St. William Church - 2004 Esquipulas Delegation

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2004 Esquipulas Delegation

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Early in 2004, five members of the St. William community traveled to our sister parish in Nicaragua - Nuestro Senor de Esquipulas. The Group left January 22nd and returned on February 3rd.

Learn more about the
Esquipulas Sister Parish Relationship.

During liturgy on January 18, 2004, Sharan Benton, Pastoral Administrator, called the pilgrims forward for a blessing. Anne Walter, Formation Minister, read a prayer as members of the congregation extended their hands in blessing over the group.

Members of the group include Art Baltes (second from left), Maria Scharfenberger, John Grant, Judy Heitzman, and John Burke (St. William Sacramental Minister).

On January 22, 2004, friends and family gathered to bid farewell to the pilgrims at Louisville International Airport. Members of the group (left) hold an altar cloth with the names of both churches: Our Lord of Esquipulas and Saint William. The altar cloth, made during a retreat as part of preparation for the trip, was signed by the five delegates and members of the St. William Esquipulas committee. The altar cloth was later given as a gift from the St. William community to the community of Our Lord of Esquipulas.

The pilgrims began their Nicaraguan experience in Managua. There they visited Casa Jubilea, a coop where terra cotta water filters, that are 99% effective, are made from clay. A Women's Sewing Coop is also located on Casa property. Zuleem (second from left at right), leader of the Women's Sewing Coop, poses for a picture with the five delegates and members of Kairo, an organization located in Managua that facilitates visits between Sister Parishes.

While in Managua, the pilgrims attended a bread service at St. Paul's Church. After the service, members of the St. Paul's community gather with the delegates from St. William.

From Managua, the Pilgrims traveled to Matagalpa. Judy Heitzman, John Grant, and Art Baltes stand with Kitty Madden from Casa Materna and Padre Marlon, former pastor of Our Lord of Esquipulas and currently Victor General of the diocese of Matagalpa, overlooking Matagalpa.

Many mothers-to-be must walk miles in order to reach the hospital in Matagalpa. Casa Materna is a facility close to the hospital in Matagalpa that provides a place for women with high risk pregnancies to stay while awaiting the birth of their children. Mothers and staff members pose for a picture in front of the Casa.

Art Baltes, Judy Heitzman, and John Burke rest in the shade of a tree outside Casa Materna before leaving for Esquipulas.

A huge welcome sign greeted the pilgrims upon their arrival in Esquipulas. The sign was on the wall of the meeting room that is part of the Casa Cural, the parish facility that includes a residence, a courtyard, a guest house, a clinic, and this meeting room at Our Lord of Esquipulas.

Juan, a member of the parish of Our Lord of Esquipulas, extended an invitation to the delegates to visit his farm. Pilgrim Arturo (Art) Baltes rides a horse on the farm.

The gathering at Juan's farm ended with a Liturgy, very much a part of the culture. Judy Heitzman, (second from left at right) joins in the singing during the Liturgy.

Many young boys in Esquipulas earn money to help support their families by shining shoes. Judy Heitzman visits with several of these boys working during their Christmas break.

Because of difficulties in transportation and the distances that most of the time must be covered on foot, 21 chapels have been established in the outlying areas of the parish of Our Lord of Esquipulas. Each chapel has a delegate of the word, who is member of the parish. The delegate of the word functions as a community leader. The St. William delegation visit the chapel at Rodeo.

As the delegation approached the chapel at Rodeo, they were greeted by a group of young dancers, who performed one of the 12 dances done to entertain the visitors from St. William.

After the liturgy at Rodeo, John Grant, Judy Heitzman, Jim Franklin, and Maria Scharfenburger, travel on foot to Jim's house for lunch.

The delegates were warmly welcomed into many homes. The hospitality of these generous people was overwhelming. The host families used their best food resources to entertain the visitors from St. William. Jose and his family used their limited grain supply to fatten the chicken served to the pilgrims.

Over the years, Mirna Davila has hosted a gathering for the St. William delegations.

This year's delegation had the opportunity to visit with many of Mirna's friends as they packed her house in honor of the visitors.

As a result of Hurricane Mitch, many farmers lost top soil and seed. A coop was formed to aid farmers recover from the devastation of that hurricane. The coop has become self-sustaining as farmers continue to borrow and repay the loans. Members of the coop came by the Casa Cural to speak with members of the delegation.

Maria Scharfenberger visits with a member of the coop.

By far walking is the most common mode of transportation in Esquipulas. At times, the St. William pilgrims were given the luxury of riding in the bishop's van.

In 2002 a delegation from Esquipulas came to visit the St. William community. All members of that group entertained the pilgrims during their visit to Esquipulas. Elba, a delegate of the word, (second from left) welcomed the pilgrims into her home.

Maritza, Fony, Angela, MariaElana, and the women of Esquipulas spoil the pilgrims with good food and lots of TLC at the home of Mario, who was a member of the 2002 Esquipulas delegation to St. William.

Memo (left, with Judy Heitzman) became a very valuable member of the group. Memo, from Managua, acted as interpreter for the group during their entire stay in Nicaragua.

One of the newest outlying chapels, San Guillermo (St. William) chapel, is in the barrio, about two miles straight up a hill.

Prior to the construction of the chapel, community members had been meeting without a chapel. Pilgrims and Esquipulas members take the road to the new chapel.

The San Guillermo chapel.

Children arrive for the dedication liturgy at San Guillermo chapel. The normal mode of transportation is walking. Packing many individuals in the back of a pickup truck is a normal mode of rare vehicular transportation.

During the dedication of the San Guillermo chapel, children swarm around their tall visitor, Padre Juan (Father John Burke, St. William sacramental minister). Another member of the delegation, Maria Scharfenberger, to the left of Padre Juan, greets the children.

The altar cloth given to the community of Our Lord of Esquipulas by the St. William delegates is draped over the altar of the San Guillermo chapel.

After leaving Esquipulas, the five pilgrims returned to Managua for a debriefing process with Elena (front row left), director of Kairos, the organization that facilitates visits between members of sister parishes.

The five delegates and members of the St. William Esquipulas committee signed the altar cloth during a retreat in preparation for the journey to Esquipulas. After the dedication liturgy, members of the Esquipulas community added their signatures.

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