Stand in Solidarity with the People of Totonicapán

Posted on October 15, 2012 by sisterparishinc

Mourners gather in Totonicapan around a statue of K’iche’ leader Atanasio Tzul with a mourning cape. (Photo via Guatemala Indy Media)

A march held on the Day of Indigenous Resistance (Photo credit: cpr-urbana.blogspot.com)

On October 4th, members of K’iche’ communities from Totonicapán, Guatemala, held a peaceful protest to speak out against the government’s recent educational ‘reforms’, rising energy prices, and the increased militarization of civil society, and to call for change.  During the protest, members of the military, reportedly ignoring orders to maintain their distance, tried to break up the road block and fired into the crowd.  At least six people were killed (some have reported eight) and over 30 more were injured. You can read more about the Totonicapán massacre on the NISGUA blog, and at Upside Down World.

On October 11, the Guatemalan Attorney General announced charges against an army colonel and eight soldiers implicated in the massacre, which Human Rights Watch cited as an important first step toward accountability in Guatemala.

On October 12, only days after the U.S. government celebrated Columbus Day, Guatemalans observed a nation-wide Day of Indigenous Resistance.  During an organized march, participants demanded — among other things– justice for the victims of the attack: José Eusebio Puac Barreno, Santos Hernández Menchú , Jesús Baltazar Caxaj Puac, Arturo Félix Sapón Yax, Jesús Francisco Puac Ordóñez, Rafael Nicolás Batz, and all those injured.

Please  stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Guatemala and keep international pressure on the Guatemalan government to bring those responsible to justice and to ensure that such acts are never repeated.  You can sign a petition created by the Guatemala Human Rights Commission here.

Day of Indigenous Resistance (Photo credit: cpr-urbana.blogspot.com)

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We walk, we sing, we pray: El Salvador Solidarity Walk 2012

Posted on October 9, 2012 by sisterparishinc

On September 29th, Sister Parish community representatives in El Salvador gathered to walk in solidarity with their hermanamientos in the North and to share their songs and hopes for a more just world.

This year’s theme for the Solidarity Walk was “Sister Song.”  In the words of one of the members of the El Salvador Directiva, “We want to sing a sister song to share our hopes and dreams of a different world, a world without suffering, tears or hunger.  We want to sing a sister song, so this world will be lit up with a smile and the singing of the ones we love.”

Approximately 75 people participated from the four sister parish communities and the umbrella organization, the Association of Communities for the Development of Chalatenango (CCR).

The community of Potrerillos, linked with Decorah’s First United Methodist Church, hosted the walk this year.  All  four communities participated in choosing Bible readings and excerpts from Archbishop Oscar Romero’s homilies for the stations along the way.

In the days leading up to the walk, many US Sister Parish members pledged money in support of the walkers in El Salvador. All of the money raised by the Salvadoran Walkers will go toward paying for operational costs that directly benefit the Salvadoran communities. You can still donate and support their walk.

Read the full report on the “Sister Song” Solidarity Walk (PDF) and watch a video slideshow of the walk below (password: churches2012).  We hope this will bring you closer to your sisters and brothers in El Salvador.


Music plays an integral role, not only in the annual Solidarity Walk, but also more generally in the development of our faith and our sister relationships.  Read more about how you can get involved in our ongoing Sister Songs project. 

Posted in El Salvador, General, Solidarity Walks | 1 Comment

Guatemala Representatives Meeting – September 2012

Posted on October 8, 2012 by sisterparishinc

On September 29th and 30th, representatives from eight of the Sister Parish communities in Guatemala gathered for a weekend of decisions, learning and prayer.

While in the capital, the representatives participated in the second annual Guatemala Solidarity Walk and held elections for the new Guatemala Directiva.

As busy as the weekend was, we valued the time set aside for reflections, prayers and song.   During our ecumenical service, with candles lit for the four directions, fascinating questions arose about the Mayan calendar and the significance of the year 2012.  Representatives from San Andres Itzapa explained that a new cycle begins in the Mayan calendar this December.  Each new cycle is a time for transformation and change, but not the end of the world, as portrayed by some media.

Representatives also had the opportunity to hear from a woman leader from FRENAM, a community association organizing on mining in San Jose del Golfo and San Pedro Ayampuc.  The speaker spoke of local organizing efforts, attacks against their leaders, and how their faith gives them strength to continue.

We thank all who contributed to make these activities possible.

Read our full report (PDF) on the Guatemala representatives meeting, including the list of attendees and the new members of the Guatemala Directiva.

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Solidarity Walk 2012: Guatemala Presente

Posted on October 8, 2012 by sisterparishinc

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13

On September 29th, approximately 30 people from Sister Parish communities in Guatemala participated in the second annual Solidarity Walk.  During the walk, participants expressed solidarity with migrants, people living with all forms of violence, other sister parish communities, and all those who work for a more just and peaceful world.  This year, the walk’s themes included hope, friendship, solidarity and sister songs.

Guatemala Solidarity Walk 2012

We walked down Sixth Avenue and sang the opening song, “Juntos como hermanos”.

“Together as brothers and sisters, members of the church, we are walking, to meet the Lord. A long walk, in the desert, under the sun, we can not go on, without the help of the Lord.”

Throughout the morning, representatives took turns reading from the Bible and reflections gathered by staff.  The group heard the story of the Good Samaritan and words from the book of John.

“Chontala – present in the walk for solidarity in Guatemala”

At one station, we were moved by the quote from one of Oscar Romero’s famous homilies, in which he speaks of wanting to be the “voice of the voiceless”.  We remembered all who have given their life in the pursuit of social justice with a moment of silence.

Regional Coordinator Brian Tyler created a video slideshow of the Solidarity Walk to share with our network (password is “churches2012”).


At the Solidarity Walk’s final reflection stop, we read the names of our sister parish communities and sang the song, “Dios está aquí (God is here)”.

Members of the Guatemala Directiva hold up their signs for the Solidarity Walk.

“God, is here,
as certain as the air I breathe,
as certain as the sun
rises in the morning,
as certain as he can hear me,
when I speak.”

We know that many of our wider sister parish community members, both northern and southern, were with us in spirit that day.

In the days leading up to the walk, many US Sister Parish members pledged money in support of the Guatemala Solidarity Walk. All the money raised by the Guatemala Walkers will go toward paying for operational costs that directly benefit the Guatemalan communities. You can still donate and support their walk here.

Music plays an integral role, not only in the annual Solidarity Walk, but also more generally in the development of our faith and our sister relationships.  Read more about how you can get involved in our ongoing Sister Songs project. 

Posted in General, Guatemala, Solidarity Walks | Leave a comment

Eating the Bread of Life Together: St. Joan of Arc – Tierra Nueva II 2012

Posted on September 24, 2012 by sisterparishinc

by Meghan Grossman

St. Joan of Arc delegates with welcome decorations from their sister parish in Tierra Nueva II.

After washing down the last bites of fresh tortilla with sweet hibiscus iced tea in the sunny courtyard of the church, the pastor requested that one of the Saint Joan of Arc delegates speak at mass for our departing Sunday.  I had been thinking that his questions for us all regarding the mission and vision of our Sister Parish relationship over lunch that Friday afternoon were his way of researching his homily topic, in order to best describe us to the rest of the congregation.  Surprisingly, he thought it would be best for one of the North American delegates to share reflections in order for the community to hear directly from us.  The pastor laid out the parameters: explain the mission of solidarity and reconciliation, include themes of all three readings for Sunday, August 19th and keep it under 15 minutes…

Feeling intimidated by the task, I gathered reflections from many of my fellow delegates and Tierra Nueva II (TNII) friends.  Finding time to write it proved to be challenging in between meals, visiting and extended family visits in my host family’s home.  My host mom ran out to find the correct readings in Spanish for me and another TNII friend proofread my work.  I worked late into the night with a flashlight under the covers so as to avoid disturbing the rest of the family.  Bleary-eyed, I woke and dressed for 6:00 AM mass.    I was so nervous as I approached the altar when invited up by Pastor Tomas and began to share my thoughts in front of a packed church.  At one point I made eye contact with a very good (and new) friend from TNII while talking about how much he had helped our group keep God at the center of our experiences.  Overcome with emotion I barely finished through my tears. 

I never expected to feel so deeply connected to a group of people in such a short amount of time.  Below you will find the text (in English) of my comments that day that, I hope, begin to capture this unexpected but wonderful connection.

St. Joan of Arc delegates are greeted at the airport.

What is solidarity?  I thought that I knew before coming to Guatemala.  My name is Meghan Grossman.  The delegation has chosen me to speak today.  Thank you for the opportunity to share some reflections about my Sister Parish experience with you.  With each passing day in Guatemala we have become more aware that our definition of solidarity was incomplete.  Today’s readings from the Bible show us why.

The second reading today says “Don’t be thoughtless.”  Many North Americans have no concept of the struggle and difficulties of the Guatemalan people.  From this ignorance some actions and, worse, some inactions have resulted in injustice.  During trip…we visited the Peace Park of Santiago de Atitlán where thirteen young people are buried, victims of a massacre of the same time period.  The people of Guatemala have much to teach us about reconciliation.

Thanks to our wonderful hosts in TNII, homestays were a highlight of the delegation.

In the first reading it says, “…advance in the way of understanding.”  A young scholarship student from Tierra Nueva II…gave us an example of this yesterday.  When she was asked about the pressure of drugs and violence that she confronts, she responded with wisdom.  She told us that in order to live a long life, she needs to listen to and respect her parents because they have already experienced a lot.  We have also learned to listen to those who have experienced life, fought for justice and built a community here in Guatemala.  We have learned that we do not know the best path.  Like Brother Paul [from Tierra Nueva II] says, our sister parish relationship is one of equals, not of charity.  We do not see ourselves as superiors or parents or you as poor children.  Together we are equals, advancing in the way of understanding.

In the Gospel the theme is communion.  There is no better theme to explain our sister parish relationship.  As Jesus says, “He that eats of this bread will live forever.”  To share communion is fundamentally a sacrament of community.  We are a community united in a long history, an unconditional promise and in our Catholic faith.  The long history began 18 years ago when the first delegation came here from Saint Joan of Arc.

Every two years since then members of the church of Tierra Nueva II have received us into their homes as members of their families.  Thank you..to all the families that have hosted us.  Every two years a delegation from here visits us as well.     We live together, we pray together and we eat together, as brothers and sisters in Christ.  Every year our commitment is stronger.  It is our faith that has given us the most.  Thank you to [the two representatives of TNII that traveled with us] for always reminding us, even after a long day traveling in the countryside, the importance of confidence in God and always thanking God.  Saint Joan of Arc and Tierra Nueva II eat the bread of life together and we believe that our sister parish relationship will live forever.

St. Joan of Arc delegates are greeted at the airport.

Solidarity is something that you cannot understand until you feel it.  I felt it when: strangers met me at the airport with joy and song, when we laugh and cry together, when, together, we get angry over the injustice of malnutrition, violence and lack of funds for the health post, when Eluvia gives me my daily hug (or hourly hug).  Solidarity is a feeling, not an abstract concept that is not going to end or even be put on hold when we return.  We are going to strengthen the bridge that we have built through communication, prayer and adding more people.  I am going to be much more conscious of news from Guatemala and North American issues that impact Guatemala.  I am going to share what I have learned with everybody and invite them to join us.  I also invite you to become a member of the sister parish committee, the Peregrinos (those that reflect on the Bible with members of Saint Joan of Arc) and to pray for understanding, justice and solidarity.  In conclusion, thank you for your commitment to this beautiful sister parish relationship.  God bless.

Read more from delegates on the St. Joan of Arc website.

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Our Blog

Posted on April 21, 2012 by sisterparishinc

This blog is a place for our staff, members and supporters to share news and reflections about Sister Parish.  You can sign up for our e-news to receive updates or contact us to submit a piece of your own.  See blog archives.

Blog en español.

Posted in Español, General | Comments Off on Our Blog