Latin America – Jesuits in Latin America: Living in Solidarity
Ted Penton SJ, Secretary of the Office of Justice and Ecology of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States shares with Magis Americas his reflections on how Jesuit networks help to concretize our solidarity.
Among the blessings of my life as a Jesuit are the many relationships I have developed around the world. Solidarity is a central aspect of our Catholic faith, especially solidarity with the marginalized. Relationships with Jesuits and Jesuit ministries in the United States and abroad have helped me to concretize that solidarity. I have had the opportunity to visit Jesuit ministries that do incredibly inspiring work, often in very difficult contexts. These connections serve as a comforting reminder of our shared mission, regardless of the boundaries that may exist between us.
For several years, for example, the Nicaraguan government has been repressing peaceful demonstrations, imprisoning political prisoners and even "disappearing" opposition figures. Students and professors at the Jesuit Central American University (UCA) in Managua have been targeted; on multiple occasions, forces allied with the government have violently opposed peaceful demonstrators on the university campus. The university has also suffered severe financial and administrative repercussions from the government. UCA's president, Fr. Chepe Idiaquez, SJ, has been the target of death threats. While this is not a risk we Jesuits normally face in North America, it is an honor to support the vital work of Fr. Chepe and others like him facing repressive governments in Central America.
In Venezuela, too, it is incredible to witness the efforts that persist on the part of Jesuit ministries in the midst of years of turmoil and social collapse. The number that brought home to me the gravity of the situation was "20": it was reported in 2018 that in a single year the average Venezuelan had lost 20 pounds of body weight due to food shortages and economic crisis. However, the vital work of the Jesuits continues, including the independent social analysis of the Gumilla Center and the education of those living on the margins of the 176 Fe y Alegria schools across the country.
The Fe y Alegria model that developed in Venezuela has taken root in Latin America and the Caribbean. Fe y Alegria, or "Foi et Joie," is also present in Haiti, another country that has suffered greatly. These schools provide educational and vocational training opportunities for children and adults. At St. Ignace de Loyola School, for example, students learn about ecology, agriculture and business through a beekeeping initiative, which they can then practice with their parents in their own homes. By integrating education, ecology and economics, this project aims to improve the quality of life for its students, their families and the surrounding community. The children gain important, practical knowledge and experience along with the opportunity to earn additional income for their family.
The COVID pandemic has exposed and exacerbated many existing injustices in the United States and around the world. Watching news reports can make the challenges we face feel simultaneously very close and very distant. The stories, photos and videos can be compelling, but the people and situations depicted are also foreign. How do we live the solidarity to which our Catholic faith calls us when the distances are so great, the differences so stark? Jesuit networks help us bridge that divide. Most Americans have never visited Nicaragua, but if they have attended a Jesuit parish, school or university, then they have a connection to Fr. Chepe and the struggles of UCA Managua, as they do to Jesuit ministries in Venezuela, Haiti and around the world. We may be working within different social realities, but we all share a mission of reconciliation and justice, based on and united by our faith in Christ.
The work of the vast international Jesuit network connects us. It helps us keep our focus on a larger common mission, which leads us to stand in solidarity with one another even when we are far apart. Organizations like Magis Americas serve to alleviate this distance as they collaborate with various Jesuit institutions such as UCA Managua and Fe y Alegría, creating a connection not only in faith, but in how we carry out our faith and commitment to care for our brothers and sisters.
Source: CPAL
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