War II. Under the guidance of her maternal grand-mother she was baptized into the Christian faith at the age of 4 together with her younger brother. Shortly before the baptism, her mother also became Catholic, while her father remained a Buddhist. She grew up in Kyoto where Maryknoll Missioners presence was strong in parishes though she studied in a mission school (from age 12 to 18) run by School Sisters of Notre Dame. After obtaining a BA in Education with a minor in Math from Maryknoll College in Manila, Philippines, she joined the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation in Manila. The first assignment in 1969 was to Tanzania in East Africa, where she taught Mathematics for 4 years. Then she proceeded to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining, New York for on-going formation. There she studied at Maryknoll Seminary and received an MA in Theology. After working at the Congregational Center for a few years, she returned to Japan in 1978 where she made her Final Profession and engaged in the pioneering work sponsored by a Maryknoll Missioner with Alcoholics in Skid Row areas in Tokyo and in Osaka for ten years.
In 1988 she was called back to work as Formation Directress of the Congregation in New York and for five years engaged in the process of becoming a multicultural community, the future of the Maryknoll Sisters. After completing the formation work she studied in an Advanced MA Program in Pastoral Counseling at Fordham University. In 1995 she joined the Pastoral Team for Women in the Diocese of San Marcos, Guatemala. For almost ten years she has been engaged in on-going formation with and for women, especially indigenous women in Western Highlands of Guatemala. She began this year to design workshops on alcoholism, one of the primary causes of family violence, and offers family counseling and assistance. At the same time she is part of an alternative health center run by the School Sisters of St. Francis, where she provides integral body care including Reiki and Massage.
 

June 28, 2008 - Sr. Mi Young Sung Visiting a family in Malacatán

Location: Guatemala, Central America
There Since: 2003
From: Seoul, Korea
Sister Mi Young Sung is from Seoul, Korea. She joined the Maryknoll Sisters in August 5, 2000 and received her formation in Chicago. She is a trained social worker with a certificate in pastoral counseling. Malacatan is her first mission experience as a Maryknoll Sisters. She is also an artist, eager to share herself with the women of Guatemala and animate their creativity. She has began a literacy campaign for women.

Reported June 22, 2008   --- SISTER Mary ANN DUFFY
discussing ecology project with local woman

Location: Guatemala, Central America
There Since: 2003

From: Philadelphia, PA.  Sister Mary Ann Duffy was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has been a Maryknoll Sister for 55 years. Mary has been a teacher in Yucatan, Mexico and done pastoral work with indigenous groups in Mexico and in Guatemala. For a time she was in Nicaragua and spent some three years at the United Nations representing the Maryknoll Sisters. She returned to Guatemala to work with women in 2003. She hopes to influence women.
 

The Sisters: Bernice, Rae Ann, Mary and Mi Young

June 1st, 2008   From Catarina.  Hi, Bob, Thanks to the parishioners of St. Ann’s for the contributions this year. The first one is to help
Hortensia in her radio program and the second contribution, among other things, we are using to help the deaf mute young man, Abelino, get to classes in Reu as well as travel expenses for Quendy who is attending high school in Malacatan. Today, Ethel and
I had our monthly meeting in Nuevo Progreso. We have been going there for the past eight years, since 2000. So we have a good connection there. The group has had its ups and downs of course. But with the young Pastor who has a radio program to fill, he
has challenged the women to be responsible for a program. They are using the different courses and materials that we have shared with them. By the way, we now live in Catarina (since Feb. 23) about a 20 minute drive from Malacatan. I will inquire at our
Treasury if we have to change the name from Malacatan. It is still the Women's work in the Coast.
 

From Mi Young and Rae Ann

March 16, 2008 FROM MALACATAN - THE SISTERS HAVE MOVED UP THE ROAD A WAYS TO BEGIN WORKING WITH A NEW GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE SAN MARCOS DIOCESE.

Bob, The three of us (Rae Ann, Mi Young and Mary Duffy) are settling into our new house in the town of Catarina. It is more rural than Malacatan. People are friendlier too. It is a new beginning.
Catarina is 20 minutes down the road from Malacatan. The other 2 Maryknoll Sister Doctors live in a village nearby. It is the same Diocesan work with women. It is a convenient time for a change really. After nearly 10 years in Malacatan we could see the change in the women, lots of energy, creativity and independence. So we will focus on some parishes down the line, which are less organized. We will have the Malacatan experience to improve on. We don't have internet in the office yet. Thank God for Internet Cafes.
Sr. Mary Ann Duffy
Hi, Bob, Thanks for keeping in touch. Although we moved from Malacatan to Catarina February 23, we continue to adjust ourselves to our new surroundings. We don´t have internet in the house yet but hope to have it before the end of the year. Mary will be up your way in May. She will see you one way or another. Happy Easter. Blessings! Rae Ann
 

March 1, 2008 FROM MALACATAN  The SistersTwo young girls, in festive dress, add color to the harvest festival in San Pablo.  This annual event is equivalent to Thanksgiving in the U.S.  The people come with their pick-ups adorned with the harvest of the land, from coffee to corn to rabbits to chickens, all breathtaking.

February 24, 2008 FROM MALACATAN  The Sisters

Dear Bob, Andy, and parishioners of St. Ann’s. Wishing a blessed New Year. Hope all is well. I want to take the time to say thank you on behalf of all of us here in Malacatán. Attached is a photo of our team. I am giving the check for the scholarships 2008 today to Sr. Jeanne - $2,800. Taking a long look at the collaboration between the parishioners of St. Ann's and the Women's work here in Malacatan, we have reason to be very grateful for your generosity. Over the course of the year, you have given us a total of $10,400. The last donation of 2,000 came in November. More than half of that was for the scholarships - for 2007 and for 2008, $5,600. The rest we have used for the special projects of 2007: the production of the CD and the reproduction of the CD, cassette, songbooks, workbook on Gender, and the calendar. There also was money for the workshop in April and the special meetings that we have had with the women coordinators, and some used for gasoline to get us to our destinations. Thanks so much for facilitating our mission here in San Marcos. Rae Ann, Mary Ann and Mi Young

February 17, 2008 Continuing profiles of the students for whom we are providing scholarships.

Kendi Maldonado Mejía who will be entering 4th year high school. We have been helping her family over the past several years. The father abandoned them - leaving eight children for Reina (pictured with Kendi) to bring up on her own. Thanks for giving Kendi the opportunity to continue her studies so that she can help support the family.

February 10,2008 FROM MALACATAN
Continuing profiles of the students for whom we are providing scholarships.

Abraham Hermelindo Velásquez Pérez with his mother, Medarda. The family has had some problems and the financial situation has been touch and go. Two of the seven children have stopped going to school, but Abraham is doing well and likes to study. Without a scholarship it is doubtful he would be able to continue.
 

February 3, 2008 FROM MALACATAN - Continuing profiles of the students for whom we are providing scholarships.

Abraham Hermelindo Velásquez Pérez who will be entering high school. Abraham is doing well and likes to study.
(more next week)

January 20, 2008 FROM MALACATAN Hortensia García THE RADIO STATION

Three years ago a group of parishioners animated by the pastor of the parish of Saint Lucy, Malacatan, started a community radio station. They have been struggling along learning as they go, using their natural skills to communicate and to teach. The radio is a powerful means of uniting people in this coastal area where rain and bad roads make communication difficult. We have encouraged Hortensia García, one of the radio team, also a member of the Diocesan Women’s Pastoral organization, to use her skills to enable more women to follow the different programs of formation that the women’s groups receive. Last year Hortencia gave literacy classes for a small remuneration. Instead we want to help her produce a program emphasizing women’s issues for the radio. At the same time it would strengthen the network of women’s groups over the area and even into nearby Mexico. We need $1200. to facilitate Hortencia’s work as well as paying travel expenses for herself and a companion to prepare and rehearse the presentations for a women’s half hour dialogue each week.  Hortensia is a single mother trying to provide for her five children. Besides putting food on the table, she is also doing her best to send two of the boys to school. Let me know what you think. Happy New Year, Rae Ann. NOTE: WE SENT SR. RAE ANN THE NEEDED FUNDS THANKS TO YOUR GENEROSITY.

December 23, 2007 FROM MALACATAN AN UPDATE ON BERONY

For my sponsors: May you all receive a warm greeting, hoping to God that you are in good health and enjoying the blessings of our Creator. Before anything else, I want to apologize for not having written you sooner. Up to the present I have been very busy with the school work.

I take this opportunity to relate to you that I have been traveling to various towns of my province (San Marcos) for the purpose of taking part in Guatemalan folkloric dancing. I play a leading part and for that reason I feel obliged to go on the trip, and, of course, it is part of my studies. Also, I have gone to the altiplano of San Marcos for the purpose of observing the quality of the kind of education that the children receive, since this is going to be a part of y profession. In addition, I have the chance to give little talks about the realities of our country, such as: the lack of social values, the problem of extreme poverty, hunger, lack of solidarity, the absence of a government that is effective in combating all that adversely affects the country. I also help out in the Human Rights Office, in gratitude for the assistance you all give to me. There I perform duties such as making photocopies, helping the workmates, attending forums organized by the office, and many other things. These are some of the things I do outside my home. But there I do housekeeping duties since my parents do work in the fields in order to have the wherewithal to survive.. It requires so much effort to be able to earn a living. I'm truly grateful for the assistance that you all provide me seeing that your help is giving me the opportunity to have a better future. I take leave of you, hoping that God will protect you all and bless you. My greetings, kisses and hugs,
Sincerely, Berony Janeth Soto Macario

January 27, 2008 FROM MALACATAN
Continuing profiles of the students for whom we are providing scholarships.

Armando López Mauricio who is in 4th year of high school. He is a serious young man. With him is his mother, Francisca, and a cousin, Luis Fernando Marroquín, who hopes to study 3rd year high school at Santa Lucia. They both live in a Colonia La Ceiba which is a secluded town on the outskirts of the neighboring town of San Pablo. So, besides the cost of schooling, they have the added cost of daily travel. Besides Armando, there are three other children also studying.

January 13, 2008  FROM MALACATAN Continuing profiles of the students for whom we are providing scholarships José Manuel Orozco Fuentes

José Manuel Orozco Fuentes, 9 years old, going into 4th grade with his younger brother, Fernando, who is 7 years, entering 1st grade. Also in the photo are the Mother, Miriam, and one of three daughters, Matilde. They are all studying. The husband cannot work because his hands are paralyzed. She sells vegetables in the market.
 

December 16, 2007  FROM MALACATAN Beginning profiles of the students for whom we are providing scholarships.

Romeo Marroquín - Guadalupe Romeo Marroquín is 9 years old with his mother. He is entering 4th grade. His mother is a single parent. They have to rent a place to live. She sells in the market. Guadalupe says his favorite subject is Math. He has been studying the computer since first grade.

November 25, 2007   FROM MALACATAN
Greetings, Bob, Hope you are fine. We received word of the successful deposit of your last donation of one thou to our work. Thanks so much. We published 100 copies of our Workbook No.1 on Gender - and sold it at the Diocesan Assembly this week. We are so proud to have done that. There will be Workbook No. 2 on Sexuality and No. 3 Women in History.
Thanks so much for letting me know that St. Ann's wants to sponsor the scholarships again this year at Colegio Santa Lucia. The are students who would not be able to study without your help. I will be meeting three of the students this wednesday to interview them and send you photos and a little write up on each one. I understand that you are willing to send the same amount as last year. That is 2,800. I just want to check with you - if you are in agreement with that amount. Thanks so much for your support on many levels. Con cariño, Rae Ann
NOTE: over the past couple of months, we have sent the sisters $4000, there is currently $1800 available. We will send that to Sr. Rae Ann, and forward the remainder as it becomes available. Tuition is payable in installments, especially since we are providing scholarships for a large number of students.
 

November 18th   AN UPDATE ON BERONY
For my sponsors: May you all receive a warm greeting, hoping to God that you are in good health and enjoying the blessings of our Creator. Before anything else, I want to apologize for not having written you sooner. Up to the present I have been very busy with the school work.
I take this opportunity to relate to you that I have been traveling to various towns of my province (San Marcos) for the purpose of taking part in Guatemalan folkloric dancing. I play a leading part and for that reason I feel obliged to go on the trip, and, of course, it is part of my studies. Also, I have gone to the altiplano of San Marcos for the purpose of observing the quality of the kind of education that the children receive, since this is going to be a part of my profession. In addition, I have the chance to give little talks about the realities of our country, such as: the lack of social values, the problem of extreme poverty, hunger, lack of solidarity, the absence of a government that is effective in combating all that adversely affects the country. I also help out in the Human Rights Office, in gratitude for the assistance you all give to me. There I perform duties such as making photocopies, helping the workmates, attending forums organized by the office, and many other things. These are some of the things I do outside my home. But there I do housekeeping duties since my parents do work in the fields in order to have the wherewithal to survive.. It requires so much effort to be able to earn a living. I'm truly grateful for the assistance that you all provide me seeing that your help is giving me the opportunity to have a better future. I take leave of you, hoping that God will protect you all and bless you. My greetings, kisses and hugs,
Sincerely, Berony Janeth Soto Macario

November 4, 2007  SPECIAL GUEST COMING TO VISIT MONDAY NOVEMBER 12TH AFTER 8:30 MASS
IN DELANEY HALL
Re. Ademar Barilli, CS
Born in 1956 in the State of Rio Grande Do Sur, Brazil, Ademar Barilli was one of eight children of an Italian family. He holds baccalaureate degrees in Philosophy. Psychology and Sociology from the Catholic University of Paraná and a Master’s degree from the Institute of Theology in Sao Paulo. He was ordained a Scalabrini Father in 1988. While a seminarian, he had been actively involved in base communities and university student politics, and he did extensive work with youth. Upon ordination, he was sent to Guadalajara, Mexico for a year to study Spanish and then spent four years ministering to farm workers in the imperial Valley of California. Thereafter, he served for a year as Director of the Scalabrini Fathers’ Casa del Migrante in Tecun Uman in the Department of San Marcos, Guatemala. There he has served for twelve years, supervising the construction of the present facility and establishing an office of human rights for migrants. San Marcos Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini included the Casa del Migrante (a hostel for Latin Americans headed to and from the US) among the programs he has designated as especially deserving support by the Diocese of Wilmington. When time permits, Fr. Ademar is an avid gardener and plays the guitar. He maintains contact with his cultural roots by drinking Mate and cooking the food of his Brazilian childhood. He is reputed to speak Portuguese, English, Spanish, French, Italian (including the Venetian dialect)and is deeply involved in the work of the pastoral de Movilidad Humana of the Diocese of San Marcos.   If you would like to know more about The Scalabrinian Missionaries please click here: http://www.scalabrini.org/eng/english.htm

FROM THE HILLS OF MALACATAN
FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE WILL PROFILE THE
SISTERS WHO ARE SERVING IN MALACATAN

Judith Noone
Judith Noone was born November 17, 1947 in New York but moved shortly thereafter to Alexandria, Virginia where she grew up, attending Saint Mary’s Parroquial and Saint Mary’s Academy High School. After studies in Literature at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland she joined the Maryknoll Sisters and was assigned to Bolivia in 1970. During her years in Bolivia she lived and traveled along the rivers of the Beni Province, visiting rural communities, then to the North of Santa Cruz she lived for 3 years in a remote jungle community helping the new settlers forge a new life after having lost everything in floods. She returned for a year of formation (where she first met Teruko Ito) in 1974 and earned an MA in theology at Maryknoll Seminary. She returned to Bolivia in 1975 to begin the “Rural Pastoral Project” to train ministers of all kinds in the vast area to the North of Santa Cruz. Given the increasing number of Quechua speaking highland people migrating to the lowlands she studied Quechua for several months in Cochabamba.  In 1980 she was asked to work in the Communications Department at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining, NY, arriving just a few months before Sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke of Maryknoll and Dorothy Kazel OSU and Jean Donovan were brutally murdered in El Salvador in December 1980. For the next 4 years she dedicated most of her time to researching and writing The Same Fate As The Poor, a book on the lives of Ita Ford, Maura Clarke and Carol Piette, a Maryknoll Sister companion to Ita who died in a flash flood in August of that same year. In 1985 she received the invitation from the sisters in Guatemala to begin a new mission in the war torn department of El Quiché where she lived for 7 years doing whatever could be done among the traumatized Quiché speaking people whose language she learned. Among the projects she launched with the people were goat and rabbit raising, vegetable gardens, reforestation projects, literacy, catechetical training, basic formation on human rights, community organization, etc. etc. From 1992 to 1994 she studied anthropology at American University and earned an MA there. Returning to Guatemala she and Teruko Ito and Rae Ann O’Neill began the Diocesan Pastoral Commission for Women’s Ministries in the Diocese of San Marcos and is still there as she hopes to be for many more years
 

Teruko Ito
Was born into a Buddhist family in Kyoto, Japan on March 25, 1945 a few months before the end of World War II. Under the guidance of her maternal grand-mother she was baptized into the Christian faith at the age of 4 together with her younger brother. Shortly before the baptism, her mother also became Catholic, while her father remained a Buddhist. She grew up in Kyoto where Maryknoll Missioners presence was strong in parishes though she studied in a mission school (from age 12 to 18) run by School Sisters of Notre Dame. After obtaining a BA in Education with a minor in Math from Maryknoll College in Manila, Philippines, she joined the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation in Manila. The first assignment in 1969 was to Tanzania in East Africa, where she taught Mathematics for 4 years. Then she proceeded to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining, New York for on-going formation. There she studied at Maryknoll Seminary and received an MA in Theology. After working at the Congregational Center for a few years, she returned to Japan in 1978 where she made her Final Profession and engaged in the pioneering work sponsored by a Maryknoll Missioner with Alcoholics in Skid Row areas in Tokyo and in Osaka for ten years. 

In 1988 she was called back to work as Formation Directress of the Congregation in New York and for five years engaged in the process of becoming a multicultural community, the future of the Maryknoll Sisters. After completing the formation work she studied in an Advanced MA Program in Pastoral Counseling at Fordham University. In 1995 she joined the Pastoral Team for Women in the Diocese of San Marcos, Guatemala. For almost ten years she has been engaged in on-going formation with and for women, especially indigenous women in Western Highlands of Guatemala. She began this year to design workshops on alcoholism, one of the primary causes of family violence, and offers family counseling and assistance. At the same time she is part of an alternative health center run by the School Sisters of St. Francis, where she provides integral body care including Reiki and Massage.

Sr. Mi Young Sung
Visiting a family in Malacatán
In 1988 she was called back to work as Formation Directress of the Congregation in New York and for five years engaged in the process of becoming a multicultural community, the future of the Maryknoll Sisters. After completing the formation work she studied in an Advanced MA Program in Pastoral Counseling at Fordham University. In 1995 she joined the Pastoral Team for Women in the Diocese of San Marcos, Guatemala. For almost ten years she has been engaged in on-going formation with and for women, especially indigenous women in Western Highlands of Guatemala. She began this year to design workshops on alcoholism, one of the primary causes of family violence, and offers family counseling and assistance. At the same time she is part of an alternative health center run by the School Sisters of St. Francis, where she provides integral body care including Reiki and Massage.
Location: Guatemala, Central America
There Since: 2003
From: Seoul, Korea
Sister Mi Young Sung is from Seoul, Korea. She joined the Maryknoll Sisters in August 5, 2000 and received her formation in Chicago. She is a trained social worker with a certificate in pastoral counseling. Malacatan is her first mission experience as a Maryknoll Sisters. She is also an artist, eager to share herself with the women of Guatemala and animate their creativity. She has began a literacy campaign for women.

SISTER Mary ANN DUFFY discussing ecology project with local woman.  Location: Guatemala, Central America, There Since: 2003, From: Philadelphia, PA
Sister Mary Ann Duffy was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has been a Maryknoll Sister for 55 years. Mary has been a teacher in Yucatan, Mexico and done pastoral work with indigenous groups in Mexico and in Guatemala. For a time she was in Nicaragua and spent some three years at the United Nations representing the Maryknoll Sisters. She returned to Guatemala to work with women in 2003. She hopes to influence women
 

Sister Rae Ann O’Neill
(chatting with local women)
Location: Guatemala, Central America

There Since: 1990  From: Highstown,New Jersey
"They keep us grounded in the relity of San Marcos."  Sister Rae Ann hails from Hightstown, New Jersey, and
joined the Maryknoll Sisters in 1960. She spent her mission years as a teacher in Tanzania, East Africa; as
an administrative secretary for the Holy See Mission at the United Nations; and as pastoral worker with basic
Christian communities in a poor area of Mexico City. In 1990 Rae Ann began her mission in Guatemala as a
pastoral worker, especially with women. Since 1995, she has dedicated her time to the development of the
women’s work in San Marcos.

August 26, 2007 - FROM THE HILLS OF MALACATAN (CONTINUING TO LOOK BACK ON OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SISTERS)
Storms, the land, and the wisdom of a six year old - Dear Bob, There was a three day conference - during our stay in the city – with agrarian and other technical people preparing our colleagues (and ourselves) to be able to accompany the people for what will surely be an early and heavy rainy season. Given the ravages of tropical storm Stan last October, the mountain sides are ready to come down even more with a bit of rain. I will never ever be able to feel what it is like to so identify oneself with the piece of land they live upon – we being such a mobile society. But they can not leave their land, as poor as it is. A grandmother, Crecenta, from Boxoncan was telling us how it was during the storm. Impenetrable blinding fog, relentless rain for days, the sounds of landslides all around, but that they couldn’t see. It was her grandson, 6 years old, who riveted the family with his wisdom when he said, “Grandmother, you and grandfather inherited this land from your parents, and they from theirs. And I will inherit it form you, but it doesn’t belong to anyone but to God, and God will take care of it and of us” We are very grateful to you, parishioners of St. Ann’s, for your generous support. Much love, Abrazos, Judy and Teruko
 

August 19th, 2007 - FROM THE HILLS OF MALACATAN
Hi, Bob, Andy and parishioners of St. Ann, Thanks for all the news. We had our second Encuentro of the year yesterday in Malacatan and we were able to present the new music CD which I picked up an hour before the activity. It is great and I will send you the four copies you want. Will send you some fotos and a little article about the encuentro... Will be in touch soon. Rae Ann Note: we provided support for the making of the CD. When copies arrive, one will be placed in the parish library, and one will be forwarded to the Hispanic ministry in the diocese.
 

August 12th, 2007 - FROM THE HILLS OF MALACATAN
Like-to-like is how people are enriched. When Malacatan connects to
Totonicapan and Totonicapan connects to Nicaragua, something powerful happens, women around the world are more and more aware of each other and the work they are doing to change history. Something similar happened with Eluvia , from San Marcos who went to Costa Rica to learn of women's popular education methods. The women of San Marcos are on the move. If you are interested in knowing the organizers of the Encounter, you can find them on the web - www.rednosotrasenelmundo.org Sr. Mary Ann Duffy, NOTE: Many of these opportunities for the women of Malacatan to progress beyond their environmental poverty are provided by the Maryknoll sisters with the help of the parishioners and visitors to St. Ann’s who have provided means to the sisters to help in their work.

July 29th, 2007  -  FROM THE HILLS OF MALACATAN
Just a bit of news from Malacatan.  Malacatan is not one of the highlights of a cultural tour of Guatemala. We are 5 hours from the capitol. 80,000 inhabitants more or less, farmers and small shop owners. The most impressive crop is the numbers of children in the many primary schools. We are 15 minutes from the Mexican border, so we are aware of the stream of central Americans going north looking for work. Hortencia Garcia is one of the women in the ¨Women's Pastoral group. You can tell her Mayan background by her size and her dynamism. She lived in Mexico during the war years but returned to Guatemala with her five
children. Her husband stayed there and has not been in contact with them for a few years now.
The parish began a community radio station on a shoe string.  It is called
"The Good News." It has been on the air for 4 years now and has grown in technical ability and creativity.  Hortensia is one of the founding group.  She began her training with a local organization of radio commentators in Totonicapan and was chosen by that group to go to Nicaragua to represent them at a gathering of women involved in radio work.  It was a great opportunity to meet other women working to help women reach their full potential. "Women Connecting" was the title of the meeting, the First Latinamerican Encounter  on Gender, New Communication for Social Change.  Sr. Mary Ann Duffy.

July 22nd, 2007  FROM MALACATAN
We were able, this past week, to send $1000 to both Sr. Rae Ann and Sr. Judy to help with their work in
Malacatan. As has been the case throughout, all of the money that is contributed goes directly to the sisters for the work among the people in Malacatan.  We hope to see Sr. Judy and Teruko at the end of July, if all goes well. Hopefully they will have enough time to be able to visit with interested parishioners.

July 15, 2007

Picture of Berony on the left with her brother and two nephews left by her sister who went to the USA, and her mom.
I am a young woman, 16 years of age who wants to continue in her studies, seeing that I have already completed the third grade of basic schooling. This was through the efforts of my parents who, thanks be to God, have been able to give me financial aid. However, what has happened is that they are now older. My dad is now 74 and my mom is 53, and they capable of working so as to help me so that I can go on to graduation. They now have the responsibility of raising my little nephews because my sister has abandoned them. They are still young. For this reason they tell me that it is really getting more and more difficult to scrape together enough money since they have no job skills. I also have a little brother who completed the sixth grade this year and needs to go on to high school. So it is that my parents are telling me that they can't help me any longer since they have to help my little brother. That leaves me a third grader and, since I am a minor, I cannot work because no one has confidence in me. I really have the desire to keep on studying to be able to help my parents and my little brother who is the youngest. But without a skill I'm useless. I thank you here for your support and understanding, with the hope that your response may be positive. God bless you... Respectfully, Berony Janeth Soto Macario. As you know, we have been able to provide for Berony’s education

July 7 2007 Girls Education

Thanks a million (for the recent $1000 we sent). It is a huge help towards the education of several extremely poor little girls and young women. When we decided to help them we had no idea where the money would come from but God seems to bring wonderful people into our lives to meet the needs we come across constantly. Our Huge Thanks to you and the good people of Saint Ann's. Three of the girls we help are daughters of Auralia, the one who lost her husband in the desert and returned. Judy

June 24, 2007 Friends from Japan Shopping

Now that CAFTA is a reality, analysts throughout Latin America seem to be saying that the best defense is to initiate, insofar as possible, local sources of income, which is what our store certainly hopes to be, to buffer ourselves against the dependencies which will be imposed. Just yesterday, one of the groups whose products we carry in our store, a group of roughly 50 Mayan women weavers from Cotzal, El Quiche, Guate, called to say how grateful they are for our orders and support and asked that we please - we and my sister who markets Guate artisan things in the USA out of Denver - give them work especially in these months of September through December. These are the months when their corn supplies are dwindling and they have to go to Chiapas, Mexico or to the coffee plantations in Guate to make some cash to be able to buy what they need to survive for the rest of the year. We of course told them to bring or send things in for which we will pay them half and the other half on consignment. My sister is also ordering more things from them. This particular group and the other more than 20 groups who we support by having their art in our store, are all living tenuously as usual though perhaps more so when CAFTA really kicks in. We intend to do all we can to keep their goods flowing. Judy and Teruko
Note: through your donations, we were able to provide $5000, so that the store would be able to function.

June 9th, 2007 Hi, Bob, Here is some background on the other young boy that St. Ann's has
recently helped: 

Freiman Cabrera . . . had to have a new valve replaced in his head for a special condition which he has had since a small child. Before, Freiman had very little energy. Now, after the operation, he not only is feeling better but is now in school and very eager to learn. The photos show Freiman in school with
the teacher helping him. He is a very sweet young boy. I had the chance to visit him in April and he is doing so well. He is being tested for glasses so that he can read faster. His parents are so grateful for the assistance St. Ann's sent to help defray the cost of the operation. The family who had to borrow the money and were paying 10% interrest monthly, were happy to pay off their debts. The care of Freiman is ongoing, of course. We shall be attentive to any special needs of Freiman. There are many cases similar to Freiman - that is, folks who have difficult health problems with little cash to take care of them. With the money received from St. Anns, we try to choose the most needy. Thanks again for all you do for the folks here in Guatemala. Rae Ann O'Neill

May 27, 2007 FROM MALACATAN.  THE BEGINNINGS APRIL 2004

THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WILL LOOK BACK ON OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SISTERS
We are overwhelmed by your generosity and quick response to our needs here in Guatemala. Thanks so much for the check ($10,000) which you sent for us to buy a new car for our work with the women. The last two days we traveled to the most distant communities – it takes over two hours to get there and we are all shaken up from the many bumps and rocks and holes in the road. Believe it or not these roads are one hundred per cent better than they were last year. There is hope that they are going to pave them – hopefully this year. The rains are just starting now – so that is always a problem for the road builders. Our work with the women encourages us to give them formation that will help them be self-sufficient. Regarding the car. We are going ahead with buying a new car – a Mitsubishi Montero Io. It will be available the end of July. So we are in the process of doing all the necessary transactions – ownership, trade in of the Landcruiser, etc. We are so grateful for your donation to make this purchase. Take care. Sister Rae Ann

May 20, 2007 FROM MALACATAN

It is mango season again. Our neighbors on both sides have enormous mango trees. We benefit as they drop into the yard, the mangos that is. We eat
mangos and drink mango juice. We celebrate birthdays with mango cobbler, mango cake, and mango pudding. Mangos are like soft apples only sweeter. A darling young women came up to me after our workshop saying she was sorry she did not join in more but she is deaf and could not be sure of the theme. I could tell she had learned to speak because of that slight echo in her voice. I had no idea. I will try harder next time to enunciate. The workshop is on Money Management. We brought the lady next door with us to share her experience of managing a store. She is the owner of a Mini Super.. She was great. There were many questions. Lots of laughs too.  Mary Duffy

May 13, 2007 FROM MALACATAN
This year we did not support any theology students because they all finished their two years and did not opt to go on for the 3rd year which was more group field work (apparently, we really never got a crystal clear picture of it) and not too practical for them who have families and other commitments in their communities. We did want them to be able to keep studying at some level and so two of them are signed up for a course in political participation, getting ready for presidential and congressional elections the end of this year. That consists of two day workshops once a month which is handle able! We are launching into a diocesan wide program to encourage those who aren’t registered to do so and to vote. Many – especially women – don’t have their citizenship papers and therefore don’t really exist. We will have a workshop this Friday - all of the diocesan personnel – with the United Nations Development Program – getting ready for other workshops that we will have in the communities. …. More after that happens when it becomes clearer. Sr. Judy

April 15th, 2007 FROM MALACATAN
The parishioners of St. Ann’s and the Maryknoll Sisters in Malacatan, San Marcos, Guatemala
Almost three years ago, the parish of St. Ann’s established its partnership with two groups of Maryknoll sisters, who were assisting the needy poor, especially women and children, in Malacatan, San Marcos, Guatemala. Over the past three years St. Ann’s has contributed almost $34,000 (an average of over $950.00 per month) to the sisters’ work, and in addition, provided them with funds to purchase a new jeep to reach the people in the hills on virtually non-existent roads. Every dollar contributed has gone directly to the sisters to assist the people in Malacatan. The money has been used to provide needed surgeries for poor children; to replace a collapsed kitchen; to assist a family get on their feet, after their husband/ father was killed attempting to cross Mexico into the US to find work to obtain some money for his family. The mother and her children were established in a simple food preparation business that has enabled them to become self-sufficient. Funds have also been used to further the education of lay leaders, who teach religion and administer parishes between the visits of one of the few priests there. We have provided funding for a store for the sale of locally hand made artifacts, and other items, again with the hope of providing some ability for people to become self-sufficient. A library has been established for children, especially those who are born HIV positive. And of course there are the little needs that the sisters are now able to do which helps the people in short term crises, including helping people rebuild their homes and re-establish crops that were destroyed by Hurricane Stan. Currently we are funding the education of fifteen children in grades one through high school, who would otherwise not receive an education. The relationship with the sisters has been a multi-dimensional one. They have visited the parish and met some of the people here. The sisters pray for the needs of the parish, as correspondingly, members of the parish pray for the needs of the sisters, and the people they assist. One of the classes at Most Blessed Sacrament school organized into teams named for each of the people we were supporting in their education. They sent them messages of support, and prayed for their success. Additionally, the town of Bethany Beach has donated the unused July 4th T-shirts, for the children of San Marcos. St. Ann’s continues to support the sisters through the blue envelopes placed both in the bi-monthly envelope packets and by the doors to the church and through other private donations. As a result of the generosity of the people of St. Ann’s, the sisters have been able to meet needs that had gone unmet in the past.

April 8, 2007 FROM MALACATAN
The parishioners of St. Ann’s and the Maryknoll Sisters in Malacatan, San Marcos, Guatemala
Almost three years ago, the parish of St. Ann’s established its partnership with two groups of Maryknoll sisters, who were assisting the needy poor, especially women and children, in Malacatan, San Marcos, Guatemala. Over the past three years St. Ann’s has contributed almost $34,000 (an average of over $950.00 per month) to the sisters’ work, and in addition, provided them with funds to purchase a new jeep to reach the people in the hills on virtually non-existent roads. Every dollar contributed has gone directly to the sisters to assist the people in Malacatan.

The money has been used to provide needed surgeries for poor children; to replace a collapsed kitchen; to assist a family get on their feet, after their husband/ father was killed attempting to cross Mexico into the US to find work to obtain some money for his family. The mother and her children were established in a simple food preparation business that has enabled them to become self-sufficient. Funds have also been used to further the education of lay leaders, who teach religion and administer parishes between the visits of one of the few priests there. We have provided funding for a store for the sale of locally hand made artifacts, and other items, again with the hope of providing some ability for people to become self-sufficient. A library has been established for children, especially those who are born HIV positive. And of course there are the little needs that the sisters are now able to do which helps the people in short term crises, including helping people rebuild their homes and re-establish crops that were destroyed by Hurricane Stan. Currently we are funding the education of fifteen children in grades one through high school, who would otherwise not receive an education. The relationship with the sisters has been a multi-dimensional one. They have visited the parish and met some of the people here. The sisters pray for the needs of the parish, as correspondingly, members of the parish pray for the needs of the sisters, and the people they assist. One of the classes at Most Blessed Sacrament school organized into teams named for each of the people we were supporting in their education. They sent them messages of support, and prayed for their success. Additionally, the town of Bethany Beach has donated the unused July 4th T-shirts, for the children of San Marcos. St. Ann’s continues to support the sisters through the blue envelopes placed both in the bi-monthly envelope packets and by the doors to the church and through other private donations. As a result of the generosity of the people of St. Ann’s, the sisters have been able to meet needs that had gone unmet in the past.
 

April 1, 2007

Leivi Laura Pérez Chilel - Leivi is one of the fifteen students that St. Ann’s is helping with a scholarship. She is in second year of high school and one of three children. Leivi's father died three years ago and her mother sells tortillas (breakfast, lunch, supper). This income is insufficient to cover all the needs of her small family. The family lives in between two rivers and when Stan came roaring through in October 2005, the family had to leave their home and rent a house to be out of danger of the waters. They have returned to their home so that they don't have the added expense of rent. Leivi has four more years to complete her studies. She will choose as her career Computer and Secretary. Rae Ann

March 18,2007 - FROM MALACATAN Hi, Bob, Here is some info on Saint Lucy School. Rae Ann
olegio Santa Lucia (where we are sending students)

On the 4th of January 1956 Santa Lucia School opened its doors for the first time to offer the opportunity of an education to girls and boys here in Malacatan. Last year they celebrated their 50th anniversary. It is a private Catholic institution run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Assumption, a Guatemalan religious congregation. The classes begin with Pre-Grade School, Grade School and High School. The last three years the students choose a career such as Commercial Secretary, Book-Keeper with orientation in Computer or a high school degree in Computer. Students can study in the morning or the afternoon. The morning classes begin at 7
o'clock and the day ends at 7 at night when the afternoon session finishes. The graduates are prepared to seek work in the many businesses here in Malacatán - banks, commercial or industrial establishments. The school began an expansion project last year- enlarging the school to accommodate the student population. The vision of the school is to "inculcate in the young women and men a love and respect for God and human dignity. With a sound understanding of the human values needed in our modern world today, they will be prepared to put them in practice. With a conviction of an integral formation, they will be able to change negative attitudes, develop their potential and prepare themselves to face the challenges that life offers and to strive to make the world more human."

March 25, 2007 - Brenda Carolina Alvarado Gálvez

Brenda is 10 years old and in fourth grade. She lives near the school. On the 8 of January her father died of cancer - after a four-month illness. She is one of five children, two older brothers and two younger ones. After school Brenda helps her mother with the house work, does her homework and looks after her two younger brothers - four years and one year of age. The two older boys are studying. And their uncle is helping pay for the oldest brother who is studying to be a teacher. Brenda likes math and language and would like to be a teacher. Rae Ann
 

March 11th, 2007 - Hi, Bob, The Sister principal of the Colegio Santa Lucía gave me a little about Sindy who would like to study this year. Rae Ann

Sindy lives with her grandmother because her mother works as a domestic in Tapachula in Mexico and does not have the support of her father. She has many necessities as she has no income for her studies, clothing and just living expenses.
This year Sindy may not study so that she can help her grandmother who is quite elderly. During vacations Sindy worked in order to buy clothing and other necessities for her grandmother. Sindy lives in a very humble house. Despite all of her troubles she has a great desire to learn and to develop her skills.

March 4th, 2007 - Hi, Bob, Here is the info about the students we would like to help to study for this year.  Rae Ann

NOTE:  because of great distances traveled to school, a portion of the needed money goes for transportation espenses and expenses to live with families near the school during the week. We had $2400 available, which we sent to Sr. Rae Ann to get everyone started.  As soon as we have an additional $400 in the Malacatan account, we will send it on.  Bob Tracy

SCHOLARSHIPS for students of Colegio Santa Lucía

Malacatán, GUATEMALA  2007