My life and work in Guadalajara, Mexico

by Janet Grim, SND

I've been accompanying the Mexican people here in Guadalajara for 15 years.

Mexico is considered part of the North American continent and would very much like to enjoy the economic standing of its northern neighbors. The country is certainly gifted with all the natural resources which should qualify it as one of the richest areas in the world. However, there is overwhelming poverty both in intensity and quantity and the gap between the rich and the poor grows greater each day, as it does everywhere.

I am fortunate to be connected to the Mexican Jesuits here in Mexico. I teach English and French in their seminary where I meet many young religious, both men and women, who are in formation and who are studying philosophy. This school is the first stage of their education as religious; their theology will come later in their formation. In the past few years we have had just as many lay people studying with us as religious. The school is a privileged atmosphere with highly motivated students and language classes as small as 3 and 4. I rarely have more than 8 students in my language classes. All of us at school, teachers and students alike, are encouraged to engage in apostolates which put us in contact with the needs of the poor. This contact with the poor helps us to direct our relations with each other, our teaching methodology and our curriculum content to this reality. Classroom theory is informed by the practical experience of apostolates and the learnings are rich.

The apostolate I've been involved in since my arrival here is parish work. I've participated in various pastoral services in the course of the years, always for the same diocesan pastor. He is truly a pastor of the poor.

At present I am part of a team of six assisting the pastor, among whom are the young Jesuits in my classes. I am involved with the Base Community groups (called CEBs). These are small groups formed by the people living on a block and they usually meet once a week.

The purpose of these groups is two-fold: First, they are a means to conscienticize folks as to the reality they live in. That is, that they begin to see that their reality of poor salaries, poor educational opportunities, poor government services (water, electric, etc), fear of retaliation if they complain, is not what God wants for them, that such an existence is anti-gospel. The other hope of these groups is the formation of community. Most people live in isolation, trying to mind their own business and not wanting to risk who they are by sharing their experiences and how they feel. Their needs are great and it is only in helping one another that their suffering becomes bearable. The pastor just can't respond to all the needs. Just about everyone is Catholic, at least 95% of the population. The Base Communities can help people to live in solidarity with their neighbors and be willing to accompany each other in their journey so that they feel support.

This is a tall order in a society which values family privacy rather than solidarity with neighbors. It is also a tall order among parishioners who are coming from a charismatic experience where Church gatherings are moments to recite and sing wordy prayers without ever having to meet oneself or the neighbor in the process.

The Base Community structure struggles. People are slow to accept responsibility for their faith. They still want the priest to give them that faith in his Sunday homily. They want it to come from the quantity of rosaries they say, the number of Masses they go to, rather than from their lived experience shared and deepened in conversation with the gospel and others. Adult Christianity is not easy!

Despite all the problems and injustices within the fabric here, the people have a lot of hope and they love to celebrate life. I am truly grateful to be part of their struggle and for the opportunity to share life with the Mexican people who teach me so much.

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