Every day, hundreds of pedestrians and vehicles travel along the main avenue that connects Ciudad Juárez, Mexico with El Paso, Texas, USA. The route has become a binational complex in which life is shared between both cities. Just one mile (1.6 km) from the Mexican border crossing, on the U.S. side, stands our Conventual Franciscan fraternity of St. Kateri Tekakwitha. The friars have been active there for over three decades. Working with various groups of parishioners and volunteers, the friars help build up the Church by lovingly serving vulnerable border communities, responding to their difficulties, sufferings, and hopes, and joining them in community projects of solidarity (cf. Constitutions 108 §1).
Despite increasingly strict immigration laws, the construction of a border wall, and the undignified treatment that men, women, children, and families have been receiving from certain institutions, these sister cities continue to build bridges of humanity and foster bonds of solidarity with the most vulnerable and poor.
In this shared borderland, the work of the Migrant Ministry, the Esperanzar Volunteer Group, and the Food Pantry and Nutritional Support Program for Shelters and Hospitals is especially noteworthy. Through the food pantry, between 300 and 400 families on both sides of the border receive biweekly or monthly assistance. During Thanksgiving and Christmas, special meals are prepared, and gifts are collected and distributed to those most in need. Special care and support are also provided to single mothers, who receive clothing, diapers, food, and other essential items for their babies.
For several years, a dedicated group of parishioners has organized two annual garage sales, made possible through contributions and donations from our parish community, members of other churches, and special benefactors. Lightly used clothing, toys, shoes, and household items are collected and offered for sale, with special attention given to caring for the environment through recycling and reuse. Both the donated items and the proceeds from the sales help many families on both sides of the border and assist people in particularly vulnerable situations. They also benefit Church organizations and ministries.
September is dedicated to celebrating creation. During the month, we received a generous gift. The owner of an orchard allowed us to harvest part of his apple crop to share with the homeless, especially the residents at the Opportunity Center, a nonprofit shelter organization. This activity, carried out by the Esperanzar Volunteer Group, strengthened fraternity and communion among those serving in migrant ministry. It also allowed us to experience the generosity of the land, which, as a gift from God, gives abundantly to all. We experienced this moment as a time of singing and praying with the Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis.
The service we provide through the food pantry and migrant assistance ministries allows us—joyfully and with commitment—to bring life to Pope Francis’ invitation: “the principle of the common good immediately becomes…a summons to solidarity and a preferential option for the poorest…” (Laudato Si’, 158). We hope these efforts help build stronger communities, capable of breaking down the invisible walls that divide us, and fostering bonds of friendship, brotherly love, and hope.
Esperanzar Office
