Friends From Peru

Many of you will recall that I visited Peru last year on a mission trip to the Diocese of Chimbote. For several decades, the Diocese of Fargo has supported the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the city of Chimbote, and large numbers of people from our diocese have visited there. My own visit was a huge grace in my life, and I was privileged to experience what so many of you have experienced on your own journeys to Chimbote. A wonderful group of people here in North Dakota and around the nation have formed an organization called Friends of Chimbote. This group actively works to support the efforts of the parish and diocese, and coordinates mission visits throughout the year. This year alone, several groups from our diocese have already made trips to Chimbote and worked alongside the residents to build houses, visit the sick, and experience the lives of the poor and the needy.
 
Peru is a country with great natural beauty and wonderful people. I was overwhelmed during my own visit by the warm welcome I received wherever I went. I was also deeply touched by the joy and generosity of the people. I was treated as a friend and a member of the family. But Peru also suffers from severe material poverty. Many people in Chimbote and the surrounding area live in shacks or makeshift shelters. They do what they can to survive from day to day, and they provide for themselves and their families however they can. The parish is a hub of spiritual activity and care for the poor, but it too is challenged by limited facilities and a shortage of funds. The people of our diocese, alongside the Friends of Chimbote, have done wonderful things over the years to assist those in need, and to support the parish and its pastors in their mission to serve God’s people. Despite the poverty that runs so deep, there is a spirit of gratitude, joy, and hope.
 
During my visit to Chimbote, I was graciously hosted by Bishop Angel Ernesto Zapata Bances. He treated me as a brother and opened his home to me. He proudly showed me the good things that are happening in his diocese, but he also shared the many challenges that he faces. Like so many others, Bishop Ernesto is challenged by the need for priests and the means to care for them, especially in their elder years. I was immediately aware that he is a true shepherd who loves our Lord and cares deeply for his people and his priests.
 
In response to his kind welcome, I invited Bishop Ernesto to visit the Diocese of Fargo. He is coming to the United States in early September and will visit several other states, including our neighbors in Minnesota. Then he will spend several days here in the Diocese of Fargo to meet friends who have visited Chimbote and to see a little bit of North Dakota. During his visit, Bishop Ernesto will visit several of our parishes and will join in a final celebration of Mass at Holy Cross Church in West Fargo on Monday, September 14, the Feast of the Holy Cross. It is my sincere hope that many will come to meet him and welcome him to our diocese as he has welcomed so many of us.
 
Allow me to invite you to consider making a gift to the Friends of Chimbote during the visit of Bishop Ernesto. Your support can help a family move from a shelter made of tarps on a dirt floor to a new house that is stable, safe, and comfortable. You can help the pastor in Chimbote make needed repairs to the roof of his parish church. You can help provide clean, accessible water to families living in the barrios. And you can help Bishop Ernesto provide a place to live and medical care for his older priests.
 
Our relationship with the Church in Chimbote has been long and fruitful. They have been blessed by our generosity, and we have been blessed by their faithful witness. The Church is missionary by its very nature, that is, it is made by Jesus to go out into the world with the joy of the Gospel and the witness of faith. I have always been impressed by the eagerness of so many people here in North Dakota to support the Church’s mission, especially as we experience it in Chimbote. I hope the visit of Bishop Ernesto and his co-workers will be an occasion for all of us to grow in our understanding of this mission and our commitment to support it.