Quotes from the final weekend of the Churchwomen Delegation

With the delegation coming to a close, delegates shared many interesting and profound responses to the experience with SHARE. We've compiled a few quotes here to provide food for thought to those of you who weren't able to join us in El Salvador for this memorable occasion. 

The delegation spent the first part of Saturday in San Salvador’s main Cathedral and in the crypt below, which is the final resting place of Archbishop Romero.  After this experience one delegate commented:

"The contrast between the ornateness of the main cathedral and the simplicity with which Romero lived his life was startling and very disturbing.  It makes you question the role of the Catholic Church in the social issue of our times." -Belinda Monahan, OSB

Delegates at Archbishop Romero's tomb

On Sunday, the final day of the delegation, delegates met with representatives from the Women’s Secretariat of the CCR. They spoke to the delegation about community gardens, one of SHARE’s projects in the region. The objective of these gardens is to preserve organic agricultural techniques, to provide additional nourishment for their families, and to give the women a mechanism for earning additional income by selling surplus crops. It was a wonderful exchange that inspired this reflection from one delegate: 

"I am always impressed by the way people are taking hold of their own life and space. The empowerment that they have chosen for themselves.  That was true both here today and in other parts of our journey.  And I think the other piece for me is the resilience of the people.  It's certainly an example for me, and its a challenge to me, to be open-handed in all that I do in life.  And being willing to be that resilient in my part when I go back to the United States."  -Marcelline Koch, OP

On Sunday the group also visited the cementary in Chalatenango where the 4 Churchwomen are buried. Here are two powerful quotes from that experience:

"Our sisters, Maura, Ita, Carla, are in death as they were in life: among the people. At their simple grave site, they are surrounded by the Salvadoran people for whom they gave their lives over with love and courage. Gracias, hermanas! May the witness of your lives live SIEMPRE." -Chris Koellhoffer, IHM

"The experience of El Salvador this week was profound, heartwarming, hopeful and life giving. The sacred act of remembering the lives of the churchwomen and Romero, and the thousands of martyrs whose names we do not know, is the beginning of re-membering a community, a country, and a people. For all of the victims of the violence in our world, we say: PRESENTE!" -Donna Korba, IHM

Over the next several days, we will be posting a slideshow and a few more reflections from delegates. We also welcome your comments and reflections on these weeks events. What did you do to commemorate the anniversary of the deaths of the 4 US Churchwomen?

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