Oraciones hoy y mañana

Prayers today and tomorrow for the Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador as they meet in their annual convention and tonight as they ordain three men to the priesthood.


Here are candles in our chapel, seven to represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit along with a little incense.

Just a small note from the Most Rev'd Martin Barahona

Solo una pequeña nota

Reciban mi amor y agradecimiento por sus oraciones y expresión de solidaridad con motivo del terrible atentado criminal, el cual sufrí el 17 de marzo del corriente año, y en el cual mi motorista Francis Martínez resultó gravemente herido, pero gracias a Dios ya está fuera de peligro y en recuperación y del que yo salí ileso. Gracias por su solidaridad y a su constante oraciones que han sido nuestro mejor escudo protector.

Doy gracias a Dios por la expresión de amistad que he recibido de iglesias amigas y de toda la Comunión Anglicana, lo cual me da confianza para continuar en el servicio a Dios en este mi amado país El Salvador

Aprovecho la oportunidad para desearles felices pascuas de resurrección.

Rvdmo. Martin Barahona
Obispo de la Iglesia Episcopal de El Salvador
Y Primado de la Iglesia Anglicana de la Región Central de America (IARCA)


Just a small note

Receive my love and thanks for your prayers and expressions of solidarity after the terrible criminal assassination attempt which I suffered on 17 March of this year and in which my driver, Francis Martinez, was gravely injured. However, thanks be to God, he already is out of danger and is recovering and I was not injured. Thank you for your solidarity and your constant prayers which have been our best protective shield.

I give thanks to God for the expressions of friendship I have received from our friends in the church and in all of the Anglican Communion. These give me the confidence to continue in the service of God in my beloved country of El Salvador.

I also take this opportunity to wish you a happy and blessed Easter.

The Most Rev'd Martin Barahona
Bishop of the Episcopal Church of El Salvador
and Primate of the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America

[photo taken during his recent trip to San Francisco; he is wearing a stole the children from the parish I serve made him in October 2009]

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Francis will have the stitches removed from his stomach tomorrow; last week the doctors put a plate and six screws in his elbow; these will be permanent. The pain in his elbow is still quite noticeable at night; during the day it is not overwhelming.

The IAES still greatly appreciates all of your prayers.

Ya es santo

Over in Facebook land, I am a fan of the Juventud Anglicana de El Salvador. They posted some photos today of a Holy Week retreat held out at El Maizal, about 80 kms to the west of San Salvador. This site once was a farm and then became an agricultural school until the conflict wherein it was abandoned. The IAES became owner of it in the 1980s but only in the late 1990s began to reconsider what to do with the property.

When I went to El Salvador in 2002 for the first Cristosal board meeting, the bishop spoke of his plans for the property, plans which at the time meant buying five more acres of land. When a group of Episcopal communicators and I visited El Maizal in 2004, the local leader showed us the bishop's plans for the property. We called it, 'Martín's field of dreams.'

By 2007, the school, thirty homes and spiffing up of the main building had already happened. Agricultural projects were well under way. My last time there, in 2008, a small swimming pool had been installed (somewhere I read it was the gift of the Bishop of Los Angeles) and the main building fully rehabbed. Since then, the church has been renovated and they are working on forming a congregation. There is bakery out there that is fully functional.

In February of this year, during the tenth year anniversary celebration of the founding of Cristosal, the bishop dedicated an obelisk with a celtic cross up top and a plaque at the bottom with the names of the Cristosal board, recognising the work that international citizens have accomplished in partnership with the IAES. Though I am not on the Cristosal board and have not been since 2005, my name is there, too, something for which I am most honoured.



I love the fact that the youth of the diocese chose to have a night-time outdoor Eucharist at the foot of the obelisk (that will also serve as a columbarium). I think the youth are the first to bless the obelisk in this manner.

As an advertisement, make sure that your parish includes in its bulletins on Sunday 25 April, the Episcopal News Service leaflet on Cristosal. Go over to ENS to get it and then get it to the church office.

Caminar es pensar

To walk is to think.

That is what I told the office staff of the Iglesia Anglicana Episcopal de El Salvador on my last day in El Salvador three weeks ago. I had not been able to go on any walks during my time there. I accepted having my wings clipped, given what had just transpired with the assassination attempt. But I so needed to walk to sort things out in my head that I finagled a walk on my last morning from where I was staying to the diocesan office, a 15 minute-walk, if that.

Caminar es pensar. Walking is where I can pound out thoughts, such as my frustration with the increasing power grab attempts on the part of the GAFCON (I keep typing GAGCON) primatial contingent and fatigue with repeated referrals to Lambeth 1998 I.10 as though it is holy writ.

And walking is where I pray... for Francis. Nearly four weeks later, he is healing somewhat. His stomach is fairly well healed. In his operation, the doctors put in six screws and plates in his elbow. He suffers a lot of pain from that injury. His soul, too, suffers. He understandably is afraid to venture out into public.

The folks of the IAES greatly appreciate everyone's prayers. Keep them coming. It makes a world of difference.

[photo: heading toward Acebo, Spain, Camino walk 2004]

Prayers for IARCA

The Synod of the Iglesia Anglicana de la Región de Central América is meeting this week in Panamá. Our Padre Mickey will be on the scene with camera and taking notes for us. He is also preparing the opening liturgy which will take place tomorrow night.

This meeting is an important one because at it they will elect the third archbishop of the province. Their canons allow for two consecutive four-year terms. Bishop Martín Barahona of El Salvador, elected in April 2002 after the death of Cornelius Wilson of Costa Rica, has now completed those two terms and it is time for someone else to take the place. Tea leaf reading indicates it will be the bishop of Guatemala, Armando Guerra, who will be elected, but who knows what the Holy Spirit will be? There is hardly a large field — since the Bishop of El Salvador is ineligible, save changing the canons, that leaves Guatemala, Nicaragua (Sturdy Downs), Panamá (Julio Murray) and Costa Rica (Hector Monterossa). I would be amazed if the bishop of Nicaragua were elected... he has struggled with health issues of late. So that leaves Guate whose bishop has the longest experience, then Panamá and Costa Rica in terms of consecration.

So hold this young province, just barely 12 years old, as it moves through its synod, that God's grace and wisdom shall prevail and politics might sit in the backseat.

I would expect there be a celebration of Bishop Barahona's ministry as archbishop. I hope so! All I can say is that things will be quite different henceforth.

Update on El Salavdor

Talked with the bishop last night... his driver is out of the hospital facing a two-month recovery. They operated on his arm this week.

No news as far as investigation... there probably won't be until after Holy Week and Easter.

This whole mess has put a real crunch in finances: they have to buy a new car, e.g.

Any of you feel like sending money to Cristosal, the link of the sidebar is still active.

Gracias and continue to hold all of them in your prayers.

More later.

Thirtieth anniversary night

So, while many others went to a mass in the crypt in late afternoon, I did not get plugged back into the 30th-year anniversary events until night-time when we went to the ecumenical acto that took place at the Plaza Cívica, frente a la Catedral Metropolitana. I thought we were going to be way late since we left an hour after we should have and figured there would be lots of people, therefore, traffic, but to my surprise, we were dropped off right in front of the Plaza (a street separates it and the cathedral). This was an acto at which there would be read a proclamation. It was sponsored by the Concertación Monseñor Romero.


The Palacion Nacional lies on one side of the Plaza Cívica. It was hard to tell whether an opposing group or pro group was presenting a film projected on the wall of the Palacio Nacional but whatever, it was really annoying and at one point, the organisers of the acto asked that the volume be turned down and if it wasn't, they would get the police to help. The volume went down for a while but then it went back up again. Very aggravating.


Given that I was one of the participants, I tried to be discrete with my photography. This blurred shot shows the catedral in the background and gives you some sense of the crowd.


I cherish this photo of the bishop in the Vermont stole and the gringa in the Salvadoran stole which went home with me qua gift and recuerdo. This was taken before the acto got going.


The organisers held a contest for paintings and this was one of the entries. I took this as we stood to form a procession. I can't believe how honoured I was to be processing in with Bishop Medardo Gómez of the Iglesia Luterana de El Salvador – a Nobel Peace Prize candidate - Arzobispo Barahona and a whole cast of luminaries whose names I need to track down but who were well know to the crowd — Pablo Richard, I heard a speech by him back in 1993 in NYC, a priest who knew Romero from back when and so forth.


Holding my camera at my waist so as to be discrete, here is a photo of the crowd. In the foreground are some Finnish Lutheran pastors. One of them at least knew the words to some of the songs we sang. I admit to being far more reserved in comportment since I was up on the platform (only woman!!!!) with all these pastors. Otherwise, I also would have been yelling, ¡Qué viva! and such things.


Bishop Gómez read the first part of the proclamation (to come later).


And Bishop Barahona read the second part.

In addition to saying something in the prayers of the people (Bishop Barahona encouraged me to say where I was from), I was appointed to read the benediction which was a quotation from Romero: 'If they kill me, I will rise again in the Salvadoran people.' As I read it, I looked out at the crowd and saw people saying the words with me… si me matan, rescutiraré en el pueblo salvadoreño.'

This is once-in-a-lifetime stuff.

Thirty-year anniversary morning

The thirtieth anniversary of the martyrdom of San Romero de las Américas was marked by many events, sponsored by three main groups: the government, the 'official' Roman group and then a third group, the Concertación de Romero. We attended events sponsored by the last group.

The day started with a mass at the chapel at the Divina Providencia cancer hospital where Romero was assassinated. There would later be a mass in the crypt at the cathedral but I did not get to it. Nor did I get to participate in the procession from Divina Providencia to the cathedral, though I would have greatly enjoyed it (despite the sun!).

We got to Divina Providencia in the Mira Monte part of San Salvador about ten minutes before the service actually got going. There was lots of milling around beforehand.


The crowd grew even after we went inside but there was already a good crowd before the mass began. People were handing out posters which I gladly took.


The idea throughout the week was that I would accompany the bishop, not really as a body guard because I certainly am not trained but as a witness should anything untoward happen and perhaps, because of being a gringa, it might stop someone from doing something. Of course, obviously these concerns never came to bear but they were in our minds.

It came as a surprise, therefore, to find myself walking down the aisle with him, leading off the procession no less!, and then being directed to sit up front to the left of the altar. Bishop Barahona started out next to me but the organisers then invited him to go up with the other luminaries.


These luminaries were each invited to speak. Bishop Barahona was introduced as having survived an assassination attempt. People applauded him for his witness and even more so after he spoke. He spoke with passion about justice and the Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador's preferential option for the poor.


[This photo is cribbed from someone's facebook page.] After Bishop Barahona spoke, I could see him talking with the organiser (the man next to me in the photo) and pointing at me. I thought, 'Oh no... I know where this is going and I have prepared nothing ahead of time.' The organiser said he did not even dare to try to say my name and he introduced me as 'hermana.' So I introduced myself as la Revda Canóniga de la Iglesia Episcopal de los Estados Unidos y 16 otros paises and Fundación Cristosal. It was a great honour to be able to speak; only eight of us did.


The chapel got even more full as the service went on. I took this during the introductions when people were still arriving.


People from all around the world (Palestine, Cuba, Chicago, for starters) gave gifts which ended up on the altar. You have to admit, I had an excellent vantage point.


After the mass, people spilled out into the street and got set up for their procession to the cathedral. There were far more people at the end of the mass than at the beginning.


As you can see, hay gente.


And here is a little sabor of what the procession involved.

El Salvador March visit 1

This may end up being a multi-posting to get in the photos and commentary but I'll start off... my trip to El Salvador was so fast, too fast but somewhat assuaged my hunger to be there. The last time I had gone was June 2008 so a trip was long overdue. I have so missed the country, San Salvador and most of all the people. Given the events of the past week, it was all the more important I be there for I accompanied Bishop Barahona everywhere which kept him company when he needed it and opened doors to some neat opportunities.


Monday 22 March, we attended a talk by the dean of UCA on Msr Romero in the crypt of the cathedral. The wheel-like ceiling dates post 2004. Behind the altar (barely visible) lies the new 2005 tomb of San Romero. Bishop Barahona was invited up to the head table where his colleagues of an interfaith group sat.


During an opening prayer by a rabbi, the dean and bishop stood side-by-side.


Like the tomb, this painting has moved hither and yon in the crypt. It now resides in the area where Romero's second tomb resided, the tomb that I knew best and prefer still because it was much more simple and del pueblo.


One unexpected treat, a God-incidence, was meeting the Rev'd Bill Wiffle, priest from Buffalo NY, who worked five years with Romero. He was the very last person to whom Romero gave communion ever. He was at the service at the cathedral, 23 March 1980, and had decided not to receive. He then heard Romero asking him, 'Don't you want communion?' So he partook and then Romero went to the altar to finish the service... his last mass since the one the next day was never completed.


The people were beginning to take over the tomb. By the end of the week, Thursday, the tomb was completely covered by flowers. The only part that remained visible was the bishop's face; otherwise, flowers real and paper covered the bronze. And the wax from melted candles at the head of the tomb, the photographs of Romero behind it, somewhat took away the sterile nature of the tomb (one of my beefs is that the only dates that appear are those of his time as arzobispo).


People had brought photographs, begun to appropriate the tomb to themselves and also prayed there, touching it. The tip of the mitre is burnished as well as the heads of the four women who form the posts of this statue.


As a point of comparison, here is a photo from Co-Latino on Thursday (taken Wednesday). By the time I got to the tomb Thursday afternoon, it was completely covered.

On to part 2.

Reintegration

So, so much to do all the while reintegrating from a whirlwind trip to El Salvador. So here is just one photograph.

Tomorrow is Bishop Barahona's 18th anniversary of consecration. As you pray for his safety and well-being, give thanks for his years of ministry and witness to God's all encompassing love for the poor and the marginalised and for his prophetic voice which he is not afraid to use.

[The photo was taken at the ecumenical event on 24 March at the Plaza Cívica in front of the cathedral where Romero's tomb is. More on that later. The stole he is wearing was made by the children of the congregation I serve.]

Retraction

We can end some of our grumpiness with the ABC.

There were email transmission problems but a note did arrive on the 23rd of March from the ABC to Bishop Martin.

Since the latter has not yet had a chance to read this note, I will not publish it but suffice to say that it is a personal note that is not pro forma.

The office here is swamped with emails of solidarity, a good thing.

Rhetorical question

Why does Mary Glasspool's receiving consents garner a comment from the Archbishop of Canterbury almost instantaneously (they must have had the text pre-written for either scenario) whereas when one of the 38 primates of the Anglican Communion nearly loses his life in an assassination attempt that results in his driver being gravely injured we hear nothing?

Update

photo from Co-Latino

Historic Churches Offer Solidarity with the Episcopal Church in El Salvador

by Susana Barrera
Communications Officer
Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador


San Salvador, 19 March 2010

The historic (mainline) churches expressed their solidarity with the Anglican Church in light of the assassination attempt that the bishop of this church, Martín Barahona, and two of his closest collaborators suffered.

The night of Wednesday 17 March Bishop Martín Barahona, along with two of his closest working partners, was victim of the violence that has imprisoned this country. An unknown man wordlessly shot at them. The bullets hit the bishop’s driver, Francis Martínez, who was hospitalized. Meanwhile, the bishop, thanks be to God, was unharmed.

Lutheran bishop Medardo Gómez , in solidarity with Bishop Barahona, said, “As an ecumenical movement of the churches..., we are anxious when a man of God receives an attempt on his life. We cannot prevent ourselves from thinking that it is a persecution of the church and, for this reason, we ask that authorities investigate this event.”

He added, “We are glad and pleased that the bishop is giving his testimony, but how sad it would have been if, on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Monsignor Romero, another bishop had been assassinated... the violence already is excessive.”

El Salvador, a Central American country, is considered one of the most violent countries in the world. According to official statistics, 13 people die a day as a consequence of the social violence.

Bishop Barahona expressed his regret at a press conference: “I leave this matter to the authorities who are investigating, but I am worried about this type of violence that everyone suffers.”

The Human Rights Attorney, Oscar Luna, knows of this case. Other expressions of solidarity for Bishop Barahona have come from The Episcopal Church in the United States.

The attempt occurred in the context of the 30th anniversary [24 March 1980, note of translator] of the Martyrdom of Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, a Roman Catholic bishop assassinated during the civil war, who defended the most vulnerable segments of the populace.

The Most Rev. Martín Barahona, 67 years old, has been the Bishop of the Anglican Church of El Salvador since 1992, and is Primate of the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America (IARCA). This church is one of those called “historic” for their prophetic accompaniment of national current events.

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Iglesias Históricas se solidarizan con Iglesia Episcopal en El Salvador


San Salvador, 19 de marzo de 2010. Las Iglesias Históricas han externado su solidaridad con la Iglesia Anglicana ante el atentado que sufriera el Obispo de esta Iglesia, Martín Barahona y dos de sus más cercanos colaboradores.

La noche de este miércoles (17 de marzo), el Obispo Martín Barahona junto a dos de sus más cercanos colaboradores fueron víctima de la violencia que tiene aprisionado este país; un hombre desconocido, sin mediar palabras les disparó. Los impactos alcanzaron al motorista del religioso, Francis Martínez, quien se encuentra hospitalizado. Mientras que el Obispo, gracias a Dios resultó ileso.

“Como movimiento ecuménico de las iglesias estamos preocupados…cuando un hombre de Dios recibe un atentado no podemos dejar de pensar que es una persecución de la Iglesia, por eso pedimos a las autoridades que investiguen”, dijo el Obispo Medardo Gómez de la Iglesia Luterana, en solidaridad a Barahona.

Agregó, “estamos alegres y contento porque nuestro Obispo está dando su testimonio, pero que triste hubiera sido que en el aniversario del martirio de Monseñor Romero otro obispo hubiera sido asesinado…la violencia ya es excesiva”.

El Salvador, país centroamericano es considerado uno de las naciones más violentas en el mundo. Según cifras oficiales 13 personas fallecen al día, como consecuencia de la violencia social.

“Dejo a las autoridades que investiguen, pero me preocupa esta clase de violencia que toda la gente estamos sufriendo”, lamentó el Obispo Barahona, durante una conferencia de prensa.

El caso fue conocido por Procurador de Derechos Humanos, Oscar Luna. Otras expresiones de la Iglesia Episcopal en Estados Unidos se han solidarizado con Barahona.

El atentado se ha dado en el marco del XXX aniversario del Martirio de Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, obispo católico asesinado durante la pasada guerra civil, por defender a los sectores más vulnerables.

El reverendísimo Martín Barahona, de 67 años de edad, es el Obispo de la Iglesia Anglicana de El Salvador desde 1992, y es el Primado de la Comunión Anglicana en Centro América (IARCA). Esta Iglesia al igual que las llamadas Iglesias Históricas se ha caracterizado por acompañar, desde una visión profética la realidad nacional.

Prayers asked big time

This press release went out at noon today. Episcopal News Service will be running an article later on.

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Bishop of the Anglican Church of El Salvador victim of an assassination attempt

San Salvador, 18 March 2010

The Episcopal Church of El Salvador denounces before the general public and the international community the murder attempt that Bishop Barahona and two of his closest collaborators suffered.

This past Wednesday night (17th), Bishop Barahona, along two of his closest working partners, was victim of the violence that has held this country imprisoned. An unknown man, without saying anything, shot at them . The bullets hit the bishop’s driver, Francis Francis Martínez, who is now hospitalized. Meanwhile, the bishop, thanks be to God, was unharmed.

What is odd about these events is that the police was just a couple of meters away. As the Episcopal Church, we are dismayed by this inexplicable fact. The bishop is a pastor whose principle function is to accompany spiritually the faithful who seek his advice and solace.

We lament profoundly this fact, as do many Salvadorans, who are victims of violence and impunity. We ask everyone’s prayers that hope in a different El Salvador is not lost and that this event is not a sign of persecution of the church.

The Most Rev’d Martín Barahona, 67 years old, has been the Bishop of the Anglican Church of El Salvador since 1992 and he is the Primate of the Anglican Communion in Central America (IARCA). This church is one of the historical churches, characterized by its prophetic accompaniment of the national reality.

We invite you to a press conference this afternoon at 3.00 PM at San Juan Evangelista, on 63rd Avenue Sur, in front of the Telefónica y Telecom towers.


DEPARTAMENTO DE COMUNICACIONES DE LA IGLESIA ANGLICANA DE EL SALVADOR

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Obispo de la Iglesia Anglicana de El Salvador victima de atentado

San Salvador, 18 de marzo de 2010. La Iglesia Episcopal de El Salvador denuncia ante la población en general y comunidad internacional, el atentado a muerte que ha sufrido el Obispo Martín Barahona y dos de sus más cercanos colaboradores.

La noche de este miércoles, el Obispo Martín Barahona junto a dos de sus más cercanos colaboradores fueron víctima de la violencia que tiene aprisionado este país; un hombre desconocido, sin mediar palabras les disparó. Los impactos alcanzaron al motorista del religioso, Francis Martínez, quien se encuentra hospitalizado. Mientras que el Obispo, gracias a Dios resultó ileso.

Lo curioso de los sucesos es que, a metros del atentado se encontraba la policía. Como Iglesia Episcopal nos encontramos consternados y sin explicación para este hecho. El Obispo es un pastor, cuya función principal es el de acompañar espiritualmente a su feligresía y a quienes buscan su consejo y consuelo.

Lamentamos profundamente este hecho, como el de muchos y muchas salvadoreñas, que a diario son víctimas de la violencia y de la impunidad. Pedimos las oraciones de todos y todas para que no se pierda la esperanza de un El Salvador diferente y que no sea este suceso una señal de persecución a la Iglesia.

El reverendísimo Martín Barahona, de 67 años de edad, es el Obispo de la Iglesia Anglicana de El Salvador desde 1992, y es el Primado de la Comunión Anglicana en Centro América (IARCA). Esta Iglesia al igual que las llamadas Iglesias Históricas se ha caracterizado por acompañar, desde una visión profética la realidad nacional.

Le invitamos a conferencia de prensa esta tarde a las 3.00.P.M. en San la Parroquia San Juan Evangelista, sobre la 63 ave. Sur. Frente a las Torres Telefónica y Telecom.

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From ENS

EL SALVADOR: IARCA primate, two others survive gunfire
By ENS staff , March 18, 2010
[Episcopal News Service] The Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador March 18 publicly denounced the attempted murder of Bishop Martín Barahona and two others, according to a news release issued by the church.

The incident happened in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, on March 17 when an unknown man approached and fired upon Barahona, a church musician and Francis Martínez, the bishop's driver, according to news reports. Barahona was unharmed, but Martinez was hit in the stomach and his arm was broken by one of the gunshots. He is in "grave but stable condition," said the Rev. Lee Alison Crawford, rector of Trinity Church in Rutland, Vermont and a member of the Episcopal Church's Executive Council, in a telephone interview with ENS.

"At this point we don't know if there was a particular motivation or whether this was random, which is symptomatic of the pervasive violence that affects all sectors of daily life in El Salvador," she said.

Crawford, who is the canon missioner of the Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador, said she had been in touch with church members in El Salvador after receiving word of the shooting.

The ongoing violence in the country, she said, comes from a "complex combination" of factors, including gang and other criminal activity, a "profusion of arms floating around the country" since the end of the civil war in the early 1990s and the country's economic stresses.

Barahona, 67, became bishop of the Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador in 1992, and is the primate of the Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America (IARCA). Barahona is scheduled to participate in a service commemorating the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Salvadoran Roman Catholic Archbishop Óscar Romero to be held March 27th at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

The province, formed in 1998, consists of the dioceses of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama. The Episcopal Church has been in a "covenant partnership" with IARCA since its creation. More information about the history of the relationship between the province and the Episcopal Church and the covenant partnership is here.

The Salvadoran church was scheduled to hold a news conference about the shooting on the evening of March 18.

Obelisk in El Salvador

[photo by Chuck Stewart]

I was not in El Salvador last weekend to celebrate Fundación Cristosal's tenth anniversary, but I have gleaned photos from Facebook. I was stunned to see my name on this monument, given that I have not been on the Cristosal board since 2005 but have continued since then to administer the website.

The monument is to all the volunteers over the years who have walked with the Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador. The obelisk is topped by a Celtic (Iona-esque) cross. At its foot is a columbarium. The entirety is located at El Maizal, a retreat center, and community to the west of San Salvador.

I doubt on my rapid trip this March I will get out there but some day I will return to El Maizal.

¡Que vivan Cristosal y la IAES!

Message from Archbishop Barahona

Llamado del primado de IARCA (la Iglesia Anglicana de la Región de Central América) en solidaridad con el pueblo Haitiano.

Estimados hermanos y hermanas, amigos y amigas de la Provincia Anglicana de la Región Central de América y otras personas que con espíritu de solidaridad quieran poner atención a este llamado desde la ciudad de San Salvador, El Salvador, cede del Primado de la Provincia de IARCA.

Les ruego, les suplico, por el amor de Dios que hagamos lo que podamos para apoyar al sufrido pueblo de Haití en la tragedia del martes 12 de enero, cuando un terremoto de 7.3 grados ha destruido gran parte de la infraestructura de esta nación y que ha dejado mas de 100 mil muertos y millones de damnificados, es una de las tragedias mas grandes que hemos tenido en los últimos tiempos.

Oremos para que Dios de fortaleza a la gente y a los familiares que han perdido a sus seres queridos y de una manera muy especial, enviamos nuestro mensaje de solidaridad a nuestra querida Iglesia Episcopal de Haiti, a su Clero y a nuestro hermano Obispo el Revdmo Jean Zache Duracin.
 
Nosotros en nuestra Provincia, sentimos el sufrimiento de ellos; les pido que hagamos donaciones y las enviemos a nuestra institución de ayuda y desarrollo: “Episcopal Relief and Development, estamos seguros que ellos están allí y nosotros debemos apoyar esta gran ayuda humanitaria.

Vayan nuestras oraciones para los que han fallecido, para pedir fortaleza de Dios para sus familiares y los sobrevivientes.

Que la misericordia de Dios este siempre con nosotros.

El Revmo Martín Barahona
Obispo de El Salvador
Primado de IARCA

Call of the Primate of IARCA (the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America) in solidarity with the Haitian people

Dear brothers and sisters, friends of the Province of the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America and other people who, with a spirit of solidarity, want to heed this cry from the city of San Salvador, El Salvador, seat of the Primate of the Province of IARCA:

I beg you, I implore you, for the love of God, that we do all we can to help the people of Haiti. They are suffering from the tragedy of 12 January when a 7.3 earthquake destroyed a major part of the infrastructure of this nation and left more than 100.000 dead and millions of homeless. It is one of the greatest tragedies that we have seen in recent times.

Let us pray that God will give strength to the people and families who have lost their loved ones and, in particular, we send our message of solidarity to our beloved Episcopal Church of Haiti and to our brother bishop, the Most Rev. Jean Zache Duracin.

In our province, we feel their suffering.

I ask you to make donations and send them to our help and development agency, Episcopal Relief and Development. We are sure that they are there and we need to support this huge humanitarian effort.

May our prayers go with those who have perished; may we ask for God’s strength for their families and survivors.
 
May God’s mercy be always with us.

(the Most Rev.) Martín Barahona,
Bishop of El Salvador
Primate of IARCA

Woman Ordained Priest in El Salvador

Rosa Irma Guerra, la primer mujer ordenada como sacerdotiza Episcopal, es acompañada por Juan Pablo Alvarado, Roberto Castro Castro y Manuel Esteban Osorio, nuevos Diáconos, al momento de ser consagrados por los Obispos Medardo Gómez y Martín Barahona, de las iglesias Luterana y Episcopal, respectivamente. Foto Diario Co Latino/Ricardo Chicas Segura


Zoraya Urbina
Redacción Diario Co Latino

La iglesia Episcopal Anglicana ordenó como sacerdote a la primera mujer salvadoreña dentro de la congregación.

Rosa Irma Guevara de Alvarado, hizo sus votos frente al Obispo Martín de Jesús Barahona, el máximo representante de la Iglesia en El Salvador y en la región centroamericana.

Tras seis años de preparación, entre los que pasó por un proceso de discernimiento, conocimiento de las bases de la congregación, estudios de teología y luego de someter su solicitud a consideración del obispo, este miércoles pasado, Guevara de Alvarado se ordenó como reverenda.

“Es un privilegio sentir que yo estoy llamada a servirle al Señor en este ministerio como mujer ordenada”, dijo de Alvarado, momentos antes de ser consagrada como la primera salvadoreña ordenada en el país.

En El Salvador y en muchos lugares del mundo, lo tradicional es que los cargos religiosos: diáconos, sacerdotes, pastores, Obispos, u otros, sean ejercidos por hombres, en la Iglesia Católica Romana y en las Iglesias evangélicas.

Según el obispo Barahona, la Iglesia Episcopal Anglicana es inclusiva y no hace diferencias entre hombres y mujeres, por tanto todos y todas pueden optar por cualquier cargo en el que sientan la vocación de servir.

Este proceso data de hace treinta años, cuando posterior a diversas deliberaciones dentro del seno de la iglesia, se comenzó la ordenación de mujeres porque consideraron que todos y todas pueden ser llamados por el Espíritu Santo, ya que este no hace diferencia de géneros.

Las órdenes en las que los miembros de la congregación pueden servir son: el diaconado, que significa la consagración al servicio del prójimo, el presbiterado que es el sacerdocio y el obispado.

Barahona explicó que en El Salvador ya ordenó a dos mujeres, pero que ambas son estadounidenses.

También en la congregación hay mujeres procedentes de todo el mundo que ejercen sus ministerios en diversas regiones.

En la ceremonia participó el Obispo de la Iglesia Luterana, Medardo Gómez, quien explicó que dentro de su iglesia también hay mujeres que ejercen el sacerdocio.

“En nuestra iglesia hay mujeres salvadoreñas ejerciendo como sacerdotes”, explicó el prelado. En la región, Gómez representa la mayor autoridad dentro de la iglesia luterana, por tanto es el encargado de tomar las profesiones de fe a los nuevos religiosos y religiosas.

Según dijo, tanto su congregación, como la Episcopal Anglicana tienen un acuerdo para compartir el púlpito y el altar, pues “su identidad es ecuménica”, es decir universal y la relación entre ambas es fraternal.

Esta disposición fue aprobada a nivel mundial según explicó el religioso. “Pero aquí en El Salvador, en las ordenaciones tanto de los pastores luteranos como los episcopales, participamos los dos obispos, de tal manera que la bendición sacerdotal y episcopal la tienen de las dos iglesias”, indicó.

La iglesia Episcopal Anglicana surgió en Inglaterra, a raíz de la ruptura entre el Rey Enrique VIII y el Papa, cuando este último se negó a concederle el divorcio para contraer nuevas nupcias.

La iglesia Luterana nació a partir de la reforma impulsada por Martín Lutero, quien afirmaba que la fe es suficiente para lograr la salvación y quería cambios dentro de la Iglesia Católica, tales como el matrimonio de los sacerdotes y la posibilidad de que las mujeres ejercieran los ministerios.

Aida Alvarado, miembro de la Iglesia, afirma que todas las iglesias históricas, es decir, la Episcopal Anglicana, la Luterana, la Católica Romana, surgieron el día de Pentecostés.

Este acontecimiento es el que relata el libro de Hechos de los Apóstoles, en el Nuevo Testamento, cuando el Espíritu Santo se manifestó a los doce seguidores de Jesucristo y a su madre María.

Nelly Miranda, una reverenda episcopal de Guatemala, que tomó sus votos hace 8 años, cree que la iglesia es inclusiva y permite que la mujer pueda servir a Dios a través del ministerio del sacerdocio. “Yo serví en una iglesia tradicional, pero no había ordenación de mujeres, entonces no podía ejercer un ministerio como aquí”, explicó.

La nueva reverenda expresó satisfacción por su ordenación: “Lo que más me llamó la atención es ser mujer, la iglesia nos da la oportunidad de servir como mujeres ordenadas y yo creo que en la iglesia hay tanto trabajo que hacer y eso es lo que más me ha llamado la atención”.

“Somos una iglesia que incluye a todos y a todas, y a la mujer le da toda clase de oportunidades. Todos los espacios jerárquicos que hay en la iglesia están abiertos para las mujeres”, dijo Barahona.

© 1890-2008 Diario Co Latino | Todos los derechos reservados.

Visita del Obispo

Yesterday the Most Rev'd Martín Barahona, Bishop of El Salvador and Archbishop of the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America (IARCA) visited our church. We held one service, instead of three, and managed to have the same attendance as a normal Sunday. Compa took all the photos, moving from the gallery to the floor and back up to the gallery. Enjoy.


The Treble Choir sang which makes for a full house up front. It's sobering to think that the attendance in the chancel yesterday was close to what I'd see on a Sunday at my former parish... in the nave.


The translation was OK — a couple of dumb mistakes until things got going and the translator could figure out contextually what he was saying... at the end, he got going and the translator could not repeat all he had said.


This photo is neat, taken through the new organ pipes in the gallery.


You've got to admit — the space is wonderfully impressive in photos. Clearly this is the recessional.


An anonymous donor gave the bishop copies of Dick Clark's Stations of the Cross (done in 1994, the originals are at Saint Paul's Cathedral, Burlington). Only 100 copies were made. The stations are reminiscent of those at la UCA, Antigua Cuscatlán, El Salvador.

The parish gave $1539 to Fundación Cristosal, a most helpful offering.

Very hard news from El Salvador

Monday at 12.30 in the middle of the day, in the middle of a medical campaign at the Church of Sta Maria Virgen in San Bartolo, a suburb (barrio) of San Salvador, gang members came into the newly consecrated church building and assassinated a devoted and faithful young member, Alejandro. A woman patient was also injured. Motives behind the slaying remain unknown, but the entire church community has been greatly affected by this tragedy, especially for the fact that it took place in the church. A group of visitors from the United States, participating in the campaign, were witnesses to the murder.

Bishop Martín Barahona, Bishop of El Salvador and Archbishop of the Anglican Church of the Region of Central America (IARCA), writes: 'Let us come together in prayer to ask God that there be no more violence in our country and we can refind the values that we have lost, especially the value of life.

'All your solidarity and prayers are welcome, not only for this moment but for our poor and humble people who suffer the strikes of this pandemic.

'My most sincere thanks and may God have compassion on us.'