Friends that Influenced Our Ministry

March 2012

Every month for the rest of the year, we will share with you five individuals or groups that influenced our ministry.  There are hundreds of people who we met along the way and gave us a helping hand.  We prepared our lists separately.  In some cases, only one of us will share our reflection and some occasions we will both share.  We limited to 25 simply because it seemed like a good number.

Bishop Julio and Milagros Holguín

BOB    When Ellen and I arrived in the Dominican Republic to serve as full-time missionaries, it was only our second trip.  On our first trip, we were in the DR for two days.  This time we had committed ourselves for a minimum of four years.  We were here, because we both believed that this is where our Lord wanted us to serve.

    Now 16 years after our arrival, we can look back and clearly understand why we were called to serve in the DR.  Bishop Holguin, Milagros, and the people of this country are the reason we have stayed here 12 years longer than our original commitment.  Bishop Holguin taught us what it means to live by faith and believe that if you do your part, our Lord will do his.

    This diocese has undergone a spectacular period of growth, because of the leadership and faith of its Bishop.   When Bishop Holguin believes a worshiping community is strong enough, he will buy property and start the foundation of a church.  At first, I thought the diocese was over-extended, because we had several schools and churches under construction.  But Bishop Holguin´s faith philosophy is start building it and they will come to finish it.

Milagros with Bob

    Working in the diocesan office, we have seen a side of Bishop Holguin that few others in this diocese have an opportunity to see.  His generosity to especially the poor is a wonderful and a very special gift he gives to God´s people.  He has been incredibly kind to Ellen and me.  He has on many occasions supported clergy and lay people who are struggling with grave health problems.  He is a person who reaches out without others knowing.  

     Milagros joins him in this generosity of spirit.  She has supported her husband and his ministry but has remained in the background.  She helps when help is needed.  She is both a Mary and Martha and her gift of hospitality makes everyone entering her home feel comfortable.  

    I cannot put into words the influence they both have had on this diocese and us.  Their love and support have made our ministry here both satisfying and productive.  
 

ELLEN - You can’t separate the two, but I will do my best to talk about each one.  Bishop Holguin has been a very exciting person to work for.  He is a visionary.  He accepts no boundaries.  He dreams with his heart and his soul.  He is so honest.  He pushes people to do things, they don’t think they can do, but he pushes and gets what he thinks is needed.  His shoes will not be filled easily.  It has been a huge privilege for us to serve as missionaries under his tutelage.  He has always been available to help and to give aid.  He will have a special place in my heart forever.  Many people do not know all the ways he has helped people.  He carries so much responsibility,  I don’t know how he handles it, but he does.  He amazes me. 

     His soul mate, Milagros, is always at his side.  She is the hostess to top all hostesses.  I have never seen her without a smile on her face.  She handles a small dinner party of 5 as well as a dinner party of 25.  She also helps many people and projects that no one else knows about.  She and the bishop are so generous, but are always behind the scenes when it comes to letting people know how much they do.  This diocese is what it is today because of the tireless work of the two of them together.  I am so thankful to have had the privilege to work with them and get to know them personally.

Vivencia Kids

BOB - Perhaps our greatest and most lasting gift to this diocese was introducing Happenings, or Vivencia, to the young people of this diocese.  Ellen and I were Mom and Dad on the first Happenings in Nebraska.  We knew the spiritual impact Happenings had on young people in Nebraska.  One of our early goals was to introduce Happenings in the DR.  Fortunately Aldo Rincon and Miguelina Espinal, two Dominican young people, had attended Vivencia in Puerto Rico.  Our friends from Puerto Rico joined us in presenting the first Vivencia here.  After the first Vivencia, the youth took over and provided strong leadership without much adult supervision. 

    Vivencia has changed the spiritual face of this diocese.  Our youth are involved and committed.  Youth on the first few Vivencia are now adult leaders within the diocese.  The diocese will continue to benefit from the spiritual leadership qualities of these young people for years to come.

ELLEN - Bob and I were active with Happenings in the US.  When we arrived in the Dominican Republic, a young women who is now a priest, asked us to help get Happenings started in the Dominican Republic.  Of course, we said yes.  We started the program with the help of the youth and clergy leadership from Puerto Rico.  Every since then I have been one of the moms on the weekends.  I feel now like a grandmother to some of the youth that are now in the program.

    Every year we have a Vivencia weekend in August.  For the last few years, I kept saying I didn’t think I had the energy to do the weekend, but I did them.  I always feel so fulfilled with the youth.  They work hard and we worship together and pray together and it never ceases to energize my aging body and my faith.  I come back renewed and energized to tackle the problems facing me each time. 

    I have watched some of these youth mature into young adults.  They put me to shame at how hard they work on the weekend and how much they put into the weekend.  Some of them I believe will be or already are priests and other ministers of the church.  I know many of them now are serving on their vestries.  Many of them are youth leaders in their church.  I can’t tell you how much they inspire me.  They also give me hope for our church in the future.  I pray that they do not lose the fire of their enthusiasm to share the gospel with other youth outside their circle. 

Father Gonzales (left) with the Bishop

Father Daniel Gonzalez

Ellen – I remember when coming to the Dominican Republic, there was this priest with a sweet smile.  However, all the seminarians were afraid of him and even some of the people in the church.  He was known as a man who could be really tough. 

    However, he was very kind to Bob and I.  He had the patience of Job.  He was the dean of the seminary at the time and also was the Spanish pastor for Epiphany church.  For some reason, he felt sorry for Bob and I and he took us under his wing.  He was so patient with our bad Spanish.  He never spoke English, although I think he could have if he wanted to.  He was a learned man and he ruled the seminary and the church with a stern hand.  But yet there was something about him that Bob and I grew to love, and so did others in the church. 

    He was so loving to us.  He would push us when we needed to be pushed, but he was always there to talk to us and guide us. 

    As the years went by, Fr. Gonzalez developed heart problems.  He never let it get him down.  He would get sick, but he would bounce right back.   He never stopped doing what he loved.  Every morning I would see him take his morning walk.  He would always greet me and give him a special hug.

    My favorite memory of him was on Sunday mornings.  When he was not responsible for the Spanish congregation, he would go to his office and wait for us to deliver communion to him after the service in the church.  Although he was a learned man, he never made you feel beneath him.  He could look into your eyes and make you feel like he could read everything about you.  I still see his face now and then. 

    Fr. Gonzalez left this earth as he always went about God’s work, quietly and gently.  I know and hope that one of the people that will meet me in heaven will be Fr. Gonzalez.

BOB – When Ellen arrived in Santo Domingo on December7, 1995, Epiphany Church did not have a priest.  Bishop Reus, the former Bishop of Puerto Rico, had served the church until just two months prior to my arrival.  I was a new missionary, who spoke very little Spanish, and was assigned to take care of a church with both an English and Spanish congregation.  I was relieved that the Dean of the seminary would celebrate Sunday services for the Spanish congregation.  I was intimated at first at serving with the Dean of the Seminary. 

    At first, I was to reluctant to speak Spanish in the mass.  My pronunciation was terrible, my vocabulary was small, and I stumbled over words with more than three syllables.

    The second Sunday I was at Epiphany, he asked me to conduct the first part of the Spanish service.  I was prepared to read the gospel, but I was not prepared to read out loud from the prayer book.  I said I had not practiced the readings.  He agreed to do it, but told me to be prepared on the next Sunday.  From that point on, I conducted the first part of the service.

    Father Gonzalez always pushed me to do more, than I thought I could or should do.  When I stumbled over words, he didn´t say thing, even though I knew he had a reputation as a perfectionist.  Few deacons, and even fewer missionaries, have the opportunity to learn from the dean of a seminary, and a person who preached the gospel in both words and life.

    When we moved off of church property, we spent less time with Father Gonzalez.  When we returned to the DR from Nebraska in 2011, we learned that Fr. Gonzalez had died.  Now as we are about to leave the DR, I regret that I did not spend more time with him.  Fr. Gonzalez made our transition into this culture easier, but even more important he gave me an insight into Latin Spirituality.  Thank you Fr. Gonzales.

Cathedral Feeding Program

Mary

BOB - I don´t remember Mary´s last name, but I do remember when I first met her.  I was preaching at Epiphany Cathedral when Mary entered the church, shouting embarrassing phrases and walking up the center isle barefoot and dirty.  Epiphany frequently has street people enter the church, so our ushers politely asked Mary to sit down or leave the church.  She decided to sit down. 

    Mary was extremely aggressive and could be violent.  She was hungry, and there was little doubt that she needed help.  But Mary´s greatest need was that she desired someone to care about her needs and love her. 

Mary would periodically visit the church, and she discovered that we did care about her if she entered Epiphany and sat down.  Because of her  aggressive manner, people were afraid of her.  But she knew that there were people at Epiphany who really cared about her and would help.

    When we didn´t see Mary for a few months, we became concerned.  About a year after we stopped seeing her on Sundays, she entered the church and she was wearing shoes and a clean dress.  She sat down in the back row as always.  When the ushers came down the aisle with the offering, I saw her stand up and follow them.

    After the ushers presented me with the offering they stepped back.  It is then I saw Mary holding a lit candle with a picture of Jesus.  She kissed Jesus and then handed me the candle as her offering.  I left the candle on the altar and after communion put it on the credence table.  When I looked out at the congregation, I could easily tell they knew what had happened.  Several of them were wiping tears from their eyes.

    Another year passed without seeing Mary.  One Sunday Ellen came back to the sacristy and said there was someone by the front door who wanted to see me.  When I asked who it was she said you may not recognize her, but you will be happy to see her.   
    As I walked down the center aisle, I did not recognize the person who wanted to see me.   Then suddenly I did.  It was Mary.  She was at least 25 pounds heavier, and wore a clean and neatly pressed skirt and blouse.  I gave her a hug.  She told me she was staying in a Catholic home, but she just wanted to tell us how much she appreciated the church and what we did for her.

    Mary taught me many things about the culture of living on the streets.  She illustrated to us the power of Christ´s love when we demonstrate this love to other people.  We haven´t seen Mary for about two years.  But we both believe she is being taken well care of.  Maybe by the Catholic Church, but most certainly by the one who takes care of us all.