tvc.dsj.org | December 11, 2018
COMMENTARY
15
Lesson Learned in Mission Land USA
By Tony Magliano
Internationally syndicated social jus-
tice and peace columnist
[email protected]
Many years ago as a young man born and raised
in Baltimore, I spent a very diff erent week getting a
taste of life in Appalachia.
The opportunity to travel from the hustle of big
city life to the quiet beautiful mountainous area of
eastern Kentucky – to deepen my Catholic faith,
experience Christian community with other young
adults from around the U.S., and help the rural poor
– was an off er this adventurous soul jumped at!
Th rough a wonderf ul program wh ich t he
Glen ma r y Home Missioners st ill offer (see:
www.glenmary.org/come-and-see ), I and about 20
other guys, under the supervision of two skilled
Glenmary brothers, worked on improving impover-
ished homes of several mountain families. Then in
the evenings, we participated in wonderful spiritual
retreats.
Now fast-forward 40 years.
Having recently retired after 17 years as a pastoral
associate in Baltimore, I contacted Glenmary to see if
I could volunteer once again. Father Vic Subb, pastor
of Holy Family parish and Divine Savior mission in
Lafayette and Celina, Tenn. respectively, warmly
invited me to take up residence at his home and
assist him in ministering to the folks in his neck-
of-the-woods.
And so I packed my bags and headed south,
driving over 700 miles to Holy Family and Divine
Savor in Tennessee – which are the only established
Catholic congregations within a fi ve county radius.
For nearly six weeks, I took the Eucharist to home-
bound and nursing home parishioners, assisted with
R.C.I.A., gave two social justice and peace presenta-
tions, and delivered a weekly Scripture reading and
sermon on the local country radio station.
Although all of these men have
legal worker visas, millions of other
migrant workers throughout the
U.S. remain in the undocumented
shadows, partly because the
federal government refuses to issue
enough worker visas each year.
It was all a very enriching experience of sharing
and receiving God’s love.
But my most insightful experiences were minis-
tering to prisoners and migrant workers.
Every Friday at the Macon County Jail, Fr. Subb,
along with a few volunteers including myself, cel-
ebrated the Eucharist with 20 prisoners. Their prayer-
ful reverence and sincere refl ections concerning the
proclaimed Scriptures deepen my understanding
that active faith in God’s love and mercy is greater
than our sins, and as Jesus often taught, is our very
salvation (see: Luke19:1-10).
On several occasions, I traveled to migrant worker
camps in Tennessee and Kentucky with Fr. Subb –
who for years has traversed many country back roads
to befriend and minister to numerous Mexican and
Central American farm workers.
During a visit one evening, I asked them to tell me
about their work harvesting tobacco. They explained
that for 11 hours a day, six days a week, they work
non-stop – except for lunch – cutting, stacking, hang-
ing and stripping this hazardous crop – dangerous
to workers and users alike.
These very poor migrant workers labor so hard in
dangerous conditions, because at about $11 an hour,
they make 11 times what they would earn back home.
While millions of migrant workers pick our fruits
and vegetables, these men – migrant women also
work the fi elds – explained that tobacco was the only
farm job available to them.
Although all of these men have legal worker visas,
millions of other migrant workers throughout the
U.S. remain in the undocumented shadows, partly
because the federal government refuses to issue
enough worker visas each year.
Comprehensive, fair immigration reform legisla-
tion is sorely needed and long overdue.
Now back home in Maryland, where my county
and all of the neighboring counties have Catholic
churches, I realize the fi nal lesson I learned in mis-
sion country USA is that in our very secular nation
and world, mission country actually starts in our
own neighborhoods and parish congregations (see:
https://bit.ly/1i8E8ro).
Reverse Mortgage Lending Limit
is NOW $679,650!
January 18-20
www.retroca.com Retrouvaille Marriage Help
February 8-10
Father Peter Sanders
www.anewpentecost.com New Pentecost Catholic Ministries Retreat (Español)
February 22-24
Women’s Silent Retreat
Father Gary Sumpter
Mary as the Model of Closeness to Jesus
March 1-3
Father Patrick Dooling
Our Lady of Sorrows
Women’s Silent Retreat
March 8-10
Women’s Silent Retreat (Lent)
Father John Boyle
From Eve to Mary: The Promise of Redemption Fulfi lled
For more information:
831-423-8093
Email: [email protected]
Web site: www.stclaresretreat.com
Staffed by Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
You may be entitled to
more money!
Also, our Proprietary Jumbo
Reverse Mortgage Loan Program
may offer you even more money!
CALL Me! I’m Local.
408.297.0000
Dan Casagrande, Harvard MBA
www.ReverseManDan.com
Borrower must maintain property as primary residence and remain current on
property taxes and insurance.
maintain property as primary residence and remain current on property taxes and
insurance. These materials are not from HUD or FHA and the document was not
approved by HUD, FHA or any Government Agency.